Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience: What Local Government Must Do to Reduce Disaster Risk

Local government is no longer just supporting disaster response — it is increasingly at the centre of how communities prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.

This was a key theme explored in a recent Resilience Matters webinar hosted by the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience.

From Response to Risk Reduction

One of the strongest messages was the need for councils to move beyond response and recovery, and instead embed risk reduction into everyday decision-making.

Decisions about land use, infrastructure and policy are not neutral — they shape future risk. And increasingly, councils are being asked to make those decisions with resilience in mind.

Decision-Making Is More Complex Than Ever

The session highlighted the complexity local governments operate within — balancing climate pressures, funding constraints, legislation, and rising community expectations.

This complexity reinforces the role of engagement. It’s not separate to decision-making — it sits within it, helping councils navigate competing priorities and trade-offs.

Resilience Is an Organisational Shift

Examples shared in the webinar pointed to a broader shift underway.

Rather than treating resilience as a standalone initiative, councils are embedding it into:

• governance and decision-making frameworks

• cross-organisational planning

• risk assessment processes

• day-to-day operations

This reflects a move from reactive responses to more consistent, proactive and transparent systems.

Why Engagement Matters More Than Ever

A consistent thread throughout the discussion was the role of engagement in making this work.

Understanding community expectations, aligning decisions, and being transparent about constraints are all critical — particularly in environments where not every outcome can be influenced.

Engagement, in this context, becomes part of how decisions are shaped — not just communicated.

The Shift to Trust

Another important theme was the changing nature of disasters themselves.

Longer, more complex events are placing greater emphasis on trust and relationships, not just systems and plans.

Local governments, as the constant presence in communities, play a critical role in maintaining that trust over time.

What This Means for Practice

For engagement practitioners, the implications are clear.

Resilience is not a separate conversation — it is increasingly part of:

• strategy

• governance

• planning

• and everyday decision-making

And engagement has a central role to play in navigating that shift.

Learn More

This article draws on insights from the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience Resilience Matters webinar: The Role of Local Government in Disaster Resilience (14 April 2026).

Dive deeper into the Resilience Matters webinar series and hear directly from practitioners driving resilience through engagement across Australia.