During NAIDOC Week, Natural Hazards Research Australia (the Centre) partnered with the Australian Institute for Disaster Resilience (AIDR) and Fire to Flourish’s ‘National Indigenous Disaster Resilience’ (NIDR) program, in an online panel learning from First Nations colleagues who shared their leadership experiences in disaster response and community resilience.
Facilitated by Bhiamie Williamson (NIDR Project Lead, Centre researcher) and Dr Margaret Moreton, (Executive Director, AIDR), Fires, floods, pandemics: exploring Indigenous leadership in disaster response shone a light on First Nations led approaches and achievements around the country over the last decade.
Panellists Georgina Bruinsma (Senior Manager Aboriginal Leadership and Engagement, Social Futures), Patrick Rosser (Program Manager First Nations Health Equity-Integrated Care, Gold Coast Health) and Kristy Crooks (Aboriginal Program Manager, Public Health Aboriginal Team at Health Protection - Hunter New England Population Health) shared their insights and experiences working with communities during and following east coast flooding and the COVID19 pandemic.
Proud Yaegl woman Georgina Bruinsma shared her experiences supporting communities during and after the devastating Lismore floods in 2022. Continuing to support the Aboriginal community while severely affected by flooding herself, Georgina spoke about challenge of bridging the gaps in social isolation while maintaining a client base of more than 2,500 people, as well as the disproportionate impact of the floods the local Indigenous population.
Patrick Rosser, a proud Wiradjuri man, spoke of his experience leading significant disaster response and recovery efforts in Queensland, including the COVID-19 Pandemic Response – Hotel Quarantine Program, severe storm and floods. He also shared insights from the Human Social Mental Health Response, supporting areas impacted by recent fires, including Darling Downs in 2023.
Kristy Crooks is a proud Euahlayi woman whose PhD study is developing a process to privilege First Nations voices in infectious disease emergency planning and response. She shared her research into the institutional deficit discourse applied to First Nations people in disaster response, especially during the COVID19 pandemic, and the power in moving from classifying Aboriginal and Torres Strait Island people as ‘vulnerable’ to a ‘priority’ population.
Bhiamie Williamson reflected on what the audience had learned from the panel’s sharing, including:
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the incredible hard work and resilience of First Nations communities and the teams that support them, including families, friends and community leaders;
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the diversity of what resilience looks like for First Nations carers and service providers, doing their jobs while also impacted by the disasters affecting their communities, and walking alongside community members during and for long after these disasters;
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the importance of speaking to strengths in conversations and planning around disasters and First Nations communities.
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the inspiring examples of joint governance that include community, culture and connection, empowering communities to continue to lead in future disaster responses.