Australia's infrastructure systems are complex and many risks are systemic. Effective strategic planning, land use and investment decisions are therefore essential to mitigate damage to property, livelihoods and people during disasters.
Resilience planning should incorporate the views of local communities, technical specialists and organisations that can play a valuable role in strengthening resilience.
Incorporating diverse perspectives is essential to deliver robust, innovative decisions, by including governments, organisations and communities that understand local complexity.38 The people who live with the consequences of disasters should be involved in resilience planning and understand the trade-offs for living and working in an area.
Communities have expert knowledge of how their local areas function - before, during and after shock events. By encouraging diverse input, decision-makers would be able to build on this information to create resilient communities that have stronger responses to a shock or stress.
It is important for planning to involve consultation with people who experience disproportionate impacts from shocks and stresses and are more vulnerable to the impacts. They include people with disability and chronic health conditions, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, and regional and remote communities.
Inclusive and participatory decision-making takes coordination and resourcing, so it is important to include local government. With a place-based remit and an established convening role within communities, local governments are well-placed to manage long-term community relationships and build local knowledge about needs, risks and opportunities.
The decision-making process should also involve Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people with expertise in managing the Australian environment.39