Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre, commonly abbreviated to Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC, draws together all of Australia and New Zealand's fire and emergency service authorities, land management agencies, as well as non-government organisations and leading experts across a range of scientific fields to explore the causes, consequences and mitigation of natural disasters.
 | |
| Statutory Corporation overview | |
|---|---|
| Formed | May 13, 2013 |
| Jurisdiction | Australia |
| Headquarters | 340 Albert Street, East Melbourne VIC 3002 37.8095817°S 144.9775391°E |
| Annual budget | AUD$47 million over eight years |
| Parent department | Department of Industry and Science |
| Website | bnhcrc |
The CRC has special focus on the human, infrastructure, and governance aspects of natural hazards including: earthquake, tsunami, flood, cyclone, and bushfire.[1]
History
The CRC was launched at Parliament House Canberra by the Minister for Justice, the Hon Michael Keenan, MP, on 10 December 2013. The Minister said the Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC acknowledged the ongoing impacts of natural hazards upon communities, emergency service providers, governments, agriculture and other industries.
In announcing the Australian Government commitment to the CRC in February 2013, then Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the new centre would build on the work of the Bushfire CRC and expand the research into natural hazards.
The Bush fire and Natural Hazards CRC builds on the prior work of the Bushfire CRC, which ran from 2003 to 2014
Governance
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC is an incorporated not-for-profit public company limited by guarantee. It is managed through a small central office co-located with the Australasian Fire and Emergency Service Authorities Council in East Melbourne, with staff also based in Adelaide, Darwin and Canberra. It has a skills-based Board of Directors elected by its Members. The Board is chaired by an independent Director.
The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC is funded for eight years with $47 million from the Australian Government's Cooperative Research Centre, CRC program.[2] The remainder funds—cash and in-kind—comes from partner agencies, government organisations and research institutions from all states and territories and New Zealand.
Anne Leadbeater from the CRC was awarded Order of Australia OAM for her services to the community following the 2019 Black Saturday bushfires.[1]
References
- "Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC: About Us". Retrieved 5 February 2016.
- CRC program