The Disaster Challenge

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

The Disaster Challenge is a national challenge to encourage new ideas, new thinking and new research.

Hosted by Natural Hazards Research Australia (External link) with support from universities and emergency management organisations, the Disaster Challenge is inviting the best and brightest minds in our universities to put their creative talents into helping us solve the trickiest of social and cultural problems that surround how we deal with floods, bushfires, storms, cyclones and other natural hazards.

A wicked problem is one that is urgent, but difficult to solve because of incomplete, contradictory or changing requirements that are often difficult to recognise or evaluate.

With a national final and cash prizes on offer, what innovation can you or your team bring that Australia hasn’t done yet?

Want to know more about the Challenge?

Join the online briefing on 25 May (External link) if you are interested in participating or learning more.

The briefing will feature researchers and other experts in disaster management sharing current research and knowledge that relates to this specific wicked problem, as well as Q&A about the Challenge.

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The Disaster Challenge is a national challenge to encourage new ideas, new thinking and new research.

Want to know more about the Challenge?

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