UN dubs Canberra world leader in disaster management

According to UNISDR office chief, Margareta Wahlström, who is in Australia to discuss disaster management ahead of the country's involvement in the Third UN World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan in March, Australia's disaster management is placed among the world's best.

Ms Wahlström, specifically highlighted Canberra's work towards its preparation and response to bushfires and has dubbed it as a role model on the global stage: "I think Australia is very good on this point from all I can see and the lessons learned nationally from the big bushfires and flooding in Queensland - I think it's brought a lot of learning and experience to the agenda," she said, adding that this learning could be taken as an opportunity to consider how money that actually goes to pay for disasters and the aftermath can be effectively shared with better and stronger mitigation.

"It's not that Australia claims to have all the solutions or a blueprint but it is constantly trying to figure out how to ensure that the public understands what risk is, how to protect itself and what the society needs to do" Ms Wahlström said.