Disaster preparedness scorecard 2026: Closing the gap in emergency management

NIDR’s Disaster Preparedness Scorecard 2026 assesses whether Australian governments are progressing on their commitments to Indigenous communities before, during and after disasters. It is the only independent mechanism highlighting the action and inaction of emergency management agencies across all states and territories, when closing the gap in emergency management.

It is an invitation for Australian government agencies to track their efforts to do better, against three questions aligning with Indigenous priorities:

• Are emergency management agencies prepared to work with Indigenous peoples?  
• Are Indigenous organisations being funded to prepare for the next disaster? 
• Is disaster planning and decision making being shared with Indigenous peoples?

The Disaster Preparedness Scorecard 2026 recommends three immediate actions that governments can take to close the gap in emergency management. It also provides examples of progress in action, to inspire agencies to implement similar strategies.