AWE Newsletter – October 2023

Next Tuesday October 10 is Australasian Women in Emergencies Day, a day to recognise and celebrate women in emergencies and disaster resilience.

AWE President Bridget Tehan says, “AWE recognises the invaluable contributions of women in emergency services, community and not-for-profit organisations, government agencies, universities, schools, and private businesses. They consistently demonstrate their commitment, passion, skills, experience and expertise to the sector, and these contributions do not go unnoticed. This Australasian Women in Emergencies Day we recognise, celebrate, and stand alongside all women who contribute to resilience right across Australasia.”

Make sure you register for our Australasian Women in Emergencies Day Forum and Excellence Awards featuring guest speaker Sarah (Norm) Stuart-Black, Secretary General of New Zealand Red Cross, and special guest Ruth Wraith OAM who will announce winners of the AWE Excellence Awards. 

We are thrilled to advise that we received a large number of nominations for the inaugural AWE Excellence Awards.

AWE Co-founder and Awards Lead Kath Cooney says, “We have been overwhelmed by the calibre of nominees and the accolades that they have been given by their nominators and referees. It is clear that women right across the sector are playing critical roles and making important contributions to emergency management and disaster resilience across Australasia, and we are delighted to be recognising and honouring a wide range of extraordinary women through the AWE Excellence Awards.”

AWE Mentoring Program
We are holding an AWE Mentoring Workshop from 6 – 7pm AEDT/8 – 9pm NZDT on Wednesday 18 October. We will be discussing recent mentor program feedback and exploring potential next steps for AWE mentoring. AWE members interested in helping us to shape AWE’s ongoing mentoring options and arrangements are invited to attend. Register here.

New AWE Blog
With the increased risk of bushfire across most of Australia over coming fire season, now is a good time to think about encouraging friends and family who may want to be involved in supporting their communities this fire season to volunteer. Check out the new blog by AWE VIC Chapter Lead Akira Kelly for further information.

New AWE NT Chapter Lead
We are excited to announce the appointment of a new Chapter Lead for the Northern Territory – Nancy Bird. Read more about Nancy in our AWE Chapters section below.

Friday 10 – Sunday 12 November
Deep Creek Conservation Park, South Australia

RSVP and EOI: [email protected] by 10 October – we already have a number of registrations and places are limited so get in before you miss out!

9am Saturday 18 November
Brewhouse Café and Coffee Roasters
402 Hargreaves St, Bendigo

If you are interested in attending, please RSVP Akira Kelly [email protected]

Join AWE and Victoria’s Gender Equality Commissioner Dr Nikki Vincent as she speaks about the findings of the Victorian police and emergency services sector in the Gender Equality Commission’s 2022 Baseline report. Dr Vincent will also discuss the systemic, structural and cultural reform needed to address gender inequality. 

12pm AEDT – online
Wednesday 22 November

Book now

Don’t miss this chance to have your say, provoke and be provoked, and practice ‘strategy through imagination and play’.

Please register for the session here so we can track numbers for planning purposes.

The AWE Wellington crew met over breakfast in September at Thunderbird Café (left), networking and refining thinking about potential upcoming opportunities. Don’t forget our dinner in Wellington to celebrate Australiasian Women in Emergencies Day from 5:30 to 7:30pm on Tuesday 10 October at Rosie’s Cantina, 4 Queens Wharf in Wellington Central. Book now.

We are also holding an AWE Mentoring Workshop on 18 October from 8 – 9pm NZDT. We will be discussing recent mentor program feedback and exploring potential next steps for AWE mentoring. AWE members interested in helping us to shape AWE’s ongoing mentoring options and arrangements are invited to attend. Register here.

AWE NT

Nancy Bird, the new AWE NT Chapter Lead, has over 20 years’ experience in environment and safety management, community liaison and operational and resource management.  She has presented at international, national, state, regional and local conferences, and has travelled to Zambia as a delegate for Environmental Health Australia to provide advice, support and education. Nancy also co-chairs a running and walking group in Darwin called Darwin Deadlies, part of Robert De Castella’s Indigenous Marathon Foundation which has supported and inspired great things in urban and remote communities. Nancy says she is deeply committed to supporting those that work in the field of emergency management, especially women, and looks forward to growin AWE in the Northern Territory. You can contact Nancy at [email protected]

Commonwealth Covid-19 Response Inquiry: The Commonwealth Government Covid-19 Response Inquiry will review the Commonwealth Government’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic and make recommendations to improve response measures in the event of future pandemics.

Coordinating Australia’s response to disasters: This article explores the National Coordination Mechanism which originated from a series of discussions based on natural hazard scenarios with catastrophic, nationally distributed impacts and was first used in the early stages of Covid-19 to manage the pandemic’s non-health consequences.

Disaster recovery short course: Dates are now available for Foundations of disaster recovery in 2024. This short course, written by leading disaster recovery researchers at the University of Melbourne, is specifically designed for practitioners, volunteers and community members who are (or will be) working in post-disaster settings.

Environmental leadership program: Applications for Women’s Environmental Leadership Australia (WELA) 2024 National Leadership Program are now open. Due to the overwhelming number of applications received last year, WELA is offering two WELA National Leadership Programs in 2024.

Gender equity insights 2023: Check out the online launch of the Gender Equity Insights report which examines why progress towards narrowing gender pay gaps is slow and asks what actions and targets are needed to  accelerate the pace of change.

Homelessness and disasters: Check out this webinar from Homelessness Australia which explores the link between disasters and homelessness, and what the National Housing and Homelessness Plan needs to include to better plan for and respond to the inevitable increase in homelessness resulting from natural disasters.

International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction: 13 October is International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction, with this year’s theme, Fighting inequality for a resilient future, highlighting the disproportionate impacts for people living in poverty and/or who otherwise may be disadvantaged on their ability prepare for, cope with and recover from emergencies and disasters.

Positive Duty obligations and resources: Under the Sex Discrimination Act, organisations and businesses now have a positive duty to eliminate, as far as possible, unlawful behaviour including discrimination, sexual harassment, sex-based harassment, conduct creating a workplace environment that is hostile, and/or related acts of victimisation. Guidelines and resources are available for employers.

WIN DRR Leadership Awards 2023: Finalists for the Women’s International Network for Disaster Risk Reduction (WIN DRR) Leadership Awards 2023 Rising Star and Excellence awards have been announced. Winners will be announced on 13 October.

Women, firefighting and the patriarchy: Check out this recent article in the Sydney Morning Herald on the changing role of women in firefighting.

NSW
Manager Strategic Planning, Department of Communities and Justice (Lismore)
Emergency Response Coordinator, AGL

QLD
Coordinator, Emergency Management, Griffith University
Director – Operations Support, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services

SA 
Senior Communications Adviser, SA Health – SA Ambulance Service
Senior Sustainability Advisor, City of Adelaide

TAS
Senior Emergency Management Officer, Department of State Growth
Social Recovery Officer, City of Launceston

VIC
Community Recovery Officer, Murray River Council
Director, Recovery Outcomes, Department of Justice and Community Safety

WA
Bushfire Risk Management Coordinator, Shire of Northam
Senior Risk Business Partner, Murdoch University

NZ
Climate Action and Sustainability Adviser, Te Kaunihera aa Takiwaa o Waikato (Waikato District Council)
Climate Resilience Programme Manager, World Vision NZ

10 October         Australasian Women in Emergencies Day