Emergency Management
State and Territory authorities have a constitutional responsibility, within their boundaries, to mitigate, prepare for, respond to, and recover from disasters and emergencies.
Declared State of Emergency
During extreme situations, a 'state of emergency' may be declared to facilitate the high-level coordinated response required at that time. A state of emergency is a government declaration that may:
- Suspend certain normal functions of government.
- Alert the community to the situation and request they alter their normal behaviours.
- Order government agencies to implement emergency preparedness plans.
- Suspending certain civil liberties during periods of civil disorder.
Australian Capital Territory Emergency Management Plans
The ACT Government also has plans and arrangements for dealing with a broad range of potential hazards. While these tend to be developed along hazard-specific lines, viewed together they form an “all-hazards” framework for emergency management.
The ACT Emergency Plan is the primary plan that addresses the prevention, preparation, response and recovery arrangements within the ACT. The Justice and Community Safety Directorate retains subordinate emergency management plans for risks and hazards that may cause an emergency as identified in the ACT Emergency Plan.
Australian Government Emergency Management Plans
All levels of government in Australia maintain appropriate emergency response plans. The National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) is responsible for the preparation and maintenance of Australian Government emergency management plans. These are available on the NEMA website.
