28 April 2020
PDF version [428KB]
Karen
Elphick
Law and Bills Digest Section
|
This is one of three Library publications that outline
emergency and pandemic planning arrangements that were in place prior to
2020, and actual arrangements established in 2020 to coordinate the national
response to COVID-19.
- National emergency and disaster response arrangements in Australia:
a quick guide (this publication) explains the overarching decision-making
framework designed to manage crisis events of all kinds.
- Australian pandemic response planning: a quick guide outlines
the standing health emergency plans that were in place prior to the advent of
COVID-19 in 2020, including the National Pandemic Influenza Plan.
- Australian COVID-19 response management arrangements: a quick guide
explains the specific decision-making and advisory bodies involved in the
national COVID-19 response, as at April 2020.
|
Table of Contents
Overview
Division of responsibilities between
Australian and state and territory governments
Figure 1: Australian Government
responsibilities
Figure 2: National whole-of-government
crisis coordination arrangements 4
Structure of the AGCMF
Figure 3: Key whole-of-government
committees
Council of Australian Governments
National Security Committee of Cabinet
Australian Government Crisis Committee
National Crisis Committee
Australian Government plans for the
response phase
Lead minister for Australian
Government response
Table 1: Designated lead minister and
specific response arrangements
Domestic crisis response
Disaster response assistance for
states and territories
Figure
4: Key decision makers during a domestic crisis
Figure 5: Standing ADF assistance
arrangements
Crisis Coordination Centre
International crisis response
Emergency physical assistance to
overseas
Persons evacuated from overseas
Mass casualty incidents overseas
involving Australians
Global Watch Office
Figure 6: Key decision makers during an international crisis
Overview
Each Australian state and territory has generic emergency
and disaster response legislation which authorises officials to declare
emergencies in a variety of circumstances and make orders to deal with an
emergency. The Australian Government does not have specific legislative power
to deal with emergencies and has not enacted equivalent generic legislation.
National coordination arrangements for emergencies are well
established. The foundation of Australia’s current arrangements, the National
Strategy for Disaster Resilience, has been in place since 2011. Whole-of-government
arrangements have been developed that are designed to be applicable in any
emergency or crisis. These arrangements are known as the Australian
Government Crisis Management Framework (December 2017) (AGCMF). The
AGCMF distinguishes between ‘Australian’ (referring to Commonwealth bodies and
arrangements) and ‘national’ (referring to Commonwealth, state and territory
bodies and arrangements).
The AGCMF is an overarching, decision-making framework
designed to manage crises of all kinds, end-to-end, by passing through
management phases of prevention, preparedness, response
and recovery. A ‘crisis’ is any event that activates the AGCMF
arrangements. Crises may include (but are not limited to) terrorist incidents,
health pandemics, animal diseases, natural disasters and incidents affecting
Australians and/or Australian interests overseas.
This Quick Guide explains these arrangements for the
response phase, and identifies the various decision-making and advisory bodies.
Division of
responsibilities between Australian and state and territory governments
Under Australia’s federal system, with different powers
residing in state, territory and Australian governments, cooperative
arrangements to deal with civil emergencies are not only desirable, but
necessary, because no single government has the capacity or the authority to
deal with all aspects of large emergencies. The state and territory governments
have broader legislative and executive powers and the Australian Government has
significantly more financial resources and capacity for coordination. The
responsibilities of the Australian Government under AGCMF are set out in Figure
1.
States and territories are the first responders to any
incident that occurs within their jurisdiction. According to the AGCMF:
States and territories have primary responsibility for
the protection of life, property and the environment within the bounds of their
jurisdiction. They control most functions essential for effective crisis
prevention, preparedness, response and recovery. However, where crises involve actual or
potential national consequences there may be a need for high level
collaboration and coordination within and across all levels of government.
Figure 2 shows the relationship between state and
territory coordination arrangements, agency- led coordination arrangements and
whole-of-government coordination arrangements.
Figure 1: Australian
Government responsibilities
| SUPPORTING ROLE |
JOINT MANAGEMENT |
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITY |
| Providing support to the states and/or territories where
the need of a response overwhelms resources and Australian Government
coordinated assistance has been requested. |
Working together with the states and/or territories to
manage a crisis that has potential to affect, or has affected, more than one
jurisdiction, the broader community or an Australian Government area of
responsibility. |
Managing any crisis that is not the responsibility of a
state or territory. |
| FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE |
| Providing financial assistance to state and territory
governments and individuals affected by a major crisis. |
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework,
version 2.2 December 2017, p. 9.
Figure 2:
National whole-of-government crisis coordination arrangements
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework,
version 2.2, December 2017, p. 26.
Structure of
the AGCMF
The AGCMF designates a series of key Australian and National
cross-government committees. The relationship between the highest level
committees is shown in Figure 3.
Figure 3: Key
whole-of-government committees
Source: Australian Health Management Plan for
Pandemic Influenza, August 2019, p. 35.
Council of Australian
Governments
The Council
of Australian Governments (COAG) is the peak intergovernmental forum in
Australia. Its role is to manage matters of national significance or matters
that need coordinated action by all Australian Governments. The members of
COAG are the Prime Minister, state and territory First Ministers and the
President of the Australian Local Government Association. COAG is chaired by
the Prime Minister. The AGCMF is underpinned by a series of intergovernmental
agreements made through COAG.
National
Security Committee of Cabinet
The National
Security Committee of Cabinet (NSC) is a committee of the Australian
Government Cabinet. It considers major foreign policy and national security
issues of strategic importance to Australia, border protection policy, national
responses to developing foreign policy and security situations. Decisions of
the NSC do not require the endorsement of the Cabinet.
Australian
Government Crisis Committee
The Australian Government Crisis Committee (AGCC) is
a committee of officials who will coordinate the response across the Australian
Government. The AGCC Chair is the Deputy Secretary National Security,
Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), though for a
communicable disease emergency the AGCC may have a Health co-chair. An
Inter-departmental Emergency Task Force (IDETF) may be used as a
coordination mechanism rather than the AGCC if a communicable disease incident
threatens to significantly affect Australians or Australian interests overseas.
National
Crisis Committee
The National Crisis Committee (NCC) is the key
national cross-government officials committee. It will consolidate information
and coordinate information exchange and advice to ministers. It will also
coordinate ministerial decisions across the Australian Government, state and
territory and local governments. The NCC membership includes Australian
Government Crisis Committee standing members, state and territory agency
representatives as appropriate to the event, and state and territory
representatives from the departments of Premier and Cabinet (and equivalents).
Australian
Government plans for the response phase
The Australian Government has standing national plans to
facilitate provision of assistance. It has specific capabilities within its
agencies to assist with response to a crisis, including Australian Defence
Force (ADF) resources, access to satellite imagery, and assistance in brokering
memoranda of understanding with foreign partners
to obtain resources.
Lead minister
for Australian Government response
The lead minister for the Australian Government on response
and recovery will usually be the relevant portfolio minister. Designated lead
ministers for specific incidents or crises are set out in Table 1. Table
1 also shows where an outline of specific response arrangements for the type of
crisis is located in Annex A to the AGCMF.
Table 1:
Designated lead minister and specific response arrangements
| Lead Minister |
Incident or crisis |
AGCMF Annex |
| Minister for Foreign
Affairs |
International crises |
Annex A.1 |
| Minister for Home Affairs |
Domestic security-related incidents (excluding terrorist
incidents) or any other domestic crises with no clear ministerial lead |
Annex A.2 |
| Minister for Home Affairs |
Domestic terrorist incidents or maritime terrorist
incidents within the Australian Maritime Domain |
Annex A.3 and Annex A.4 |
| Minister for Home Affairs |
Domestic natural disasters |
Annex A.5 |
| Minister for Agriculture and Water Resources |
Domestic biosecurity crises |
Annex A.6 |
| Minister for Health |
Domestic public health crises |
Annex A.7 |
| Minister for the Environment and Energy |
Domestic energy supply crises |
Annex A.8 |
| Minister for Resources and Northern Australia |
Incidents involving an offshore petroleum facility in
Commonwealth waters |
Annex A.9 |
| Minister for Infrastructure
and Transport |
Transport incidents (maritime and aviation) within
Australia, the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone, or the Australian Search
and Rescue Region |
Annex A.10 |
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework, version 2.2, December 2017, p. 12.
As the incident evolves, responsibility for leading the Australian
Government response and/or recovery may transfer to a different minister, or
two ministers may co-lead. Depending on the scale of the crisis, the Prime
Minister may choose to act as the Australian Government spokesperson and the
lead minister for different elements of the crisis will then be announced by
the Prime Minister’s Office.
Domestic
crisis response
Disaster
response assistance for states and territories
The COMDISPLAN 2017: Australian Government
Disaster Response Plan is the plan for the provision of Australian
Government non-financial assistance to Australian states and territories
in an emergency or disaster. COMDISPLAN can be activated for any disaster
or emergency regardless of the cause. It explains how the Australian Government
responds to requests for assistance from state and territory governments. Requests for assistance are
coordinated through the Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC). The key
decision makers are identified in Figure 4.
Figure 4: Key decision makers during a domestic crisis
|
Plan
|
|
Key decisions
|
|
Domestic
|
The Australian Government Disaster Response Plan (COMDISPLAN)
is the mechanism that enables states and territories to request non-financial
assistance from the Australian Government (for example, specific
capabilities).
|
- Director-General, Emergency Management Australia (EMA), Home
Affairs activates and deactivates COMDISPLAN.
- The Minister for Home Affairs approves requests for assistance
under COMDISPLAN.
- The CCC coordinates requests for assistance under COMDISPLAN.
|
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework, version 2.2, December 2017, p. 15.
Emergency Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) is
ADF support provided to the civil community where immediate action is necessary
to: save human life or alleviate suffering; prevent widespread loss/damage to
property; prevent extensive loss of animal life; or to prevent environmental
damage. Emergency DACC may also be activated when state and/or territory
resources are overwhelmed/not fit for purpose. Standing arrangements for the
provision of ADF assistance are described in Figure 5. In some
situations, non-emergency DACC may also be made available.
Figure 5:
Standing ADF assistance arrangements
| Defence Assistance to the
Civil Community (DACC) |
| Category One Local emergency
assistance |
- Immediate ADF assistance provided by local ADF commanders, from
within their own resources, to local authorities.
-
The relevant local ADF commander approves category one
requests.
- Assistance shall not normally exceed 48 hours.
- No cost recovery unless prior agreement.
|
| Category Two Significant
emergency assistance |
- ADF assistance beyond that provided under Category One, for a
more extensive or continuing crisis response (this may include short term
recovery efforts).
-
Requires COMDISPLAN to be activated and a request for
assistance through Emergency Management Australia (EMA).
- Minister for Defence or the Chief of the Defence
Force (CDF) approves requests for Defence support beyond local arrangements.
- Duration depends on the nature and scope of the crisis, as well
as available resources.
- No cost recovery unless prior
agreement.
|
| Defence Force Aid to the
Civil Authority (DFACA) |
- Enables call out of the ADF within Australian territories to
protect Commonwealth interests
against domestic violence, including from threats in Australia’s offshore
area, and in response to
requests from states and territories.
- Governed by the Defence Act 1903, Part IIIAAA, section 51A.
-
The Governor-General makes a call out order
on the advice
of the three
authorising ministers (the Prime Minister, the Attorney-General and
the Minister for Defence).
- In a sudden
and extraordinary emergency, the Prime
Minister acting alone,
or the Minister for Defence and
the Attorney-General acting together (when the Prime Minister is not
available), can make an expedited call out
order.
|
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework, version 2.2, December 2017, p. 16.
Crisis
Coordination Centre
For domestic crises, the Crisis Coordination Centre (CCC) coordinates the Australian
Government’s response. The CCC is run by the Emergency
Management Australia Division (EMA) within the Security and
Resilience Group of the Department of Home Affairs (DHA).
International
crisis response
There are three key Australian Government assistance plans
to deal with international crises. The plans themselves are prepared and
maintained by EMA and published on the Department of Home Affairs (DHA) ‘Emergency
Management’ website. For each plan the lead minister for the response is
the Minister for Foreign Affairs and the lead responding Department is the
Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT). In some circumstances, DFAT may
delegate its roles and responsibilities to another agency. Key decision makers
are identified in Figure 6 below.
Emergency
physical assistance to overseas
The Australian
Government Overseas Assistance Plan (AUSASSISTPLAN) (2018) details the
process for the provision of emergency Australian Government-led physical
assistance to overseas countries. Assistance is not provided unless assistance
has been requested and/or accepted by the government of the disaster affected
country.
Persons evacuated
from overseas
The Australian
Government Plan for the Reception of Australian Citizens and Approved Foreign
Nationals Evacuated from Overseas (AUSRECEPLAN) (2017) outlines the processes
for the safe repatriation of Australians, their immediate dependants and
approved foreign nationals (evacuees) following a decision of the Australian
Government to conduct an evacuation. AUSRECEPLAN may be activated for any
DFAT-authorised evacuation including, but not limited to, an evacuation
following a major disaster or an adverse security situation.
Mass casualty
incidents overseas involving Australians
The Australian Government
Response Plan for Overseas Mass Casualty Incidents (OSMASSCASPLAN) (2017) outlines
the processes to assess and repatriate injured, infected or deceased
Australians and other approved persons to an initial repatriation point within
Australia, following an Australian Government-led evacuation from an overseas
mass casualty incident. It includes provision for deploying Australian Medical
Assistance Teams (AUSMAT) into the affected country for the purposes of
treating and triaging casualties in preparation for repatriation.
Global Watch
Office
For international crises, the DFAT Global Watch Office (DFAT
GWO) coordinates the Australian Government’s response. It monitors
and informs the Australian Government of emerging overseas hazards, coordinates information
flows and whole-of-government situational awareness, and coordinates the
Australian Government’s initial response. DFAT may stand up the
24/7 DFAT Crisis Centre (DFAT
CC) to carry on coordination for more significant crises.
Figure 6: Key decision makers during an international crisis
Plan
|
Key decisions |
| International |
The Australian Government Overseas Disaster Assistance
Plan (AUSASSISTPLAN) enables the Australian Government to provide
emergency physical assistance to overseas countries. |
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs approves requests for
activation under AUSASSISTPLAN.
- DFAT leads and coordinates requests for assistance under
AUSASSISTPLAN in close consultation with the CCC within EMA.
-
Director-General, EMA activates and deactivates AUSASSISTPLAN,
at the request of DFAT.
|
| The Australian Government Reception Plan (AUSRECEPLAN)
outlines the arrangements for the reception into Australia of Australian
citizens and permanent residents, and their immediate dependents, and
approved foreign nationals evacuated from overseas. |
- Director-General, EMA activates and deactivates AUSRECEPLAN at
the request of DFAT.
- DFAT is responsible for coordinating the evacuation.
- DHA is responsible for coordinating the reception.
|
| The National Response Plan for Mass Casualty Incidents
Involving Australians Overseas (OSMASSCASPLAN) provides an agreed
framework for agencies in all Australian jurisdictions to assess, repatriate
and provide care for Australians and other approved persons injured or killed
overseas in mass casualty crises. |
- The Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister for Defence, the
Minister for Health and the Minister for Home Affairs activate and deactivate
OSMASSCASPLAN.
- The CCC assists lead agencies coordinate and integrate
activities under OSMASSCASPLAN.
|
Source: Australian Government Crisis
Management Framework, version 2.2, December 2017, p. 15.
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