Supporting the National Situation Room

The Australian Government significantly upgraded its National Situation Room in December 2022.

The Australian Climate Service is playing a key role in improving access to technical and expert information and advice to the National Situation Room, contributing to the improvement of the Government's responses to a range of natural disaster events.
 

A photograph of Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP opening the new National Situation Room. He is standing at a podium in front of images of Australian weather incidents and patterns.

Prime Minister the Hon Anthony Albanese MP opening the new National Situation Room. The National Joint Common Operating Picture behind the Prime Minister demonstrates some of the data provided by the ACS partnership
Image: National Emergency Management Agency

When there is a natural hazard event, one of the roles the ACS plays is to provide detailed briefings to the National Emergency Management Agency and the National Situation Room.

Through ACS support, weather and hazard services and expertise from the Bureau of Meteorology are embedded in the National Situation Room. This enables access to direct support to help preparedness for and response to natural disaster situations.

Detailed impact briefs provide situational awareness on natural hazards, along with their extent, types of vulnerabilities and impacts that could occur. They serve as a comprehensive synthesis of data, insights and intelligence from various sources. They also draw on specialist expertise across the ACS partnership and present all impact-related information in a practical and accessible format.

These briefings are delivered daily when requested and include available information customised to the situation and needs of decision-makers.

Notable projects like the National Bushfire Intelligence Capability and supply chain analysis through the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s (CSIRO) Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool continually enhance their outputs.

Geoscience Australia, by uplifting its situational awareness products, has also contributed to the ongoing improvement of impact briefs by leveraging the best available satellite imagery inputs from across the ACS.

The Australian Bureau of Statistics supports the ACS ability to provide quicker insight development, particularly through overviews of key socio-economic and built characteristics at the local government scale for Australia.

Throughout 2022–23, the ACS provided more than 800 briefings to the National Situation Room, including:

  • 229 Daily All Hazards Weather Briefs
  • 236 ACS Impact Briefs
  • 21 Australian Government Crisis and Recovery Committee Briefings.

The Australian Climate Service is made up of world-leading expertise from the Bureau of Meteorology, CSIRO, the Australian Bureau of Statistics and Geoscience Australia. The partnership draws together the national data, systems and expertise needed to inform climate and natural disaster decision-making.

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