Innovative projects recognised for building disaster and emergency resilience in South Australia

Ten projects and a photograph have been recognised at the 2021 South Australian Resilient Australia Awards ceremony held this morning at the National Wine Centre.

The Awards celebrate and promote initiatives that reduce risk and build whole-of-community resilience to disasters and emergencies around Australia, as well as photographic images capturing resilience in action. The awards recognise collaboration and innovative thinking across all sectors.

Minister for Emergency Services, Vincent Tarzia, said he was privileged to award the winners and used the opportunity to release a crucial interim report into Stronger Together: South Australia’s Disaster Resilience Strategy.

“The Strategy provides a foundation for the Marshall Liberal Government, local government, businesses, and the non-government and community sectors to cooperatively strengthen the resilience of South Australians to survive, adapt and grow, regardless of what happens,” Minister Tarzia said.

“This interim report highlights the first two years of implementing Stronger Together with more than 48 projects and initiatives delivered and approximately $5.8 million in Commonwealth and State Government disaster resilience and risk reduction grant funding allocated.

“It’s vital we all work together to understand the risks we face and use our knowledge collectively to better prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters.”

The 2021 South Australian Resilient Australia Awards State Winners are:

  • Local Government Association of SA – Council Ready program (local government category)
  • Community Legal Centres SA – Bushfire community legal project on Kangaroo Island (community category)
  • Adam Meyer – The Resilience of Soxy (photography category)

“The winners clearly demonstrated that their proactive, pre-emptive approach has resulted in tangible benefits to individual, community and organisational disaster awareness, capability and resilience,” Minister Tarzia said.

“These projects demonstrated that making disaster resilience everyone’s business makes South Australia a safer, more resilient and an even better place to live.

“Accepting that disasters will happen, knowing the risks, taking responsibility for your own actions and supporting others were consistent themes across many of the nominated projects.

“The importance of these actions was highlighted at a local level within schools and communities, and through extensive collaboration between stakeholders across all councils.”

The success of these projects has been boosted through comprehensive engagement with both levels of government, businesses, not for profits, community groups and/or individuals to achieve practical and sustainable benefits.

The winners are automatically entered and considered for the 2021 National Resilient Australia Awards to be held in Victoria on 8 December 2021.

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