The Contemporary Australian Emergency Manager: An examination of the demographics, qualifications, training, education, experience, knowledge, competence and confidence of Australian emergency management practitioners

An increase in the number and type of disasters has seen a steady rise in human and financial losses to various communities in Australia. In response to these hazards, during the 1950s many communities implemented civil defence programs. These programs have evolved into technically complex emergency/disaster management disciplines, which are often supported by emergency/disaster managers. In Australia, there are various types of industries that employ emergency managers including business, and various levels of government. There is a paucity of research into the emergency manager and the individuals who fill this role in Australia. To fulfil this fundamental gap, this thesis examines the qualifications, training, knowledge, competence and confidence of emergency managers across Australia. It reviews the existing literature and then compares this through the triangulation of interviews, surveys, job advertisements, legislation and recent disaster reports. The findings from this study indicate that the role of the emergency manager within Australia lacks social cohesion, identity and governance. Underlying these factors are several key issues that include lack of support, financial and physical resources, time restrictions, apathy, industry–specific tertiary qualifications and misunderstandings of the role that often includes emergency services and response as synonyms. Furthermore, it revealed a lack of engagement by organisations to include appropriately qualified emergency managers in the development of key materials, including job advertisement, legislation, and disaster reports. All of which can act as barriers to effective disaster risk reduction and increase costs to communities. Despite the growth and complexity of the emergency manager’s role, there are currently no standards or qualifications required for this position.