An overview of the Australian Interagency Preparedness Framework (AIPF)

As Australia’s involvement in international response and recovery operations has increased over the past decade, so has the number of government agencies contributing specialist capabilities and expertise to these operations.

In this context, the need for effective interaction and enhanced preparedness between agencies is crucial to the success and effectiveness of operations. While agencies will undertake their own programs and activities to ensure they are prepared for their role in interagency operations, there is a need also to focus on interagency preparedness for cross-agency interaction—in decision-making, coordination and collaboration.

The approach outlined in the Australian Interagency Preparedness Framework (AIPF) brings together the current practices, activities and resources that contribute to interagency preparedness in a coherent and cohesive framework.

Purpose

The Australian Interagency Preparedness Framework (AIPF) provides a framework that represents the links between and the ongoing nature of interagency preparedness. The AIPF is represented as a preparedness cycle consisting of five elements: planning, resourcing, training, exercising and learning. Useful programs and tools to support agencies in their preparedness efforts are provided below.

Australian Interagency Preparedness Model 

Australian Interagency Preparedness Model is represented as a preparedness cycle consisting of five elements.

  • Planning - The strategic and operational planning required to prepare for and coordinate responses
  • Resourcing  The resources required to establish, maintain and mobilise human and material resources to support responses
  • Training - Formal and informal training programs that help build interagency preparedness
  • Exercising Exercises that will test and rehearse interagency capability
  • Learning - Lessons learned processes that will inform interagency preparedness and capability.

Overview of Environment Trends and Pressures

The Asia-Pacific region experiences some of the world’s worst natural hazards, including frequent earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, typhoons and annual monsoons. It also includes many of the world’s megacities, so the number of people exposed to hazard risks in the region is very high. In addition to natural disasters, Australia is involved in responding to crises, particularly geopolitical conflicts in the Middle East, Afghanistan and other parts of the world. The nature of these disasters, emergencies and conflicts is varied and the required responses are diverse.

Whole-of-government, multilateral responses are even more complex in today’s world of increasing urbanisation, social media usage, and unstable political landscape. Increasing global south responses to international crises and the emergence of the private sector have also occupied much of the discourse surrounding crisis response. All of these factors influence the type of response, capabilities required, and roles and participation of agencies.

Australian Interagency Preparedness Framework