First Bushfire and Natural Hazard Research Centre in NSW established

The NSW Government has awarded a five-year $8 million contract to a consortium of experts to establish the state’s first Bushfire and Natural Hazard Research Centre.

The Research Centre will be funded through the $44.3 million Natural Hazards Research and Technology Program. The consortium of experts will be led by Western Sydney University and will span many fields of science, driving collaboration across a consortium of universities and research organisations.

Minister for Emergency Services and Resilience Steph Cooke said the development of a Research Centre delivers on key recommendations of the 2019-20 Bushfire Inquiry.

“In the wake of the horrific Black Summer bush fire season we established an independent inquiry, and work on all 76 of its recommendations has now either been completed or is underway,” Ms Cooke said. “We hope that the creation of a specialised Research Centre will help make NSW a world leader in better understanding and predicting the risk of fire and other natural hazards like floods for our communities.”

Minister for Environment James Griffin said “The new Research Centre will build on the strengths of the previous NSW Bushfire Risk Management Research Hub to take the deep well of bushfire knowledge and expertise in this State to the next level.”

Professor Matthias Boer from Western Sydney University’s Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment said the Research Centre will build on existing work.

“We are excited to lead the new Research Centre and look forward to working with Government and our five consortium partners to drive the change that has been called for by the 2019/20 Bushfire Inquiry,” Professor Boer said.

“As the Director of the Research Centre, I look forward to leading this crucial work to continue protecting the State and guiding improved action through innovation and research.”