Andrew Colvin appointed to head disaster funding review

6 February 2023

The Federal Government has appointed Andrew Colvin, who helmed national recovery efforts after the Black Summer bushfires, to lead an independent review into Australia’s disaster funding arrangements.

Mr Colvin, a partner at Deloitte and previously Commissioner of the Australian Federal Police, will deliver a final report to the Government in April next year.

Minister for Emergency Management Murray Watt says the review will consider how government investment in disaster risk reduction, preparedness, response, recovery and resilience can better support a national system.

It will also look at what will be needed to build resilience to the extreme disaster events Australia is projected to experience over the coming decades.

“Australia is regularly exposed to a range of natural hazards, including floods, fires, storms and tropical cyclones, so we need a system that best supports communities before, during and following a disaster,” he said.

The Government says the independent review will take forward work already underway with the states and territories to review the jointly-funded Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The Insurance Council of Australia says it welcomes the review into funding to better support and protect communities, before, during and following a disaster.

“This is consistent with our ongoing advocacy for greater investment in resilience and mitigation,” ICA says on Twitter.