Government Risk Management and Emergency Planning
Different levels of Government in Australia & New Zealand
Government in Australia operates on three levels: the federal level, the state and territory level and the local level. Each level holds a responsibility to legislate on specific areas of law and govern the rules and regulations of certain areas of Australia.
The federal government, consisting of the House of Representatives and the Senate, creates and amends legislation that is then enforced in all of Australia. Individual state governments will govern their state, and legislate on matters that will only apply to the state it was created in. Similar areas of law can have different rules and regulations from state to state. On the local government level, councils and other subordinate bodies that have been delegated the ability to legislate will oversee smaller areas within states and will be responsible for matters such as maintaining public parks and roads as well as providing community services such as waste disposal and libraries.
Australian & New Zealand Government legislation
The three levels of government have their own individual responsibilities in implementing legislation and regulations that are aimed at reducing the potential risks faced by local communities, states, and the nation as a whole.
Resilient Services provides numerous services to government bodies regarding emergency and disaster management as well compliance auditing services. We work alongside government bodies at all levels to assist in delivering them their desired outcomes. Resilient Services has conducted emergency exercises, performed risk analyses, and provided the government with detailed reviews and reports regarding emergency management and compliance with risk mitigation procedures. We have also worked with government bodies focusing on stakeholder engagement and emergency management training through Registered Training Organisations (RTOs).
Australian State Level Government Risk Management
We have produced detailed reports and compliance audits for state governments, including a paper that analysed interruptions to electrical grids in Victoria for the Victorian Premier.
We also performed a risk analysis and created an implementation plan for a $1.8 billion project regarding the solar homes program for Victoria. We have conducted agency exercises involving state emergency services, companies from the private sector and assorted government agencies. Our Managing Director has served on government control boards for risk management, including boards regarding disaster management for bushfire prevention and recovery. Resilient Services is the preferred supplier of emergency exercises and emergency management training for the Department of Industry, Science, Energy and Resources. Preparedness exercises and training programs have been provided to the energy industry and state and federal governments.
Local Government Disaster & Emergency Response
At the local government level, we have worked closely with councils and other subordinate government bodies to prepare localised emergency and disaster management plans specific to the individual risks and needs of the area. We have prepared and conducted workshops and seminars for small business with a focus on business continuity in the face of disruptions and emergencies, often linking government to private industry and its constituents.
Why Choose Resilient Services?
Resilient Services is led by experienced Emergency Management Consultants with real-world operational and emergency response experience across government, public sector, and critical infrastructure environments. We help government departments, agencies, and local councils across Australia and New Zealand strengthen emergency preparedness, response capability, incident coordination, and organisational resilience through practical, tailored emergency management consulting services.
- Aligned with recognised standards including AS 3745 and ISO 22320:2018
- Informed by government-sector-specific legislative and regulatory frameworks, including state and territory Emergency Management Acts, WHS obligations, and SOCI Act requirements
- Tailored to your agency's operational risks, including service continuity, community safety, critical infrastructure, and multi-agency coordination
- Practical, scenario-driven, and built around real government sector incidents such as natural disasters, critical system or service outages, and major public safety events
- Designed to strengthen coordination, governance, communication, and response capability across departments, agencies, contractors, and emergency services
- Structured to deliver measurable organisational capability improvement, tested through exercise-based emergency simulations
We focus on building confidence, coordination, and operational resilience across government operations, not simply on delivering plans or training hours.
Contact Us Now
Want to discover how we can assist your agency, department, or council with our services?
Fill out an enquiry form or call us on 03 9003 9370 to find out more and to see how we can help your organisation prepare for the unknown.
Your Government questions answered
Common questions
What is emergency response in government operations?
Emergency response in government operations is the set of procedures, training, and resources an agency or department uses to manage incidents such as natural disasters, critical system or service outages, public safety threats, or major infrastructure failures, with the goal of protecting the community, personnel, and the continuity of essential services.
Why is risk management important in the government sector?
Government agencies deliver essential services and oversee critical infrastructure and public assets, where a single failure or delayed response can affect public safety, community trust, and service delivery across an entire region. Effective risk management identifies these hazards early and builds the controls and response capability needed to prevent incidents from escalating and to keep essential services running.
Who is responsible for emergency response planning in a government agency?
Responsibility typically sits with senior management and designated emergency or business continuity officers, supported by WHS and risk teams, in coordination with other departments, contracted service providers, and external emergency services. Clear governance and defined roles are essential given the number of stakeholders often involved in multi-agency response.
How often should a government emergency response plan be tested?
Plans should be reviewed regularly and tested through exercises at least annually, or more frequently where there is a change in operations, legislation, regulatory requirements, or following an actual incident, to ensure the plan remains current and personnel remain capable of responding effectively.
What's the difference between emergency management and business continuity for government agencies?
Emergency management focuses on the immediate response needed to protect people and critical services during an incident, while business continuity planning addresses how an agency keeps essential services running and recovers normal operations afterwards. Government agencies typically need to work together as part of a broader resilience framework.
What is emergency management planning for government agencies?
Emergency management planning for government agencies is the process of preparing procedures, training, and resources to respond to incidents such as natural disasters, critical service disruptions, or public safety threats, with the goal of protecting the community, personnel, and continuity of essential services.
Why do government agencies and local councils need a business continuity plan?
A business continuity plan helps government agencies and local councils keep essential services running during a disruption and recover normal operations afterwards, rather than relying solely on emergency response. Without one, even a short-term incident can interrupt service delivery to the community for far longer than necessary.
Who is responsible for emergency management compliance in a government agency?
Responsibility for emergency management compliance typically sits with senior management and designated emergency or business continuity officers, supported by WHS and risk teams, in coordination with other departments and external emergency services. Clear governance and defined roles are essential given the number of stakeholders involved in multi-agency response.
What standards apply to emergency management and business continuity planning for government agencies?
Emergency management and business continuity planning for government agencies is typically guided by standards such as AS 3745 and ISO 22320:2018, alongside state and territory Emergency Management Acts and, for regulated entities, the Security of Critical Infrastructure (SOCI) Act.
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Practical advice backed by real-world resilience & emergency management experience
- Review your current emergency preparedness and continuity capability
- Identify key risks, response gaps, and improvement opportunities
- Receive actionable next-step recommendations tailored to your organisation
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