Sue Hunt

Susan’s research is investigating good practice for disaster resilience policy implementation. She proposed a good practice framework with four broad policy domains and policy objectives that could be used to achieve successful implementation. The framework is based on a model of dynamic and networked adaptive capacities: social capital; community competence; economic development; and information and communication. The provisional framework was applied to five disaster resilience case studies: one at each level of government; one in the business sector; and one in a not-for-profit organisation. Susan found that the principal of subsidiarity, which is closely aligned with federalism, can account for the relative success of some implementation practices, as well as explain how others could be improved.

The application of subsidiarity as the guiding principle of governance in the Australian disaster management system would ensure power is shared effectively by having regard to the need for capacity building, negotiated roles and responsibilities, unrestricted access to information, and effective coordination across the system. This subsidiarity was incorporated as the 5th policy domain of the Disaster Resilience Policy Implementation Framework, and it is expected that this framework will provide a useful resource for disaster resilience policy practitioners.Susan has presented her research at the CRC’s Research Forum in 2015, 2017 and 2018.