AbSec was proud to attend the 2026 Disaster Ready Together Summit, held on 16–17 September in Lismore on Widjabul Wia-bal Country, in the heart of the Northern Rivers.
Delivered by our Community Organisations Disaster Adaptation (CODA) project partner, Resilient Lismore, the two-day Summit brought together leading experts in disaster preparedness, recovery and resilience alongside local service organisations, emergency management agencies, researchers and community groups.
A strong focus throughout was the importance of community-led approaches and collaboration, including the role of Community Resilience Networks in building trust between community and government.
Aboriginal communities at the centre of preparedness
For AbSec, a particularly important part of the Summit was the focus on Aboriginal communities, culture and community-controlled approaches to disaster preparedness.
Day Two included dedicated sessions on Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations Disaster Preparedness, the Northern Rivers Connecting with Country Framework, and Emergency Planning with Northern Rivers Discrete Aboriginal Communities. The Summit also explored resilience as a web of relationships, drawing on lessons from Whadjuk Noongar, Warumungu and Bundjalung communities.
These conversations reinforced the importance of embedding Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander voices, knowledge and organisations in disaster planning, not only during response and recovery, but well before an emergency occurs. This strongly aligns with AbSec’s work through the CODA project.
Learning from the Northern Rivers
The Northern Rivers has experienced significant disasters in recent years, making the knowledge and lived experience held within its communities incredibly valuable.
Sessions examined practical issues such as housing and homelessness, legal rights, staff wellbeing, evacuation planning, supporting families and children during emergencies, and the role of local businesses, community organisations and volunteers in resilience and recovery. The Summit concluded with a panel exploring “Prepared and Thriving Communities – What will it take and how will we get there?”
Continuing the conversation through CODA
Events such as this are an important reminder that disaster resilience cannot be built by one organisation or sector alone. It relies on strong relationships, local knowledge, genuine collaboration and ensuring communities are included in the decisions that affect them.
Through the CODA project, AbSec will continue working with our partners, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the broader sector to ensure Aboriginal perspectives and community knowledge are part of the conversation.
A big thank you to Resilient Lismore for bringing together such a diverse range of voices and creating a space for connection and shared learning.
Together, we can strengthen the relationships, knowledge and community-led approaches that help our communities prepare, respond, recover and thrive.
Through the CODA project, AbSec will continue working with our partners, Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities and the broader sector to ensure Aboriginal perspectives and community knowledge are part of the conversation. We’ll be sharing specific updates about CODA at our upcoming Roadshows in Kempsey, Dubbo and Batemans Bay.
