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TSUNAMIS – HOW AUSTRALIA CAN HELP
29 March 2005

Australian research leaders meet in Canberra on Thursday (March 31) to explore ways to mitigate future tsunami disasters and speed recovery.

Representatives of the four Learned Academies, emergency services and science agencies will discuss lessons from the Boxing Day tsunami disaster and outline ways that Australia can assist with preparedness, early warning and reconstruction for future events.

The workshop, entitled After the tsunami – harnessing Australian expertise for recovery, will include:

• understanding the nature of natural disasters;

• better early warning and preparedness;

• the human face of disaster;

• better recovery and reconstruction, long and short term;

• lessons from the PNG and Indian Ocean events; and

• economic, social and cultural aspects of natural disaster recovery.

'The workshop will aim to strengthen Australia's response to future natural disasters in the region', says Dr John Dodgson of the Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering.

The workshop is hosted by the National Academies Forum (NAF), which comprises the Australian Academy of Science (AAS), Academy of the Social Sciences in Australia (ASSA), Australian Academy of the Humanities (AAH) and Australian Academy of Technological Sciences and Engineering (ATSE) – in collaboration with the Department of Education Science and Training (DEST).

The workshop will take place at the Shine Dome in Canberra from 9.00am–5.10pm on Thursday, 31 March 2005.