ANALYSIS
NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS
A BALANCING ACT: HUMANITARIAN ASSISTANCE, DISASTER RELIEF AND THE ADF By Dr Peter Layton,
Senior Correspondent,
WA DEFENCE REVIEW
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The Australian Defence Force has a long and proud history of delivering Humanitarian Assistance and Disaster Relief on behalf of the nation. Australia’s regional and global contributions have saved many lives and alleviated much human suffering. The Indo-Pacific is one of the most disaster-prone areas in the world. Climate change, rising populations, growing urbanisation and refugee flows will increase the severity and frequency of natural disasters and the continuing requirement to provide humanitarian support to at-risk populations.
REGIONAL SUPPORT By Professor Peter Leahy AC, LTGEN (Rtd), Director, National Security Institute, University of Canberra
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The recently announced strategic objectives for the ADF are to shape, deter and respond. HADR plays an important role in shaping our region where Australia’s prompt and generous support has helped build trust and cement constructive relationships with our neighbours, friends and allies. Two examples are the earthquakes and tsunamis off Vanimo in Papua New Guinea in 1998 and Banda Aceh in Indonesia in 2004. The ADF was able to react quickly and provide extended large-scale support, which was greatly appreciated, and in the case of Indonesia helped reshape the relationship soon after East Timor.
Tempting as it might be, the military are not the universal solution to HADR and domestic support. In time of rising tension or conflict the military will be needed to do their day job. Priorities may need to be applied or capacities developed in other areas that could substitute for the ADF.
The need for HADR has steadily increased. In 2020, two Category 5 cyclones impacted the region. Cyclone Harold in April caused extensive damage in the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, Fiji, and Tonga. Australia gave considerable aid in response, although the involvement of the ADF was unusually constrained due to worries over spreading COVID-19. In December 2020, Cyclone Yasa impacted Fiji, causing further significant damage. The ADF responded with initial relief packages delivered by C-17 aircraft followed by a deployment of 700 personnel, an amphibious ship and some helicopters for almost a month.
OVERLAPPING DISASTERS As well as demand for HADR into the region and beyond, there is an increasing demand and
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expectation that the ADF will provide aid to the civil power within Australia. In recent years the ADF has routinely provided support in time of floods, bushfires, pandemics and cyclones. It is notable that in this era of overlapping disasters that in the week the ADF deployment to Fiji returned, some 700-800 ADF personnel, several helicopters and an uncrewed air vehicle system had been deployed to undertake flood relief in New South Wales. At the same time, some 1000 ADF personnel were also deployed around Australia supporting Operation COVID-19 Assist. Simultaneously, C-17 and C-130J aircraft were delivering COVID vaccines, syringes, medical supplies and medical storage refrigerators to PNG. There are a range of long-standing rules and guidelines which govern domestic assistance. They emphasise the primacy of the civil power and until recently the need to make primary use of state and territory resources before committing the military. The ADF’s use in domestic disaster situations is only provided in response to requests for assistance from state governments. These requests are made through and to Emergency Management Australia, a division within the Australian Government’s Department of Home Affairs. The agency prioritises requests and then consults with the Department of Defence on its ability to meet them. The recent Bushfire Royal Commission recommended that the Federal Government become more involved in combating natural disasters. The wide scale involvement of the military in the current COVID-19 crisis has intensified this discussion. The momentum is for earlier and more extensive engagement and the proactive deployment of the military without a request from the states. This remains a controversial idea. While the ADF has always been available to support and assist the civil power in Australia, in recent years the demand has dramatically increased. The ADF is proud and keen to support their fellow citizens, but there are limits.
