East Gippsland Shire Council's Manager Community Resilience and Emergency Management, Kath Smith, will present at the National Indigenous Disaster Resilience Conference being held in East Gippsland next week.
The event will bring together both locals and people from across the country for a multi-day on-Country celebration of First Nations leadership and excellence in emergency management, community recovery, disaster resilience and caring for Country.
Kath, who lives on Gunaikurnai Country, brings more than three decades of experience in the fields of preparedness, response, relief and recovery. Her presentation will focus on how Council has supported the development of Aboriginal community emergency management plans with the support of Ty Calling from Conservation Collaborators.
Kath champions community-centered, place-based approaches to emergency management, with a particular focus on remote and regional communities. She has consistently worked to embed community knowledge, strengths, and lived experience within state emergency management systems, ensuring local capability and resilience are at the forefront of Council's initiatives.
"We have learnt from First Nations communities in East Gippsland that disasters impact more than infrastructure - they affect Country, culture, identity and community wellbeing," Kath said.
"The opportunity for Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation and Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust to host the conference is significant for East Gippsland. We hope to highlight how we have listened to community and supported self-determined and community-led approaches to recovery through Black Summer Bushfire Recovery Funding.
"This work created space for community to share lived experience, identify priorities, and lead decisions about what resilience looks like for them.
Communities co-designed Aboriginal Community Emergency Management Plans and identified that Aboriginal Emergency Officers are central to their plans and are critical to community voice during emergencies Being heard continue to strengthen relationships with emergency management agencies.
"This approach reflects Council's commitment to reconciliation by working in genuine partnership, recognising First Nations knowledge systems, and supporting community-led solutions that are grounded in culture and place," Kath said.
"I look forward to sharing insights into this community-led approach and hearing from the amazing line-up of other presenters at the Gathering next week."
Across the three days (3-5 May at GLaWAC, Kalimna), attendees will hear keynote addresses, panel discussions and workshops, and have the option of participating in on-Country activities.
The event is designed to deepen understanding of Indigenous-led disaster mitigation, response and recovery work being done within communities in Gippsland, Australia and around the world.
NIDR is delivering this unique event in partnership with Jagun Alliance and local organisations Gunaikurnai Land and Waters Aboriginal Corporation, Lake Tyers Aboriginal Trust and East Gippsland Shire Council.
More details on the NIDR Gathering and tickets are available at NIDR Gathering 2026.
