Yesterday we witnessed a moment in history. Commissioner Travis Lovett, leading 5,000+ people up Collins Street toward Parliament House on the #WalkForTruth. DisasterWISE showed up for truth-telling, for justice and to walk together towards meaningful reconciliation. There can be no climate justice, without First Nations justice. And we will continue to show up. As Travis said yesterday "the work doesn't stop here". Our values in practice put First Nations First as a commitment to First Nations peoples’ knowledges, leadership and sovereignty in all decisions, actions, and knowledge systems. We work to decolonise practices, engage in truth-telling, unlearning colonial biases and advocating for strong allyship—walking together for a better shared future. Take a moment to read through, and share the many powerful stories presented to the Yoorrook Justice Commission - all currently being archived on the Yoorook Evidence Library on their website. If you are affected by the content and would like support, please contact 13 YARN on 13 92 76 or Lifeline on 13 11 14. ❤️💛🖤 #WalkForTruth #Treaty #Yoorrook #FirstNationsFirst #DisasterWISE

🏳️‍🌈 June is Pride Month. A time to commemorate the global movement for LGBTQIA+ equality and liberation, and to celebrate the LGBTQIA+ communities. Disasters often amplify existing inequalities, and LGBTIQA+ communities are disproportionately affected in ways that are frequently overlooked in mainstream disaster response and recovery systems. The Gender and Disaster report "Identifying the experience and needs of LGBTI Communities: Before, During and After Emergencies" highlights that LGBTI individuals often feel invisible within emergency management (EM) systems - or are sometimes met with hostility and discrimination that inhibits seeking help in emergencies. Read more: https://ow.ly/ATht50W6Mni These findings underscore the necessity for emergency management systems to develop inclusive policies, provide targeted training, and actively engage with LGBTI communities to ensure equitable support before, during, and after emergencies. 🏳️‍🌈At DisasterWISE we embrace inclusivity as one of our values in practice. Our Safer Spaces policy exists so we can create safe, accessible and non-exclusive spaces that harness diverse perspectives.

🍃 On the 30th of May, the DisasterWISE team attended the Victorian Policy Roundtable on Aboriginal Disaster Resilience in Naarm/Melbourne, hosted by our colleagues at National Indigenous Disaster Resilience (NIDR). At the Roundtable, a pivotal sentiment was captured when it was stated that “Transforming how emergencies are managed and recovery operates is work that should have already occurred.” This declaration underscores the urgent need to move beyond outdated command-and-control models and create a system that authentically respects and instates Aboriginal leadership, cultural knowledge and heritage, and self-determination across all stages of emergency management. DisasterWISE stands in strong support of these urgent calls for change. We urge all decision-makers and institutions to reflect on this message and take decisive action now, to shape a future where emergency management is inclusive, equitable, and truly community-led. We sincerely thank the incredible First Nations men from Forest Fire Management Victoria (pictured), who shared confronting yet powerful truths about their experiences during the 2024–2025 Gariwerd bushfires — fearlessly protecting community, land and cultural heritage amidst heartbreaking challenges.

We love a good community notice board 💚 On our recent visit to the Eurobodalla and East Gippsland region, we stumbled upon this gem in Cabbage Tree — quietly nestled behind a lush patch of greenery. It stood as a gentle reminder of how small, grounded acts of connection — like a humble notice board — can hold space for local voices, shared stories, and the everyday rhythm of community life.