NEWS : australasia

LATEST BUSINESS CONTINUITY NEWS HEADLINES

Flood grants for Queensland small businesses and primary producers
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Premier Anna Bligh have announced joint Commonwealth-State funded grants to help small businesses and primary producers affected by recent flooding in Queensland. The announcement will see small businesses and primary producers receive grants for clean up and recovery. Tier 1 grants will be available for up to $5,000 and Tier 2 grants will be up to $20,000. ’
•Date: 10th March 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
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New handbook: HB 327:2010 Communicating and Consulting about Risk
Jointly published by New Zealand and Australian standards authorities.
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•Date: 5th March 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ/World •Type: Article •Topic: Operational risk
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Exercise Tangaroa
On 20th October 2010, New Zealand’s ability to respond to a tsunami event will be tested in ‘Exercise Tangaroa’.
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•Date: 3rd March 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: Exercises
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Commonwealth and Victoria finalise disaster resilience partnership
Formally implements the Australian National Partnership Agreement on Natural Disaster Resilience.
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•Date: 2nd March 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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APRA releases guidance on the management of security risk in information and information technology
Aims to target areas where APRA’s ongoing supervisory activities continue to identify weaknesses.
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•Date: 3rd Feb 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Financial sector BC
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The art of effective exercising
What is required to ensure that an exercise is effective? By Chris Bakowski, MBCI.
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•Date: 15th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC exercising
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More details of Australia and New Zealand Business Continuity Awareness Week activities published
BCAW kick-off events, 22-23 March 2010 and 4th Annual Business Continuity Summit, 24-25 March 2010.
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•Date: 13th Jan 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: Events
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Business impact assessment and damage reporting for effective crisis management
This practical paper outlines an approach to integrating business impact assessment into crisis management in order to strengthen the quality of information based decision making.
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•Date: 7th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: Crisis man.
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Business continuity in Australia and New Zealand
The results of a recent benchmarking study have now been made generally available.
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•Date: 4th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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COAG meeting reviews Australia’s disaster management and critical infrastructure protection arrangements
The latest meeting of COAG (the Council of Australian Governments) took place in Queensland on Monday 7th December 2009.
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•Date: 8th Dec 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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Natural Disaster Resilience funding for Queensland communities
Queensland Emergency Services Minister Neil Roberts has announced more than $44 million in funding through the Natural Disaster Resilience Program to help minimise the impact of natural disasters on Queensland communities. Mr Roberts said the Bligh Government had partnered with the Rudd Government to each deliver $22 million in Queensland over four years, commencing in 2009-10. The 2009-2010 NDRP funding round is now open and applications close on 31 January 2010.
www.communitysafety.qld.gov.au/ndrp
•Date: 25th Nov 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing
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Wellington work-area recovery boost
New Plan-b facility situated in Tawa, Wellington’s northern suburb.
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•Date: 3rd Nov 2009• Region: N. Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: Recovery facilities
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Queensland set to roll out pandemic flu vaccines
Roll out of the new Panvax H1N1 pandemic flu vaccine will begin in Queensland from 30 September 2009, Acting Premier Paul Lucas has announced. Queensland has undertaken extensive planning for the vaccine’s roll-out, including prioritising vulnerable groups and facilitating appropriate distribution for the State’s decentralised population. Mr Lucas said Queensland would focus on vaccinating groups at higher risk of exposure as an immediate priority, including people most vulnerable to more severe outcomes and health care workers. http://www.health.qld.gov.au/swineflu/
•Date: 25th Sept 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: Pandemic planning
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Australian Emergency Management Arrangements
Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, has published the Australian Emergency Management Arrangements (AEMA) document. The Arrangements provide an overview of how federal, state, territory and local governments collectively approach the management of emergencies, including catastrophic disaster events. The Arrangements, endorsed by the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management (MCPEM), outline:
* The principles, structures and procedures that support the coordination of emergency management in Australia and its offshore territories; and
* The collaboration necessary to match the response and assistance required to the nature of the event.
The AEMA will be discussed in September as part of a workshop to examine Australia’s arrangements for preparing and responding to catastrophic disasters. www.ema.gov.au
•Date: 13th August 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: EP
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Public comments requested on Australian and New Zealand business continuity management standard
The closing date for comment on draft standard AS/NZS 5050:2009 parts 1-3 is 10 September 2009.
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•Date: 11th August 2009• Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Standards Australia publishes Mailroom Security handbook
Provides organizations with information on the range of threats that may affect the mail process, and the steps that should be taken to minimise the effects of such incidents.
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•Date: 24th June 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Physical security
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Australia’s critical infrastructure operators briefed on e-security issues
Defence Signals Directorate highlights the emerging e-security challenges and how they can potentially impact on Australia’s critical infrastructure.
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•Date: 12th June 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: ISM news
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The Australian National Audit Office publishes business continuity ‘Better Practice Guide’
‘Business Continuity Management - Building resilience in public sector entities.’
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•Date:9th June 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Public sector BC
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The Business Continuity Expo 2009
Sydney. 29 September 2009.
Continuity Forum Pty Ltd has launched a new Australian business continuity exhibition. Registration is free for users of business continuity services. The event includes a Plenary Room for presentations on current industry topics, products and services and a Poster Section for university students and government departments to present their projects and results. http://www.continuityforumevents.net.au
•Date: 2nd June 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing
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South east Queensland flooding: disaster declared
Disaster relief funding has been activated for flooded areas in south east Queensland, after rain lashed the region this week. The declared Disaster area takes in Sunshine Coast councils south to, and including, the Gold Coast and west to, and including, Toowoomba Regional Council.
•Date: 21st May 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing
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Australian budget provides more cash for disaster resilience
In this week’s Budget, the Australian government pledged to invest an extra $79.3 million to strengthen efforts to prepare for and combat major natural disasters.
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•Date: 14th May 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general
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APRA releases discussion paper on IT security risk management
Seeks written submissions on proposed guidance by 5 June 2009.
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•Date: 12th May 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Financial sector BC
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Business Continuity Institute Australasia publishes Business Continuity Awareness Week activity report
In 2009 the BCI and Continuity Forum combined to provide a range of Australasia activities for the 2009 Business Continuity Awareness Week. A report is now available detailing these. Read (PDF)
•Date: 8th May 2009• Region:Australia •Type: Briefing
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Pandemics – have we really learnt anything?
Leslie T Whittet highlights lessons that both business continuity managers and governments should be learning from the Influenza A(H1N1) outbreak.
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•Date: 6th May 2009• Region:Aus/World •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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Australia’s arrangements for managing national disasters to be examined
At the recent meeting of the Council of Australian Governments’ it was agreed that, in light of the recent Victorian bushfires and Queensland floods, COAG will re-examine Australia’s arrangements for managing national disasters and has agreed to take immediate steps to enhance these arrangements through, inter alia, the development of a telephone-based emergency warning system. More details.
•Date: 6th May 2009• Region:Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
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New website to track Murray-Darling Basin water storages
A new interactive website developed by the Australian government will be updated regularly to show water availability in public water storages across the Murray-Darling Basin. The new "Water in Storages" site is available at www.mdba.gov.au/water/waterinstorage
•Date:28th April 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing
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Swine influenza update page
The current situation constitutes a public health emergency of international concern: WHO Emergency Committee. This page will be updated with news and resources as the incident develops.
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•Date:26th April 2009• Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning
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Appointment of President of the BCI Australasian Chapter
The BCI has announced that the BCI Australasian Chapter Board voted to appoint Tim Janes as its new President. It has also announced that Les Whittet has been appointed as the Australian Representative of the BCI. http://www.thebci.org.au/
•Date:31st March 2009• Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Briefing
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Sydney experiences widearea power blackout
A power blackout caused major problems in Sydney on Monday 30th March. Failure of a high-voltage power cable affected about 70,000 homes and businesses across the CBD and much of the eastern suburbs. Read the story
•Date:31st March 2009• Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Briefing
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Business Continuity Benchmarking Survey 2009
Continuity Forum Pty Ltd and the BCI's Australasian Chapter have launched a business continuity benchmarking study.
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•Date:24th March 2009• Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics
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Gearing up for Global Business Continuity Awareness Week
New website provides resources and information for Global Business Continuity Awareness Week: March 23 - March 27, 2009.
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•Date:16th March 2009• Region: UK/US/World •Type: Article •Topic: Events
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Standards Australia cancels business continuity standard consultation process
Step taken “after it became clear that there were some outstanding corrections and items for incorporation into the drafts.”
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•Date:5th March 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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IBM expands Queensland business continuity offerings
According to IT Wire, IBM has opened a new data centre facility in Fortitude Valley, Brisbane, Queensland. IBM says that this will augment its existing recovery centre in the area and will enable it to offer a multiple facility recovery strategy with hosting and disaster recovery services provided from two separate facilities. Read more
•Date: 3rd March 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: Recovery facilities
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A tailored diagnostic tool
EPCB has provided an Excel-based risk assessment tool for Continuity Central readers.
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•Date: 27th February 2009• Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: Risk
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Standards Australia releases three-part draft business continuity standard
Public comments invited: deadline is 29th April 2009.
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•Date:26th February 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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$51 million help for Victorian businesses damaged or destroyed by bushfires
The Commonwealth and the Victorian Governments are standing by Australian businesses directly damaged or destroyed by the bushfires, with a $51 million first stage of a joint package to assist small businesses focusing on subsidised low-interest loans, business assistance grants and business re-start mentors. Further information on the assistance package including the eligibility criteria is available from Business Victoria at www.business.vic.gov.au or by phone on 13 22 15.
•Date:19th February 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general
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Business continuity specialist Plan-b opens Wellington office
Business continuity specialist Plan-b, who has been active in Auckland for over ten years, is extending its services to businesses and organisations in the Wellington region for the first time. Plan-b claims to be New Zealand's largest dedicated business continuity company, providing contingency services to over 500 organisations in New Zealand and Australia. http://www.plan-b.co.nz/
•Date: 17th February 2009• Region: NZ •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC markets
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Australian government provides disaster assistance for Victorian bush fires and Queensland floods

New Australian Business Continuity Management Standard – review and discussion
Thursday, 5th March 2009, Sydney.
In anticipation of the release by Standards Australia of the draft Australian Business Continuity Management Standard, Tim Janes, from the NSW BCI Forum, will lead a facilitated review and discussion of the draft standard. The event is free for Continuity Forum and BCI members. If you wish to register, please email Rakhi at web@continuity.net.au or call 02 9415 4180.

Australia-New Zealand Business Continuity Awareness Week
A calendar of events has been made available for the above event which will take place between 23rd and 27th March 2009. People who are planning to hold initiatives linked to the week are encouraged to e-mail manager@continuity.net.au in order for them to be listed on the calendar.
•Date: 30th January 2009• Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Briefing •Topic: Events
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Exploring the link between organisational resilience and crisis management
By Alex Serrano, MBCI, Deloitte Touche Tohmatsu.
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•Date: 23rd January 2009• Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Continuity Forum events February – March 09
A listing of business continuity training workshops and events taking place in Australia.
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•Date:15th January 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Events
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King tides – helping New South Wales and South East Queensland prepare for climate change impacts
Photographing or recording the effect of the king tide on coastal infrastructure creates a helpful visual record for use in adaptation planning.
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•Date:13th January 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: BC general
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Continuity Forum and the BCI to work more closely in Australia
The Australian Continuity Forum has announced that it has agreed a new cooperation agreement with the Australasian Chapter of the Business Continuity Institute.
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•Date:9th January 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: BC markets
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More disaster relief activated for North-West Queensland
The Queensland State Disaster Coordination Centre has been activated following continued monsoonal flooding in the state’s North West. Treasurer and Acting Emergency Services Minister Andrew Fraser said the centre would help to coordinate assistance across 12 disaster-declared local government areas. A number of North-West Queensland towns remain cut off due to poor road conditions and flooding. www.disaster.qld.gov.au
•Date:9th January 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing
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Australian Federal Government updates continuity of government plan
The Australian Federal Government has extensively revised its continuity of government plan (Plan Mercator) and is considering the construction of new, highly secure, facilities for ministers to use in the event of a national emergency. Read Canberra Times article.
•Date: 6th January 2009• Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: Public sector
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