The WALGA Local Government Emergency Management Survey is a biennial initiative designed to capture the experiences, capabilities, challenges, and priorities of Western Australian Local Governments in managing emergencies.
These surveys play a critical role in shaping WALGA’s policy and advocacy efforts. The surveys aim to:
- Understand Local Government experiences in emergency preparedness, response, and recovery.
- Identify systemic issues such as funding gaps, workforce capacity, and infrastructure needs.
- Inform WALGA’s advocacy, including budget submissions and legislative reform proposals.
The survey results are used to:
- Guide WALGA’s submissions to the State Budget.
- Advocate for reforms in emergency services legislation (e.g., the Consolidated Emergency Services Act).
- Support WALGA’s State Election campaign focused on emergency management improvements.
The results provided the basis for a review of WALGA’s Emergency Management Advocacy Positions and have enabled WALGA to effectively represent the Local Government sector’s interests.
For more information about the survey, please contact WALGA's Emergency Management Team
WA’s 2025 Local Government Emergency Management Snapshot
Local Governments play an essential role in keeping WA communities safe – planning for emergencies, maintaining essential community services when they are needed most, and leading community recovery after an event. They hold responsibilities under the Emergency Management Act 2005, Bush Fires Act 1954 and State Emergency Management Framework.
As climate-driven hazards grow more frequent and complex, these responsibilities — and the pressure on Local Government capability – are intensifying. WALGA is advocating to ensure that Local Governments are properly supported, recognising that strong Local Government capacity and capability underpins WA’s resilience.
A Unique Responsibility: Bushfire Response at Unmatched Scale
Western Australia is the only Australian jurisdiction where Local Government has statutory responsibility for bushfire response. This is a frontline operational role of extraordinary scale:
111 Local Governments deliver bushfire response across WA, overseeing more than 550 Volunteer Bush Fire Brigades (VBFBs), carrying WH&S responsibility for 18,000+ volunteers.
A Robust Evidence Base
WALGA partnered with ECU’s Survey Research Centre to deliver the 2025 biennial Emergency Management Survey, with 100 of WA’s 137 Local Governments taking part (>70%).
The result is a strong, representative snapshot across metropolitan and regional Councils, Local Government Bands, and Local Governments with and without VBFB responsibilities.
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2025 Survey Insights at a Glance
Insight One: Expectations are outpacing Local Government capacity
Approximately 90% of Local Governments have maintained or increased their emergency management investment, but emergency demands are growing faster. 54% of Local Governments report staffing is insufficient to meet their current emergency management responsibilities. Local Governments are not under-investing, they are absorbing increasing system demand without a proportional increase in capacity.
Insight Two: Local Government Capacity is under systemic strain
Local Governments are facing critical system-driven workforce, funding, and capability pressures. 80% are now topping up VBFB funding to maintain essential capability. 48% consider the current range of emergency management grant programs (including Disaster Ready Fund, AWARE, Mitigation Activity Fund Grants program as well as Local Government Grants Scheme (LGGS) to be inadequate.
Insight Three: Proven models should be scaled
Scaling proven models, like the Community Emergency Services Manager (CESM) program, is a clear and practical way to strengthen system capability. Targeted capability support delivers results. Among Local Governments without a CESM, 53% would like to have one.
Insight Four: Bushfire is shaping system pressures
Bushfire is dominating the system and forcing structural questions. 91% of Local Governments rank bushfire in their top 5 hazards; 66% say bushfire crowds out all-hazards work; 41% support transfer of VBFB responsibility to the State, and 55% now support reconsideration of an independent Rural Fire Service.
Insight Five: One State, many realities
Local Governments operate in fundamentally different risk and capacity environments. A single emergency management model cannot meet these diverse needs, reinforcing the importance of a differentiated, risk based approach, as recognised through the LEMA Improvement Program.
2025 WALGA Local Government Emergency Management Survey Insights Webinar
A webinar was held in April 2026 summarising the key findings from the 2025 Local Government Emergency Management Survey.
2023 Emergency Management Survey
In late 2023, a total of 102 Local Governments responded to the 2023 Local Government Emergency Management Survey, meeting WALGA’s target of 75 percent.
The 2023 survey results provide critical information to underpin WALGA’s Emergency Management policy and advocacy work.
The executive summary also provides a valuable overview of the 2023 Local Government Emergency Management Survey results.
Key issues raised by Local Governments in responding to the 2023 Local Government Emergency Management Survey included: community preparedness and resilience; capacity to respond to and manage recovery; the importance of infrastructure betterment funding, management of Bush Fire Brigades; inadequate Local Government Grants Scheme (LGGS) funding; and the need to reform and improve grant funding.
The survey clearly shows how valuable a CESM is to Local Government emergency management and supports WALGA's advocacy that all Local Governments that want a CESM should have access to one.
