The Insurance Council of Australia (ICA) has welcomed the appointment of Brendan Moon as the first Coordinator-General for the Federal Government’s new National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA).

Mr Moon, who has been CEO of the Queensland Reconstruction Authority (QRA), will oversee NEMA’s work in driving and coordinating resilience programs and disaster responses.

“A national approach to emergency management will strengthen Australia’s ability to prepare for, respond to and recover from disasters,” ICA says.

NEMA came into effect at the start of the month with the merger of the former National Recovery and Resilience Agency and Emergency Management Australia, which previously sat within different Federal Government departments, overseen by separate ministers.

Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt says it makes sense to combine them under one roof, and Mr Moon’s appointment follows his nation-leading work with QRA.

“Queensland has had more than its fair share of natural disasters in the past decade and the way in which the QRA, under Brendan’s leadership, has responded and rebuilt has been very impressive,” he said.

“In fact, other states have looked at the model created in Queensland and are now implementing similar authorities in their own jurisdictions.”

Mr Moon was with QRA from its inception in 2011, following devastating flooding in the state, and became CEO in mid 2016.

Mr Watt says it’s vital the Government responds better in times of emergency and gives people the time and support they need to recover, while also driving long-term preparedness.

“By working together with state and local governments our primary goal will be building resilience to future disasters and supporting any response to unfolding events, while remaining deeply connected with communities still recovering from past disasters,” he said.