text: A new Bushfire and Natural Hazards Cooperative Research Centre (CRC) is to be established from 1 July this year.
  Prime Minister, Julia Gillard said the new Centre would build on the work of the existing Bushfire CRC and expand research efforts into other natural hazards.
  "The Government will contribute up to $47 million over eight years to ensure that the valuable work done by the Bushfire CRC can continue while New Centre gets go-ahead
  developing a complementary natural hazards research program into flood, earthquake, cyclone and tsunami events," Ms Gillard said.
  "The Commonwealth contribution is contingent on the states and territories making similar commitments to this expanded research activity, at a level equivalent to state financial support for the existing Bushfire CRC.
  "State and territory governments have been closely involved in the existing Bushfire CRC and we expect that they will be prepared to make a substantial contribution to this important initiative."
  She said communities across Australia had been severely impacted by severe weather events again this summer and the increased investment in research aimed to improve approaches to mitigation, operational responses and community resilience to natural hazards.
  "The expanded focus of the new CRC appropriately reflects the impact of broader natural hazards on the Australian community," she said.
  "The new CRC will conduct coordinated and interdisciplinary research, including work with communities, to improve disaster resilience and reduce the human, social, economic and environmental costs from bushfires and other natural hazards.
  "The Bushfire and Natural Hazards CRC will undertake vital research to support the development of cohesive, evidence-based policies, strategies and tools to build a disaster-resilient Australia."
  Ms Gillard said a priority public good funding stream would also be established within the CRC program to deliver primary research outcomes with wider social and environmental benefits to Australia and the broader community.