The Australian Army’s bushfire and COVID-19 responses
from Part 5 - Force preparation
Published online by Cambridge University Press: 23 May 2025
The 2019–21 period required unprecedented mobilisation of the Australian Defence Force in response to domestic contingencies, including the National Bushfire Emergency, the COVID-19 pandemic and high-risk weather season events. The extensive employment of the ADF Reserves during this mobilisation provides a valuable opportunity to consider the ADF’s scalability and the emerging role of the part-time force. This chapter explores the Reserve’s contribution to recent domestic contingencies and how historical compromises which have limited the Reserve’s past employment now warrant revision.
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