Australian Journal of Emergency Management | AJEM

In 2026, AJEM celebrates an important milestone – 40 years of publication.

Readers may or may not remember 1986, but Bob Hawke was Prime Minister; Bananarama, Madonna and Paul Kelly were at the top of the music charts; and Top Gun and Crocodile Dundee were on at the movies. The World Wide Web was not yet invented and mobile phones weighed 4 kg.

Much has changed since then. Where we live, how we live, how many of us there are, how we interact with each other and the environment, and what we value. But, like Madonna and Paul Kelly, some things persist over 40 years. Bushfires, floods, cyclones, storms, earthquakes, drought, heatwave and coastal erosion have always occurred and will continue to occur in Australia. Disasters that arise at the intersection of people and natural hazards cause great loss, trauma and disruption. This reminds us of the constant need for shared readiness and resilience.

Editorial Committee
Australian Journal of Emergency Management