The Insurance Council of Australia has launched a disaster resilience drive in Canberra as federal parliament sittings resume.

It will host Community Resilience Week at Parliament House, allowing MPs to meet representatives from the industry and organisations including emergency services groups.

“Australia is 50 days out from a summer that could bring the strongest El Nino on record, and insurers and support organisations are in Canberra this week with a clear message: the time to reduce disaster risk is now,” ICA said.

“The week will also focus on the decisions that influence communities’ exposure to those risks, including investment in extreme weather mitigation, land use planning arrangements, the resilience of homes, and recovery arrangements.”

ICA says Community Resilience Week coincides with International Day for Disaster Risk Reduction tomorrow, underscoring the focus on reducing risk before disasters strike, rather than relying on recovery after the damage is done.

“Better forecasting and faster disaster response are important, but they cannot address the underlying risk on their own,” ICA CEO Andrew Hall said. “Greater investment in projects that improve community resilience, better land use planning and stronger homes can reduce the damage disasters cause and help ease pressure on insurance costs over time.

“Insurers are looking forward to having these discussions with policymakers.”