Disaster Management Act 1984 (Papua New Guinea)

The Disaster Management Act was enacted to establish a machinery for forward planning to ensure the efficient, prompt, and effective management and control of natural disasters in the country. The Act establishes the National Disaster Committee which is empowered to:

• Supervise the national state of preparedness for emergencies and to report it to the National Executive Council.
• Maintain the National Emergency Plan.
• Assign responsibilities for disaster-related activities to other bodies and departments.
• Coordinate departmental and national relief actions.
• Advise the National Executive Council if appeal for international assistance is required.
• Lay down guidelines for the preparation of provincial disaster plans.
• Examine and approve grants of emergency relief from national funds.
• Foster public awareness of the effects of natural phenomena.
• Supervise the establishment of stock-piles of relief supplies.
• Advise the Council on necessity of declaring a National Emergency under the constitution. 

The Act also establishes provincial disaster committees and a National Disaster Centre.