Open AccessCommunity engagement in Australia’s COVID-19 communications response: learning lessons from the humanitarian sector
Author(s) -
Rachel Marie Maher,
Blaise Murphet
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
media international australia, incorporating culture and policy
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2200-467X
pISSN - 1329-878X
DOI - 10.1177/1329878x20948289
Subject(s) - preparedness , covid-19 , political science , outbreak , democracy , public relations , emergency response , community engagement , economic growth , project commissioning , disaster response , publishing , emergency management , politics , medicine , disease , law , infectious disease (medical specialty) , virology , medical emergency , pathology , economics
This essay analyses the official communications response to COVID-19 in Australia in relation to its effectiveness in engaging communities to encourage the behaviour changes required to address the outbreak. In particular, it outlines three key considerations regarding the way in which the use of community engagement in the humanitarian sector during the Ebola outbreak in West Africa and the Democratic Republic of Congo can inform current and future information preparedness of Governments in Australia in response to health and social crises.