Wellington, May 21 NZPA - New Zealand and Australia will have a 24/7 emergency "hotline" as part of closer and more formal links between their emergency management agencies.

A formal "administrative arrangement" between the Ministry of Civil Defence and the Attorney-General's Department of Australia formalises the ad-hoc processes previously used, ministry director John Hamilton said today.

Few countries, if any, can respond on their own to a national disaster, he said.

"Given our hazards and geographic isolation it is important that we have strong relationships that will help us manage risks and disasters," he said.

"Australia is our nearest neighbour and we have always offered each other assistance whenever it has been needed."

The key was having a strong, working relationship and specified processes so that if the two services needed to contact each other at any time of day or night they could, Mr Hamilton said.

"We can immediately share information about an emergency and, if necessary, start arrangements to provide staff or resources."

The arrangement included:

- maintaining 24/7 points of contact to ensure constant communication and, when required, co-ordination of effort, and to carry out communications exercises;

- developing formal arrangements to allow quick entry of staff and materials during response to and recovery from an emergency;

- deploying observers during emergencies;

- sharing lessons identified from emergencies and exercises;

- exchanging information about emergencies in other countries;

- inviting participants to conferences, workshops and exercises;

- exchanging information about best practice;

- considering opportunities for joint research.

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