REGIONAL PORTALS
Continuity Central currently offers three regional business continuity portals:
North America
United Kingdom
Asia Pacific / Australasia


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Business continuity news and information: Australia, New Zealand and Asia Pacific

United Nations urges Philippines businesses to take business continuity planning seriously
Business continuity plans not a question of choice but a ‘double imperative’.
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•Date: 8th May 2012 • Philippines •Type: Article

Australian businesses face changing privacy risks
Reform of Australian Privacy law has moved a step closer with the announcement that the Australian Government will introduce amendments to the Privacy Act 1988 during the Winter sitting of Parliament.
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•Date: 3rd May 2012 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Operational risk

Australian businesses given data breach crisis management advice
Over 180 business leaders representing some of Australia’s largest organizations met on April 30th to discuss how to prevent a data breach, and how to respond to one, if or when it occurs.
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•Date: 1st May 2012 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: ISM

AT&T survey looks into the business continuity habits of Japanese businesses
Business continuity and cloud computing are 2012 priorities.
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•Date: 20th April 2012 • Japan •Type: Article • Topic: Business continuity statistics

Entries now being accepted for the BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards 2012
Winners will be announced at a presentation ceremony on 10th October in Singapore.
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•Date: 6th April 2012 • Asia/Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry publishes final report
Many recommendations made on flood risk management and increasing the resiliency of Queensland’s critical infrastructure, essential organizations, local businesses and communities.
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•Date: 20th March 2012 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: DR general

Standards for cyber security testing to be introduced in Australia
Australian businesses will have clear and agreed standards for cyber security testing after an announcement that an Australian branch of the Council of Registered Ethical Security Testers (CREST) has been established.
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•Date: 14th March 2012 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: ISM

Japan International Cooperation Agency to present disaster risk management lessons learned from March 11th 2011 earthquake
JICA Workshop on Disaster Risk Management will take place at the 53rd Annual Meeting of the Inter-American Development Bank.
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•Date: 2nd March 2012 • Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: DR general

Victorian Coalition Government releases final Comrie report on 2010-11 floods
Report gives 93 recommendations for improvements and outlines the need for reform in four key areas.
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•Date: 9th December 2011 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Disaster recovery general

Australians get new ‘DisasterWatch’ smartphone app
Government service gives the 4.5 million Australians who currently own smartphones another way of receiving emergency warnings and finding disaster related information.
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•Date: 9th December 2011 • Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Emergency planning

Bangkok and Thailand floods: business continuity updates
This page is being updated with information related to the flooding crisis.
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•Date: 28th October 2011 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article • Topic: Disaster recovery

Australia’s new Crisis Coordination Centre opened
Will improve the government’s capability to respond to large scale natural disasters or acts of terrorism.
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•Date: 19th October 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Emergency planning

BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards 2011
The winners of the BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards 2011 were announced at a presentation ceremony on 12th October 2011.
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•Date: 18th October 2011 • Region: Asia Pacific / SE Asia •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Reviews show that Australia's Emergency Alert system is working well
According to Attorney-General Robert McClelland.
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•Date: 5th October 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Emergency planning

Widespread flooding impacts South-East Asia
Flooding caused by two typhoons is affecting businesses and communities across South-East Asia, including in the Philippines, Viet Nam, Cambodia, Loas and Thailand.
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•Date: 5th October 2011 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article • Topic: Disaster recovery

APRA looks at business continuity in the Australian superannuation industry
APRA releases discussion paper on prudential standards for superannuation.
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•Date: 28th September 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: BC standards

Economic and community resilience: the impacts of natural disasters
A new publication from The Commonwealth Bank of Australia explores the lessons that governments, financial institutions and retailers around the globe can learn from Australia’s experience of the longer-term impact of natural disasters on personal income and the wider economy.
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•Date: 20th September 2011 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article • Topic: DR general

APRA releases latest business continuity guidance
From 1 July 2012 Australian financial firms will need to comply with a new prudential standard on business continuity management.
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•Date: 15th September 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Financial sector BC

Group-wide disaster response drills at Fujitsu
On September 1st 2011, Fujitsu ran a series of group-wide disaster response drills, drawing on lessons learned from the Great East Japan Earthquake.
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•Date: 2nd September 2011 • Region: Japan •Type: Article • Topic: BC testing & exercising

Singapore Deputy Prime Minister announces national business continuity logo scheme
When fully implemented in January 2012, BCM-certified businesses will be able to feature the new BCM logo alongside existing BCM certification marks as an easily recognisable symbol of their BCM-readiness.
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•Date: 18th August 2011 • Region: Singapore •Type: Article • Topic: BC Standards

Data protection and disaster recovery in Australian businesses
Survey finds that 23 percent don’t achieve their recovery time and recovery point objectives during disaster recovery tests.
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•Date: 16th August 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Business Continuity Statistics

APEC countries agree the need to promote business continuity to the private sector
A recent meeting of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation countries resulted in agreement to promote business continuity to private sector companies in the region.
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•Date: 4th August 2011 • Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Market-wide financial sector business continuity exercises to take place in Singapore
Scheduled for 15th and 16th September 2011.
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•Date: 26th July 2011 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article • Topic: BC testing & exercising

Thailand National Economic and Social Development Board to present national disaster management plan to new government
Will include recommendations to encourage private sector organizations to develop business continuity plans.
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•Date: 22nd July 2011 • Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Audit report identifies business continuity testing as a weak area in various major Australian government agencies
25 percent of critical government agencies ‘did not test BCP’s as part of normal business practice’.
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•Date: 28th June 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: BC testing & exercising

Distribute IT failure highlights the importance of maintaining offsite backups
Belts and braces business continuity requires an offsite backup of critical data on physical media.
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•Date: 24th June 2011 • Region: Australia / World •Type: Article • Topic: ICT continuity

Business continuity management: reflections from disaster
The Asia Pacific region experienced more than its fair share of natural disasters in the first quarter of 2011; but what impact have these events had on attitudes to BCM in the region, and what lessons have been learned? Ernst & Young, Australia, has provided a paper which explores these questions.
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•Date: 22nd June 2011 • Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Entry deadline extended for the BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards
The Business Continuity Institute has announced that the deadline for entries for the 2011 BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards has been extended to 30th July 2011.
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•Date: 10th June 2011 • Region: Asia/ Asia Pacific•Type: Article • Topic: BC general

New report highlights sea level rise threats to Australia’s coastal businesses
Assets worth AUD $226 billion exposed to climate change impacts.
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•Date: 8th June 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

Australia’s disaster management under the spotlight
Australia needs a national inquiry to review the way natural disasters are managed...
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•Date: 2nd June 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article • Topic: Emergency planning

The BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards
The Business Continuity Institute has announced a partnership with BCPAsia to manage the 2011 BCI Asia Business Continuity Awards, which will be presented at a ceremony on 12th October in Singapore.
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•Date: 29th April 2011 • Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Article • Topic: BC general

4th Asia Business Continuity Awards launched
Awards are open for entries from 11 April 2011; presentations take place on 12th October in Singapore.
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•Date: 29th March 2011 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

The Australasian Business Continuity Summit 2011
Sydney, 8th and 9th June 2011.
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•Date: 23rd March 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Events

Huge 8.9 earthquake hits Japan
Wide-area tsunami warning for the Pacific issued.
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•Date: 11th March 2011 • Region: Japan/Various •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Governments sign agreement to rebuild Queensland following the floods and Cyclone Yasi
Acting Prime Minister and Treasurer Wayne Swan and Queensland Premier Anna Bligh have announced the signing of the National Partnership for Natural Disaster Reconstruction and Recovery. The Agreement responds to the devastating floods across much of Queensland in December 2010 and January 2011, and the impacts of Cyclone Yasi. "This signed agreement means we can get $2 billion in Commonwealth money out the door and into Queensland communities where it is needed right now," said Acting Prime Minister Wayne Swan.
•Date: 11th March 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing

Severe damage in Christchurch due to magnitude 6.3 earthquake
This page will be updated with business continuity and disaster recovery information related to the above incident.
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•Date: 22nd Feb 2011 • Region: NZ •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Yasi damage bill set to top $800 million
The damage bill from Cyclone Yasi is expected to reach $800 million, Treasurer Andrew Fraser said. Addressing State Parliament, Mr Fraser said the new costs were on top of the significant damage bill associated with the January flood event. “Already the floods were estimated to cost around $5 billion. Now we can expect further costs of around $800 million for the restoration and recovery effort from Cyclone Yasi,” Mr Fraser said. The majority of the damage is to the road and transport network.
•Date: 22nd Feb 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing

COAG meeting agrees to immediate deployment of new Australian National Strategy for Disaster Resilience
Aims to improve Australia’s ability to withstand and recover from future disasters.
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•Date: 15th Feb 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Cyclone Yasi update page
Queensland faces its second major disaster in less than a month; this time from Cyclone Yasi.
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•Date: 4th Feb 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Risk and business continuity management in New Zealand
Marsh has conducted its fourth biennial survey of the risk and business continuity management practices of New Zealand businesses.
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•Date: 27th Jan 2011 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics

Queensland floods updates
This page is being updated with news and resources related to the above incident.
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•Date: 21st Jan 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Australasian Business Continuity Summit 2011
Sofitel Wentworth Hotel, Sydney, Wednesday 8th and Thursday 9th June 2011, with a final day of Workshops on Friday 10th June 2011.
The Australasian Business Continuity Summit 2011 will be organized jointly by Continuity Forum and the BCI Australasian Chapter. The Summit is the principal annual business continuity event in Australia and New Zealand www.continuity.net.au
•Date: 21st Jan 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing

NCS expands business continuity and disaster recovery center / centre in Singapore
Number of workarea recovery seats doubled to 1,400.
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•Date: 6th Jan 2011 • Region: SE Asia•Type: Article •Topic: Recovery facilities

The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority consults on new business continuity management standard
Prudential Standard CPS 23 expected to be effective from 1 July 2011.
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•Date: 5th Jan 2011 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Financial sector BC

Crisis management in a nutshell
John Salter provides a checklist which can be used as the basis of a generic crisis management framework.
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•Date: 22nd Dec 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: Crisis man.

Maps of potential Australia sea level rises published
New maps which identify the potential future impacts of climate change on some of Australia’s coastal regions have been released by the Federal Government. The inundation maps show three sea level rise scenarios: low (0.5m), medium (0.8m) and high (1.1m), projected to the year 2100. More details.
•Date: 22nd Dec 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Briefing

Linus launches new version of Revive business continuity management software
Version 8.2 provides significant enhancements.
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•Date: 10th Dec 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC software

‘Largest disaster recovery data centre’ in Asia opened
China Daily has reported that the 1.6 billion yuan (S$314 million) Chengdu Wanguo Data Centre, the largest disaster recovery data centre in Asia, has been formally launched in the west zone of Chengdu High-tech Zone in Sichuan province.
•Date: 7th Dec 2010 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC companies

Minister visits flooded inland as NSW braces for worse weather
New South Wales Emergency Services Minister Steve Whan has visited flood-affected areas of Central and North Western NSW as the State braces for the impact of more predicted severe weather. "The State Government has now extended the Natural Disaster declaration further, to include the Muswellbrook, Cooma-Monaro, Boorowa, Gunnedah, Bathurst and Forbes Local Government Areas," Mr Whan said. "This takes to 28 the total number of council areas now suffering damage and hardship as a result of these floods. We still expect the number to increase in coming days as worsening weather is expected to wreak more havoc across the State.
"These areas have reported significant damage to roads, culverts, bridges and other public infrastructure." http://www.emergency.nsw.gov.au/newsarticle.html?newsid=509
•Date: 7th Dec 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general

New Australian partnership to improve security within the chemical industry
Australia’s Attorney-General, Robert McClelland, and the Plastics and Chemicals Industry Association (PACIA) have jointly launched a new industry code of practice to reduce the security risk posed by certain chemicals. The code will assist the chemical industry in improving its security performance and addresses broader business resilience issues such as critical infrastructure protection and cyber security.
The new chemicals security code of practice is available at http://www.pacia.org.au/
•Date: 7th Dec 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing

Linus wins Business3000 Exporter of the Year award
Linus Information Security Solutions has won the Australian Business3000 Innovation Series 2010 award for Exporter of the Year. Linus developed Linus Revive business continuity management software, which is sold in Australia and exported from its Southbank office in Melbourne through a worldwide Partner Network in the UK, USA, SE Asia, Central America, Africa and Pacific Region. www.linusrevive.com
•Date: 12th Nov 2010 • Region: US/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC markets

The Asia-Pacific Disaster Report 2010
The United Nations has issued a new report which looks at future disaster risk reduction strategies for the Asia-Pacific region..
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•Date: 28th Oct 2010 • Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Queensland government announces projects to boost natural disaster resilience
Sixty-eight projects worth more than $26 million will be undertaken across Queensland.
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•Date: 28th Oct 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency planning

North Queensland braces for big cyclone season
Main Roads Minister Craig Wallace recently joined leading emergency service personnel and the head of the weather bureau in Townsville to talk about contingency plans for the coming summer storm and cyclone season in the north of Queensland.
“North Queensland is one of the most cyclone-prone areas in the state and is traditionally among the worst affected by wild weather,” Mr Wallace said. “Weather patterns suggest this cyclone season stands to be one of the worst in years, with up to six cyclones expected to develop in the Coral Sea and wetter than normal conditions predicted for most of Queensland.” http://www.disaster.qld.gov.au
•Date: 22nd October 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: Warnings

AS/NZS 5050 standard ‘not in line with progressive BCM thinking’
UPDATED WITH READER COMMENTS
According to BCI technical director, Lyndon Bird.
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•Date:6th October 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Cyber Storm III completed
Participants from the US, Australia, Canada, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Japan, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Sweden, Switzerland, and the United Kingdom have taken part in a comprehensive cyber-incident exercise.
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•Date: 1st October 2010 • Region: Various •Type: Article •Topic: BC testing

Omnitech to set up recovery facilities in NCR, Bangalore
Omnitech Infosolutions is planning to make a Rs 25 crore investment to set up two more recovery facilities (termed Disaster Recovery Business Continuity (DRBC) centres by the company) by the end of next year . One of the new facilities will be in the NCR and the other in Bangalore. The company currently has two facilities at Hyderabad and Navi Mumbai. http://www.omnitechindia.com/
•Date: 21st July 2010 • Region: US •Type: Briefing •Topic: BC markets

EQECAT reports on Canterbury (Darfield) earthquake impacts
EQECAT has issued an initial damage report for the recent major earthquake in New Zealand. This earthquake caused total economic damage of $2.5b to $3.5b USD ($3.5b to $5b NZD) with total insured damage being $1.5b to $2.5b USD ($2b to $3.5b NZD). Commercial damage was $900m to $1.2b USD ($200m to $500m USD insured).
•Date: 14th Sept 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general

Support website for Canterbury earthquake is operational
A website has been set up to help Canterbury (NZ) businesses and residents recover from the recent major earthquake.
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•Date: 7th Sept 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

The shifting sands of business continuity management
UPDATED WITH READER COMMENTS The business continuity status quo is being challenged. By David Honour.
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•Date: 7th Sept 2010 • Region: World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Regional pandemic exercise taking place in South-East Asia
Aims to simulate the effects of a pandemic on different sectors of an entire region’s essential services.
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•Date: 18th August 2010 • Region: SE Asia•Type: Article •Topic: Pandemic planning

AS/NZS 5050:2010 reviewed
Tim Janes, MBCI, president of the BCI Australasian Chapter, has published a review of the recently released business continuity standard from Standards Australia / New Zealand.
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•Date: 6th August 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Victoria Bushfires Royal Commission releases Final 2009 Report
The 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission has published its final report. Various recommendations are made. Which give priority to protecting human life, and are designed to reflect the shared responsibility that governments, fire agencies, communities and individuals have for minimising the prospect of a tragedy of this scale ever happening again. Read the report.
•Date: 4th August 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing

Report identifies future mega-earthquake hotspots
Aon Benfield has published a new report ‘When The Earth Moves: Mega-Earthquakes To Come?’
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•Date: 18th June 2010 • Region: Various •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Food for thought...
Deloitte Australia comments on the new AS/NZS 5050 business continuity management standard.
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•Date: 16th July 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Some thoughts on resilience
Leslie Whittet sets out to define what resilience is; and explains why it should never be enshrined in a standard.
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•Date: 14th July 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Get Ready Week 2010
10th-16th October 2010, New Zealand.
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•Date: 13th July 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

Singapore Computer Society launches Certification in IT Business Continuity Management
Launch taking place at Singapore Management University event.
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•Date: 8th July 2010 • Region: SE Asia •Type: Article •Topic: IT continuity

Critical infrastructure resilience strategy launched by Australian government
Promotes a resilient approach to ensuring the continued operation of critical infrastructure in the face of a major disaster or emergency.
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•Date: 1st July 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Public sector

New business continuity standard published by Standards New Zealand and Standards Australia
‘AS/NZS 5050:2010 Business continuity - managing disruption-related risk’.
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•Date: 30th June 2010 • Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

Philippine Insurance Commission proposes universal coverage for natural disaster property damages
The Insurance Commission of the Philippines has proposed a universal insurance plan to provide protection against property losses caused by natural disasters. The insurance scheme would engage both private and public sectors. The regulator plans to submit a draft to Congress by July, according to news reports. Businesses with interests in the Philippines may face additional insurance obligations if they are required to participate. Source: Marsh Philippines
•Date: 4th June 2010• Region: Asia Pacific •Type: Briefing

APRA consults on prudential reporting requirements for Basel II
The Australian Prudential Regulation Authority (APRA) has released for consultation a discussion paper and proposed amendments to relevant prudential reporting standards and forms in relation to proposals to enhance the Basel II Framework in Australia. Written submissions in relation to the consultation package should be submitted by 1 June 2010. More details.
•Date: 7th May 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: Financial sector BC

US and Australia sign emergency management coordination agreement
Information and human resource exchanges will strengthen response to major disasters of all kinds.
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•Date: 29th April 2010 • Region: Australia/US •Type: Article •Topic: Emergency plan

Exercise Tangaroa update
The New Zealand Ministry of Civil Defence and Emergency Management has published an update about Exercise Tangaroa, the national, multi-agency tsunami exercise that will be held on 20 October 2010. Download the newsletter (PDF).
•Date: 20th April 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Briefing •Topic: Exercises

Flood grants for Queensland small businesses and primary producers
Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd and Premier Anna Bligh have announced joint Commonwealth-State funded grants to help small businesses and primary producers affected by recent flooding in Queensland. The announcement will see small businesses and primary producers receive grants for clean up and recovery. Tier 1 grants will be available for up to $5,000 and Tier 2 grants will be up to $20,000. ’
•Date: 10th March 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Briefing •Topic: DR general

New handbook: HB 327:2010 Communicating and Consulting about Risk
Jointly published by New Zealand and Australian standards authorities.
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•Date: 5th March 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ/World •Type: Article •Topic: Operational risk

Exercise Tangaroa
On 20th October 2010, New Zealand’s ability to respond to a tsunami event will be tested in ‘Exercise Tangaroa’.
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•Date: 3rd March 2010 • Region: New Zealand •Type: Article •Topic: Exercises

Commonwealth and Victoria finalise disaster resilience partnership
Formally implements the Australian National Partnership Agreement on Natural Disaster Resilience.
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•Date: 2nd March 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: DR general

APRA releases guidance on the management of security risk in information and information technology
Aims to target areas where APRA’s ongoing supervisory activities continue to identify weaknesses.
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•Date: 3rd Feb 2010 • Region: Australia •Type: Article •Topic: Financial sector BC

Is business continuity management a dead-end?
In order to progress, the business continuity profession needs to develop executive gravitas, says Nathaniel Forbes.
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•Date: 2nd Feb 2010 • Region: SE Asia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC general

The art of effective exercising
What is required to ensure that an exercise is effective? By Chris Bakowski, MBCI.
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•Date: 15th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: BC exercising

More details of Australia and New Zealand Business Continuity Awareness Week activities published
BCAW kick-off events, 22-23 March 2010 and 4th Annual Business Continuity Summit, 24-25 March 2010.
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•Date: 13th Jan 2010 • Region: Aus/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: Events

Business impact assessment and damage reporting for effective crisis management
This practical paper outlines an approach to integrating business impact assessment into crisis management in order to strengthen the quality of information based decision making.
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•Date: 7th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/World •Type: Article •Topic: Crisis man.

Business continuity in Australia and New Zealand
The results of a recent benchmarking study have now been made generally available.
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•Date: 4th Jan 2010 • Region: Australia/NZ •Type: Article •Topic: BC statistics

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