Recognition and relationship-building: key ingredients for effective collaboration between disaster management agencies and community

The role played by communities in all phases of disasters is critical, yet genuine collaboration between community-led groups and disaster management agencies remains scarce. This paper examines the dynamics of these interactions in the aftermath of a catastrophic flood and landslip event in the Northern Rivers region of New South Wales, Australia, in 2022. Using qualitative data from 41 interviews undertaken one to two years after the disaster, as well as network mapping, we identify significant barriers to collaboration, most notably a lack of recognition of the sophisticated and essential contributions of community-led groups. Through the lens of invisibility theory, we analyse the assumptions and mechanisms that devalue community-led efforts. These structural exclusions hinder effective disaster response and recovery, despite the demonstrated capacity of community groups to provide rapid, localised, and adaptive solutions. Our findings highlight that successful collaboration is built on trust, respect, and sustained relationships between disaster management personnel and community organizers. Where such collaboration occurred, it was enabled by flexible, locally embedded approaches and agency personnel willing to challenge hierarchical structures and risk-averse policies. The research underscores the need for cultural and structural shifts within the disaster management sector, and we apply community development theory to advocate for a transition from top-down engagement models to genuine partnerships that recognize community-led expertise as essential. As climate-related weather events become more frequent and severe, embracing community-driven disaster management approaches will be critical for building resilience and enhancing response effectiveness. • Community-led disaster response is specialised, sophisticated, and indispensable • Lack of recognition by disaster management agencies undermines community action • Relationships of trust enable effective agency-community collaboration • Disaster agencies must recognise the value of collaborating with communities