Type Medal Status Currently awarded | Awarded for Sustained service Established 23 October 2011 | |
Eligibility Members of identified organisations or individuals who rendered sustained service during specified dates in specified places in response to nationally significant emergencies within Australia Clasps Vic Fires 09
Qld 2010–11 | ||
The National Emergency Medal is an award of the Australian honours system given for sustained service during a nationally significant emergency. The medal was established by Her Majesty The Queen in October 2011. The medal is awarded for events specifically set out by regulation or may be awarded upon the recommendation of the National Emergency Medal Committee for significant service.
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Description
The National Emergency Medal is a circular medal, ensigned with the Australian Coat of Arms. The obverse depicts a central image of a Golden Wattle branch. Surrounding the image at the edge is a further depiction of the flowering wattle. The center of the reverse has the same border as the obverse, but in the center it details by inscription the award and the recipient.
The National Emergency Medal ribbon colours match the colours of the Humanitarian Overseas Service Medal ribbon. The colours of the ribbon are gold and eucalyptus green. Gold symbolises the Australian sun, optimism and hope. Eucalyptus green complements the symbolism of the medal design. The seven gold coloured bands represent Australia’s six states, with the seventh representing the territories.
Vic Fires 09
Those who performed service during the Black Saturday bushfires and meet certain criteria are recognized with the "Vic Fires 09" clasp. Requirements include:
Qld 2010–11
Those who performed service during the Queensland Floods and Cyclone Yasi and met certain criteria are recognized by the "Qld 2010–11" clasp. Requirements include:
Recipients
As of May 2014 the number of recipients listed in the Australian Honours database has increased. It is well known that this medal has been awarded in far greater numbers than this, however the roll has not been updated for reasons unknown.
As of June 30, 2013, 6,186 National Emergency Medals have been awarded, including 84 for Significant Service. Five people have been recognised for service in both the Queensland and Victorian emergencies.
Criticism
The criteria for award of the National Emergency Medal has been criticised as not honouring the efforts of many volunteers. Due to safety issues many volunteers were rotated out of disaster areas after a few days and unable to spend the required amount of time on the ground in the disaster area to qualify for the medal.
Lucy Kippist, writer at The Punch described the "confusing, disorganised and grossly unfair way the National Emergency Medal was put together in the first place. Thousands of volunteers across the country also expected to be on that list." She also stated that after announcing the creation of the new medal, the "Prime Minister neglected to mention that most of the volunteers who served in those regions were completely ineligible for the award.
Prime Minister Julia Gillard when announcing the new medal, quoted that the medal is "an award for the many, not the few." This statement has since proved to be incorrect as most emergency services volunteers, even those who were involved in all three relevant national emergencies, i.e., Victorian fires, Brisbane floods and Cyclone Yasi, are ineligible for the award.
Apart from this, issues arise with people who may have spent five days in Victoria, five days in Brisbane floods and another five days involved in Cyclone Yasi, a total of 15 days in national emergency areas but still not able to qualify for the medal, even though seven days is enough for Victoria alone. It is believed that the government is looking into these eligibility issues.