Amazon Teams Up with Australian Red Cross and Foodbank Queensland to Boost Disaster Preparedness Across Queensland

Queensland has received significant support for its disaster preparedness, with Amazon Australia launching a new network of six Disaster Relief Supply Points in Cairns, Wangetti, Townsville, Rockhampton, Dalby and St George. Developed in partnership with Foodbank Queensland and Australian Red Cross, these Disaster Relief Supply Points contain critical supplies that can be dispatched quickly to regional communities when a disaster hits.  

Queensland is Australia’s most disaster-prone state and has been hit by almost 100 natural disasters in the past decade1. From today, all six Disaster Relief Supply Points will be operational across Queensland, storing over 55,000 emergency items including toiletries, blankets, tarps, first aid kits and non-perishable food items. These items have been packed into kits by Amazon volunteers and pre-positioned ready for fast and efficient collection and distribution by various organisations, charities and local disaster groups. Distribution will vary dependent on the type of disaster and response required. 

Amazon Australia has worked closely with Foodbank Queensland to identify and engage partner organisations embedded in these local communities to store these supplies until they are needed.  The collaboration between organisations like Australian Red Cross and Foodbank Queensland supports the timely and efficient mobilisation of essential items to ensure the delivery of supplies to where they are needed most.  

Amazon uses its data expertise alongside insights from its non-profit partners to identify the relief items most commonly needed on the ground when a disaster strikes. Wherever possible, products have been sourced and purchased from Amazon Australia’s small and medium sized business selling partners including Nakie, Little Urchin, Bunji, Zenify, Joonya and Juuni. 

Items stored within the Disaster Relief Supply Points have been shipped to regional Queensland from Amazon Australia’s existing Disaster Relief network, located in Amazon’s fulfilment centres in Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth and Adelaide. The Amazon Disaster Relief network in Australia currently stores more than 250,000 emergency items. 

Amazon’s Community Lead, Charlotte Richardson said: “Typically, Amazon Australia’s Disaster Relief network aims to provide emergency supplies to disaster zones within 72 hours, but this can be more challenging for regional and remote residents. By pre-positioning items within regional and remote communities, locals can rest assured the charities supporting them when disaster hits have much faster access to emergency supplies than if they were sent from Brisbane or Sydney.” 

Australian Red Cross Queensland Director, Collin Sivalingum said: “Our partnerships, such as the one we have with Amazon Australia, enable us to be there for everyone, always. Right now, as part of our seasonal preparedness activities, Australian Red Cross is working closely with local government authorities to build capacity in accessing essential items and support communities impacted by disasters. These new Amazon Australia Disaster Relief Supply Points, established across regional Queensland, will play a key role helping our collective efforts towards being there for Queenslanders during disasters at a time when they need us most.” 

Foodbank Queensland Chief Executive Officer, Jess Watkinson said: “Foodbank Queensland is incredibly thankful for our partnership with Amazon Australia, which allows us to locate supplies and be able to immediately support communities on the road to recovery. With the opening of these new locations across regional Queensland, we will be able to reach more people quickly in times of crisis and we are grateful to our partners across the state for providing the storage locations for these much-needed supplies.”   

Disaster Relief Hubs are a signature part of Amazon Australia’s local community relief efforts. Since the devastating 2019-20 bushfires, Amazon Australia has sourced and dispatched more than 700,000 relief items through 15 disasters including bushfires, floods, cyclones and COVID outbreaks.