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Discussing prevention efforts and security measures during natural disasters and potential nuclear attacks, former California Gov. Pete Wilson and former governor of the Australian state New South Wales Robert Carr engaged in a lecture luncheon Friday as part of the annual Australian American Leadership Dialogue.

The AALD, created in 1992, aims to strengthen the relationship between Australia and the United States through forums, bringing political leaders together to tackle issues ranging from homeland security to strategies for creating free and fair model societies.

Igniting the discussion at UCLA’s Bradley International Hall were issues pertaining to the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, in terms of devising national plans for other potential crises like a nuclear attack.

“There couldn’t be a more serious attack – people are seeing it as a possibility,” Carr said. “It reinforces the importance to counter-terrorism and the myriad ways in which we deal with that.”

The luncheon was one of the many events taking place as part of Australia Week in Los Angeles, also known as “G’Day LA.”

Spearheaded by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Austrade, Qantas Airways and Tourism Australia, “G’Day LA” is a seven-day celebration of Australian culture, art and commerce which strives to promote and strengthen Australian-American ties.

Other events included an Australian designer fashion show, an Australian Rules Football match and a live stage performance by Steve Irwin, commonly known as the “Crocodile Hunter.”

Drawing ties between Hurricane Katrina and other disasters such as the Northridge earthquake of 1994 as a means to prepare for what the two governors called a “Western Hiroshima,” Wilson and Carr agreed that all western cities need a comprehensive evacuation plan in addition to efficient consequence-management methods.

But some audience members found the comparison between Hurricane Katrina and Hiroshima faulty.

“(It’s) an invalid comparison – it’s disrespectful and inappropriate to victims of both disasters,” said Russell Neches, a graduate student in physics, adding that the events of Hiroshima were completely different from any kind of natural disaster.

Though national disasters are not often foreseeable, the former governors stressed the importance of actually exercising potential evacuation plans at a local level with those that will be involved.

“There needs to be a clear allocation of responsibilities and (to) go through the exercise, ‘what if, what if,’” Wilson said during the lecture. “You have to anticipate the worst-case scenario and plan for it.”

Wilson and Carr also emphasized that the dissemination of information to the public in a time of national disaster or attack is essential, adding that there is new cell phone technology available which will enable emergency messages to appear on a cell phone screen.

“The public has to be able to rely upon what it hears from the media. That point can’t be underscored (enough),” Wilson said.

In partnership with UCLA’s Media Center, members of the AALD and UCLA Professor Tom Plate, director of the center, agreed that UCLA – a center for education and leadership – was the perfect fit for this event.

“It’s good for foreign leaders to see this gem,” said Plate, whose center brings political experts to campus to interact with students.

“It’s good for students to see the people making the decisions,” he said.

About a dozen students attended the lecture. Some were pleased with the presentation, while others disagreed with the speakers’ ideas.

“(It was) very interesting and a good opportunity,” said Jin Sung, a fourth-year communication studies student. “This is my first time seeing people of power face-to-face.”