Lisa Paul says the most important skill she brings to her role co-ordinating big business' response to the bushfires is listening – a skill she honed as the public servant leading the Commonwealth's domestic response to the 2002 Bali Bombings.

The day starts early for the four-member team responsible for the Business Council of Australia's community rebuilding initiative – BizRebuild – and begins in Canberra, often with meetings with national authorities, or out in fire-affected communities.