Emergency declarations are important legal tools for the state to protect itself and its citizens during times of crisis. State of emergency declarations provide for extraordinary powers to be exercised to address an emergency or disaster. Emergency declarations present an opportunity to examine policy learning in crises, through the ability to examine emergency declaration instruments and the detail of post-emergency inquiries and reviews. This research briefly examines Australian law that provides for emergency declarations and places it in the context of theories of policy learning and change. Examination of two case studies reveals evidence of policy learning in emergency declaration practice in Australia. Evidence is uncovered of an emerging practice of using emergency declarations primarily or purely as tools to communicate the seriousness of an emergency situation. This policy learning has occurred both within and between jurisdictions, including the federal government. This paper also explores opportunities for future research on policy learning and emergency legislation, especially in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic.