That the NSW Government consider implementing a system for when the Minister for Planning may request the Independent Planning Commission to conduct a public hearing for any development.

That the NSW Government seek to amend provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 relating to historical developments to:
- increase the threshold required for developers to have undertaken action in commencing physical works in order to prevent their development consent from lapsing after 5 years
- consider a mechanism with appropriate thresholds for consent authorities to assess whether a historical development consent should be reassessed, and
- consider giving power to consent authorities to revoke or modify historical development consents, where it can be demonstrated that the development will have significant social, environmental or cultural impact not previously identified or that has been changed from the time of approval.

That the NSW Government consider amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to make the powers to consent authorities to modify or revoke development consents in the public interest, and that if a consent authority exercises the power to revoke a development consent, that no compensation is to be paid by the consent authority to the aggrieved person.

That the NSW Government consider implementing:
- all of the recommendations of the statutory review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016
- planning instruments that provide for the retention and creation of deep soil, native tree cover and habitat in urban areas
- guidelines for a clear and transparent process for when the Minister for Planning will refer a development to the Federal Minister for the Environment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

That the NSW Government review the need for legislation amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 or a state environmental planning policy to consider climate change within the planning system alongside the need to deliver development outcomes, including housing diversity, supply of industrial land and critical infrastructure.

That the NSW Government consider ways to improve the independence of the assessment of planning proposals and development applications, without increasing the time taken to assess such proposals.

That the NSW Government investigate the establishment of a centralised source for all government held planning data accessible to all councils across New South Wales, including:
- flood, coastal inundation and fire
- biodiversity
- climate modelling
- any other relevant data.

That the NSW Government continue to support councils to undertake their functions in respect of addressing climate change where necessary, such as:
- assessing the need for additional funding
- making sure councils have appropriate skills to assess large and complex proposals.

That the NSW Government implement enforceable measures and progress legislative change to ensure planning authorities:
- better reach communities using ongoing access to modern tools and a central database to inform them about development proposals in their local areas and
- provide increased, meaningful and impactful opportunities for community participation in the planning process.

That the NSW Government review deemed refusal appeals under section 8.17 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and consider the impacts that deemed refusal appeals have on local councils, particularly in relation to the costs incurred in defending these appeals and the strain that this has on council resources.

That the NSW Government look into strengthening Development Control Plans so that provisions within Development Control Plans bear greater weight when considered in the Land and Environment Court and so that they can be enforced.

That the NSW Government introduce a formalised governance structure at the State level to provide leadership and better assist local coastal councils with the management of catchments, funding and administrative constraints in relation to their Coastal Management Plans.

That the NSW Government:
- implement statutory planning controls to mitigate the urban heat island effect, either through legislation, changes to the Sustainable Buildings SEPP, and/or any other relevant instruments
- advocate for changes to the National Construction Code, through the Australian Building Codes Board, to help ensure that infrastructure is resilient to climate change impacts.

That the NSW Government develop a more comprehensive and coordinated climate adaptation framework which can be implemented at local scale which:
- integrates climate resilience and preparedness measures into all aspects of planning and development
- identifies climate risks and prioritises specific actions being taken to reduce those risks.

That the NSW Government enhance land use planning processes to take into account climate change risks, including the development of clear guidelines about where homes and infrastructure should and should not be located.

That the NSW Government continue to work through the NSW Reconstruction Authority to develop a state policy for managed relocation in situations where this may be a viable solution for communities or specific sites.

That the NSW Government give effect to the right of First Nations people to self-determination and the principle of free, prior, informed and ongoing consent in the New South Wales planning system, including in relation to:
- development applications and planning proposals
- culturally appropriate consultation and
- protection of cultural heritage and connection to Country.

That the NSW Government in partnership with local Aboriginal land councils and other Aboriginal land holders, in land claims processes to identify and activate land suitable for development and progress any necessary rezonings to enable that development and where parties agree, consider land swaps where lands are not suitable for development due to biodiversity and climate change constraints.

That the NSW Government consider amending the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to introduce a legislative requirement for exercising the state recovery arrangements as necessary. This should replicate a statewide event, include emergency services, and test the arrangements between the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 and the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, including the transition from response to recovery.

That the NSW Government amend the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to require a further review of the Act be undertaken once five years have passed from assent of the Act.

That section 93 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 be amended to:
- replace the words 'the disaster to which the review relates' in subsection 93(5)(b) with the words 'the date on which the review commenced',
- replace all references to 'Joint Select Committee' with 'Joint Committee', and
include that the Committee may review the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority regarding the Authority's functions relating to disaster prevention, preparedness and adaptation.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority continue to work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, NSW Treasury, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the emergency services organisations under the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 to minimise any duplication and improve efficiency between the work of the Authority and these agencies, particularly with respect to disaster preparedness and mitigation activities, data, modelling and information sharing.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority consider issuing guidelines which clarify the scope of its powers to make planning decisions under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 and how the Authority will consider existing planning controls, environmental standards, and Aboriginal cultural heritage protections under the state's existing planning framework.

That the NSW Government review the functions of the NSW Reconstruction Authority under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to ensure alignment with and prevent conflicts between the statutory functions and responsibilities of the state's emergency services agencies.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority, in consultation with the Office of Local Government, consider issuing guidance on the role and responsibilities of local government with regards to the functions of the Authority.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 be amended to include a requirement that the NSW Reconstruction Authority provide a report to Parliament annually, which lists all instances where the Authority has exercised its functions and powers under Parts 5 to 7 of the Act.

That the NSW Government ensure that any future review of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 also consider whether the Act should include explicit references to the following principles:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and culturally appropriate emergency management,
- the cumulative impacts of disasters,
- psychological wellbeing and trauma-informed approaches,
- community-centred/place-based approaches,
- social infrastructure or capital,
- ecologically sustainable development, social justice and intergenerational equity.

That the NSW Government consider whether the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 and/or its regulations should explicitly:
- provide for the betterment of physical infrastructure and other assets,
- set out guidelines for data sharing and consultation from the NSW Reconstruction Authority with other government agencies, local councils and community stakeholders, and/or
- recognise the role of and relationship between community service providers and the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

The State Emergency Management Committee Capability Development Sub Committee develop and implement a strengthened, collective approach to emergency services volunteer workforce planning and capability development to better understand and prepare for the anticipated increased demand for volunteers in the medium to long term and provide a level of assurance of how well-placed NSW is to meet this. This should include the development of collective medium- and long-term volunteer workforce and capability targets, and the establishment of an assurance framework to monitor progress towards these.

The State Emergency Management Committee consider annually and report via its annual report on the state of the emergency services volunteering workforce, trends in volunteering and implications for capacity and capability.

That NSW’s volunteer-based emergency services organisations improve and align data collection in relation to their volunteer workforce, to build a better understanding of the nature and experience of emergency volunteers and support better planning and decision making.

The Minister for Emergency Services establish a new state-based emergency volunteering award, to improve recognition of emergency volunteers.

The State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 and the NSW State Emergency Management Plan be updated to recognise the contribution of emergency volunteers.

That NSW update its ‘Become an Emergency Volunteer’ webpage to be a more effective and engaging single-entry point for people seeking information about emergency volunteering opportunities and pathways, support available for emergency volunteers, and how to respond as an informal volunteer.

The State Emergency Management Committee develop an Action Plan to grow and strengthen the emergency services volunteering workforce. The Action Plan should be aligned to the NSW Volunteering Strategy’s Focus Areas, and include the development and implementation of:
a. A coordinated, targeted volunteer recruitment strategy that is aligned to the collective capability targets developed in response to Recommendation 1 and includes a focus of increasing the diversity of the volunteer workforce.
b. Initiatives to address barriers related to the financial costs of volunteering.
c. More flexible volunteering pathways and opportunities.
d. Mechanisms to improve the portability and recognition of volunteer training and qualifications across organisations, including greater use of multi-agency training and recognition of prior learning.
e. A targeted approach to identifying communities experiencing capability challenges and working with them to develop place-based volunteering models that meet their needs.
f. Initiatives to better support volunteer leaders.
g. A strategy for working with employers to encourage corporate volunteering and support for employees who are emergency volunteers.
h. Initiatives to increase youth participation in emergency volunteering, including the identification of opportunities to build on and expand current cadet programs and the development of new partnership with schools and universities.

The NSW State Emergency Management Plan be updated to recognise and expressly enable the use of informal volunteers as part of emergency management arrangements.

The State Emergency Management Committee issue guidelines to support member agencies to:
a. Refresh sub and supporting plans to the State Emergency Management Plan (including regional and local emergency management plans) to identify how and when informal volunteers will be used.
b. Establish consistent operational models for the engagement and coordination of informal volunteers.

That to build the capability of member agencies to use informal volunteers and embed this in doctrine and operations, the State Emergency Management Committee:
a. Establish an Informal Volunteers Working Group to build professional practice and coordinate and align activity to refresh sub and supporting plans and establish operational models for the engagement and coordination of volunteers.
b. Publish guidance materials and resources to support the engagement and coordination of informal volunteers.
c. Develop options for a shared platform to match, register, induct, task and offboard informal volunteers.

The State Emergency Management Committee’s Community Engagement Strategy and Action Plan be refreshed to include a stronger focus on building community capability by equipping community with the practical tools and resources needed to respond in an emergency as an informal volunteer.

The NSW Reconstruction Authority repurpose the funding previously provided for one-off spontaneous volunteering grants to each local council to support a more comprehensive, targeted approach to building community capability to support informal volunteering comprised of:
a. The provision of training and support to councils in high disaster risk areas to support them to build their capability to coordinate community based informal volunteers.
b. The engagement of an expert, external organisation to coordinate, train and support informal volunteers in the recovery stage of disaster events when it is warranted by the scale of the disaster, volunteer interest and potential risks.
c. Grants to support businesses, non-government organisations and community groups in high disaster risk areas with locally developed initiatives to build community resilience and capability.

That NSW develop and prosecute with the Commonwealth Government a platform of priority initiatives and reforms the Commonwealth should pursue to better support emergency volunteering and build community capability, in partnership with other States and Territories.

Improve Analysis and Reporting: By December 2014, improve analysis and reporting on management information about volunteers, including: a) numbers, contribution, skills, profile, availability and turnover b) reasons for joining and leaving c) gaps in data completeness and quality This should enable SES to demonstrate an improvement in the completeness and accuracy of management information by April 2015

Volunteer Workforce Plan: By December 2014, develop a volunteer workforce plan to focus resources for recruitment and retention on areas of greatest need. The plan should be based on regional capability plans that assess in a consistent way: a) how many volunteers they have and need b) the gaps and risks around volunteer numbers, skills and training

Recruitment Guidelines and Resources: By April 2015, update its recruitment guidelines and resources, and support units in better targeting recruitment

Volunteer Retention: By April 2015, develop strategies and resources to improve volunteer retention, including: a) induction and development of leaders b) health checks for units to identify and address areas for improvement c) pathways for volunteers to take on greater responsibility d) consultation and communication e) recognition for volunteers and their employers

Training Strategy: By April 2015, develop a training strategy that identifies volunteer training priorities and provides for ongoing review to ensure operational currency, flexibility of delivery and evaluation

Volunteer Charter: by December 2014, agree a charter with volunteers that clarifies roles and expectations including commitments by: a) SES to support volunteers to prepare for and respond to emergencies b) SES to make the best use of volunteers’ time by introducing user-friendly systems and reducing the administrative burden on them c) volunteers to turn-out when called to respond to emergencies.

That section 3(c) of the Rural Fires Act 1997, which sets out the objects of the Act, be extended to include protecting infrastructure, environmental, economic, cultural, agricultural and social assets from damage.

That section 9(4)(b) of the Rural Fires Act 1997, which sets out the functions of the NSW Rural Fire Service, be amended to include protecting infrastructure, environmental, economic, cultural, agricultural and social assets from damage.

That section 56 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to give the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service the power to direct a Bush Fire Management Committee to amend its Bush Fire Risk Management Plan if it is inadequate, in the opinion of the Commissioner.

That the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to allow the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service to carry out hazard reduction on land without the consent of the owner after reasonable attempts to contact the landowner have failed, without serving a notice under section 66 of the Rural Fires Act.

That the definition of “bush fire hazard reduction work” in the Dictionary of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to include the establishment or maintenance of fire trails.

That section 74 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to require public authorities to report to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service within one month of the end of the financial year on activities undertaken to reduce bush fire hazards on managed land during the preceding financial year.

That section 74 of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to require public authorities to report monthly to the Commissioner of the NSW Rural Fire Service on activities undertaken to reduce bush fire hazards on managed land during the preceding month and the reasons why any planned activities did not take place.

That section 100I of the Rural Fires Act 1997 be amended to allow hazard reduction certificates to be issued for annual low impact works for a period of three years, where appropriate.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service hold discussions with the Department of Planning and Infrastructure and Local Government NSW on ways to improve compliance with development consents under section 76A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service hold discussions with the Commonwealth Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities about hazard reduction and roadside vegetation, including potential changes to the NSW Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code.

The Panel notes and endorses the NSW bush fire management system based on a multi-agency, tenure blind approach using locally focused Bush Fire Management Committees, Bush Fire Management Plans and the Bush Fire Environmental Assessment Code as best practice.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop a strategy to better inform the community and NSW Rural Fire Service members about the NSW bush fire management system and its components.

That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be posted on the NSW Rural Fire Service website.

That Bush Fire Risk Management Plans be tabled at Local Emergency Management Committees for comment.

That Bush Fire Management Committees be required to take into account fuel age and fire frequency thresholds when developing Bush Fire Risk Management Plans

That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate use of appropriate modelling, such as PHOENIX RapidFire and the Bayesian Network analysis, to quantify the level of bush fire risk to critical values and assets.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW Treasury explore ways to ensure that unspent hazard reduction funds be carried over to the next financial year in a timely manner and to ensure that hazard reduction funding has a seamless transition from one financial year to the next.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service apply for funding from the NSW Treasury for the development of a multi-agency business case for a BRIMS replacement that includes internal management, risk communication, community engagement capability and publishing activities on websites.

It is recommended that the Board:
- collect data on rescue performance and cost over the next 12 months to inform the planning process (page 19)
- use this data to develop an overarching strategy for land rescue that recommends to the Government who the providers of rescue should be (page 19)
- use the strategy to review current arrangements and develop a five year plan to implement rescue arrangements which align with the strategy (page 19)
- develop a risk management framework to assist committees in assessing applications for accreditation (page 24).
If data on rescue performance indicates immediate opportunities for improvement these should be addressed by the Board.

It is recommended that the Board develop response time standards for metropolitan and rural rescue services to guide committees in determining the number, type and location of rescue units (page 25).

It is recommended that the Board:
- include time standards for responding to an incident in accreditation standards (page 29)
􏰀- revisit the need for specific accreditation criteria for various rescue activities (page 29).

It is recommended that providers supply data to the Board:
- for each rescue attended, the location and type of incident, turnout time, response time and time when available for re- tasking (page 30)
- on the cost of rescue (page 25).

It is recommended that the Board: 
- require the Chief Executive of each rescue provider to certify on an annual basis that all rescue units comply with the Board’s accreditation standards (page 31)
- develop an audit program to test compliance with accreditation standards (page 31).