Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC317-4064 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Australian, state and territory governments should work together to develop consistent data standards to measure disaster impact. |
REC317-4085 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | State and territory governments should take responsibility for the capability and capacity of local governments to which they have delegated their responsibilities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters, to ensure local governments are able to effectively discharge the responsibilities devolved to them. |
REC317-4128 | 37 - Funding | Australian, state and territory governments should broaden Category D of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to encompass funding for recovery measures that are focused on resilience, including in circumstances which are not ‘exceptional’. |
REC317-4058 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Australian Government should enhance national preparedness for, and response to, natural disasters, building on the responsibilities of Emergency Management Australia, to include facilitating resource sharing decisions of governments and stress testing national disaster plans. |
REC317-4078 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should adopt procurement and contracting strategies that support and develop a broader Australian-based sovereign aerial firefighting industry. |
REC317-4125 | 37 - Funding | Australian, state and territory and local governments should develop greater consistency in the financial support provided to individuals, small businesses and primary producers under the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements. |
REC317-4056 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian Government agencies should work together across all phases of disaster management. |
REC317-4073 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should take steps to ensure that there is better interaction, planning and ongoing understanding of Australian Defence Force capabilities and processes by state and territory fire and emergency service agencies and local governments. |
REC317-4123 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should ensure that personal information of individuals affected by a natural disaster is able to be appropriately shared between all levels of government, agencies, insurers, charities and organisations delivering recovery services, taking account of all necessary safeguards to ensure the sharing is only for recovery purposes. |
REC317-4055 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian Government should revise the COMDISPLAN thresholds to provide that a request for Australian Government assistance, including Defence assistance, is able to be made by a state or territory government when: |
REC317-4072 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian Government should consider whether employment protections under the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth) are sufficient to ensure that fire and emergency services volunteers will not be discriminated against, disadvantaged or dismissed for reasons associated with their volunteer service during natural disasters. |
REC317-4101 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should develop national air quality forecasting capabilities, which include broad coverage of population centres and apply to smoke and other airborne pollutants, such as dust and pollen, to predict plume behaviour. |
REC317-4054 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should establish an authoritative advisory body to consolidate advice on strategic policy and relevant operational considerations for ministers in relation to natural disasters. |
REC317-4131 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Each state and territory government should establish an independent accountability and assurance mechanism to promote continuous improvement and best practice in natural disaster arrangements. |
REC317-4069 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should update and implement the National Framework to Improve Government Radio Communications Interoperability, or otherwise agree a new strategy, to achieve interoperable communications across jurisdictions. |
REC317-4086 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | State and territory governments should review their arrangements for sharing resources between their local governments during natural disasters, including whether those arrangements: |
REC317-4053 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian, state and territory governments should restructure and reinvigorate ministerial forums with a view to enabling timely and informed strategic decision-making in respect of: |
REC317-4129 | 37 - Funding | Australian, state and territory governments should create simpler Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements application processes. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC316-4024 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Government consider amendments to the Emergencies Act to include provision for a Deputy ESA Commissioner. |
REC316-4047 | 37 - Funding | Government consider an alternative funding arrangement for extraordinary costs borne by Government agencies in combating emergencies such as bushfires. |
REC316-4052 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The ACT Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to clarify that the powers of the EC encompass the power to direct agencies and directorates to share personal information for the preservation of life and protection of Canberrans. |
REC316-4021 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Plan be amended to better reflect the intent of the Emergencies Act in the establishment of a Management Executive, separate to SEMSOG, on the appointment of an EC. It should describe the role of SEMSOG and the Management Executive as distinct in the emergency management architecture. |
REC316-4043 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | NDIA be engaged in regard to information sharing in emergencies as part of the above actions. |
REC316-4051 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended so that the powers, including delegations, available to an EC be granted on their appointment and remain in place under the same section of the Act for the duration of their appointment rather than being drawn from different sections of the Act that are dependent on the existing alert state for the specified event. |
REC316-4019 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | In collaboration with other jurisdictions the ACT share the learnings for this bushfire event and work to officially embedded values officers and RRATs as key elements of bushfire response. |
REC316-4035 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Review, refine and implement the joint ESA/EPSDD Arrangement for Fire Management in the ACT with the previous recommendation in mind. |
REC316-4050 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to allow for the provision for a Deputy Emergency Controller to be appointed, independent of the initial appointment of an EC. The powers and functions of this appointment to be contingent on the absence of the EC. |
REC316-4017 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The working group (Rec 1) should include relevant stakeholders deciding collectively what the declaration might mean for such things as sub and supporting plans and the relevant community messages and calls to action. |
REC316-4034 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Efforts be increased to build trust, confidence and a common operating picture across PCS and RFS and seek mechanisms that identifies RFS and PCS as equitable partners in delivery of fire management across the territory. |
REC316-4049 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergencies Act 2004 be amended to allow for the appointment of the EC to be made for a discretionary time period of up to 28 days with the requirement for a legislated review of the appointment to be removed. Alternatively, a period of review should fall within the Chief Ministers discretion for up to seven (7) days following appointment. |
REC316-4025 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Plan and ECC Ops Plan be amended to better articulate the delivery of emergency management vs the delivery of the emergency plan. The Plan should facilitate principles for emergency management and clear role delineations whilst allowing flexibility in how the mechanisms are structured. |
REC316-4048 | 37 - Funding | Government consider adopting a similar model to NSW for the management of emergency costs and reimbursements within ACT Government agencies. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC278-1225 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends that the Australian and Tasmanian Governments: • develop options to increase co-operation to ensure that the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is protected and conserved in line with Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention; and • work together to ensure strong provisions to protect the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area from bushfire risks are included in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC257-1547 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Marrangaroo Training Area Regional Environmental Officer confer with the local Rural Fire Service at least annually and determine a hazard reduction regime capable of implementation. It is furter recommended all ranges be reviewed in relation to the same issue, that is, that personnel involved in the management of each range under Defence control be directed to confer with local firefighting authorities on at least an annual basis to assess hazard reduction responses to be pursued for that range in subsequent years. |
REC257-1553 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | On matters relating directly to safety or risk, or when live-firing may occur, where there is ambiguity or apparent inconsistency, the most conservative or restrctive order should be followed until formal clarification has been provided. |
REC257-1545 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | Range Control Officer Marrangaroo Training Area liase with the local Rural Fire Service units to develop a map indicating the areas of the range likely to contain unexploded ordnance. |
REC257-1552 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Authority be given to the regional Environmental Officer to close a range or impose live-firing restriction in addition to any set out in Range Standing Orders if circumstances so warrant. |
REC257-1543 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Range Standing Orders be amended to include a direction that no Defence vehicle is to leave the administration area of Marrangaroo Training Area during a bushfire, except to leave Marrangaroo Training Area itself through the main gate, unless it is a properly equipped bushfire fighitng vehicle havig at least four wheel drive capabiliy and self-protection equipment. |
REC257-1551 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The use of Internal and External ranges at MTA for patrolling activities be prohibited. |
REC257-1538 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Commanding Officer Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School amend relevant instructions, both generally and specifically, so as to ensure that explosive ordnance used in training serials is logged in real time, in accordance with extant doctrine. |
REC257-1550 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Defence engage with both the Bureau of Meteorology and the Rural Fire Service to determine a more suitable index system. In the interim, Range Standing Orders be amended so that live-firing on the ranges on Marrangaroo Training Area not be permitted where the Forest Fire Danger Index for either the Central Ranges District or Greater Sydney Region is 12, it being the threshold for HIGH Fire Danger Rating or above. put another way, and in a practical sense, Range Standing Orders should, as an interim measure, require the Officer in Charge Practice and the Range Control Officer to consider the Forest Fire Danger Index for both Central Ranges District AND Greater Sydney Region on the day of any given serial. If either index is as 12 or above, live-firing should not be permitted. Any indication in Range Standing Orders or elsewhere that live-firing is permitted on Marrangaroo Training Area when the Fire Danger rating is HIGH should be rescinded. |
REC257-1537 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Commanding Officer Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School review and enforce Standard Operating Procedures to ensure that appropriate explosive ordnance accounting and handling practices, in accordance with Defence doctrine, are adhered to during all training activities. |
REC257-1549 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Marrangaroo Training Area Range Standing Orders should be reviewed to impose a requirement that the Officer in Charge of any live-firing practice ascertain and consider current weather parameters, temperature, humidity, wind strength and direction, registered at Mt Boyce immediately prior to any demolition serial. The setting of those parameters and their limits should be decided in consulation with the Bureau of Meteorology and Rural Fire Service and inserted into Range Standing Orders. |
REC257-1554 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | All documents be reviewed to remove ambiguity and perceived inconsistencies. Marrangaroo Training Area Range Standing Orders be subject to further examination, with particular consideration of the bushfire mitigation strategies referred to in the Bushfire Management Plan 2011-2014 before amendments to Chapter 10 are made. the basis upon which Range Standing Orders might fix a cut-off point for live-firing exercises should depend on continued bushfire strategies. Range Standing orders and Marrangaroo Training Area Bushfire Management Plan be reviewed annually. if hazard reduction has not occurred or the fire trails degraded, Range Standing Orders should take into account of heightened risk. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC256-1560 | 37 - Funding | The Australian Government should: |
REC256-1568 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State governments, where they have not already done so, should provide local governments with statutory protection from liability for releasing natural hazard information and making changes to local planning schemes where such actions have been taken ‘in good faith’ and in accordance with state planning policy and legislation. |
REC256-1577 | 37 - Funding | The Australian Government should develop a formula for allocating mitigation funding to state and territory governments on the basis of where such funding is likely to achieve the greatest net benefits, taking into account the future risks of natural disasters. This should be completed within five years and in consultation with state and territory governments. |
REC256-1559 | 37 - Funding | The Australian Government should gradually increase the amount of annual mitigation funding it provides to state and territory governments to $200 million. Initially, this funding should be distributed to state and territory governments in accordance with the allocation under the National Partnership Agreement on Natural Disaster Resilience. |
REC256-1567 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should: |
REC256-1575 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should develop benchmark prices for the reconstruction of essential public assets and submit these to the Australian Government for approval within one year. In developing these prices, they should consult with local governments and relevant experts, and draw on asset management plans. The prices should be reviewed and updated over time. |
REC256-1558 | 37 - Funding | Funding to state and territory governments for community recovery should be provided as untied grants, with a transition period pending the development of a framework to assess community recovery costs. During the transition period, the Australian Government should continue to provide funding for community recovery through a reimbursement model. |
REC256-1566 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should prioritise and accelerate implementation of the Enhancing Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment Roadmap, including reviewing the regulatory components of vendor disclosure statements. The Land Use Planning and Building Codes Taskforce should be tasked to identify and consider options for regular, low-cost dissemination of hazard information to households by governments and insurers. |
REC256-1574 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian Government should establish a framework for the development of benchmark prices for the reconstruction of essential public assets. This should set out the broad parameters that state and territory governments should follow, without prescribing particular prices to be used. |
REC256-1557 | 37 - Funding | Where asset management plans at the local, state or territory level pre-identify and cost betterment of assets (improving asset resilience to natural disasters), the Australian Government should share 50 per cent of the betterment component of reconstruction costs following damage from a (eligible) natural disaster. |
REC256-1562 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian Government should: |
REC256-1571 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory taxes and levies on general insurance should be phased out and replaced with less distortionary taxes. |
REC256-1556 | 37 - Funding | The Australian Government should fund natural disaster recovery by: |
REC256-1561 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory governments should be required to report on the following accountability requirements: |
REC256-1569 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The provisions in the Queensland Sustainable Planning Act 2009 for injurious affection should be repealed. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC255-1578 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The ANAO recommends that the Department of Defence review the minimum information necessary to be reported for each emergency DACC task to discharge accountability obligations, identify costs, undertake cost recovery where appropriate, maintain records for future use and learn from emergency DACC activities |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC231-2829 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recommends that the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport, in preparation for the forthcoming reviews of the National Partnership Agreements, identify the most effective means of obtaining the project level information on the respective reconstruction programs required by the Agreements to be reported on and, if appropriate, seek amendments to the Agreements. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC230-2834 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends that the Attorney-General's Department facilitate a public consultation process on a regulatory framework for overflow arrangements between public safety agencies and commercial carriers. |
REC230-2835 | 37 - Funding | The committee recommends that the Australian Government direct an appropriate portion of the proceeds derived from the auction of spectrum to fund the allocation of 20 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band for the purposes of a national public safety mobile broadband network. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC229-2845 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government works with state and territory governments to continue to implement the recommendations of the Productivity Commission report, where possible, to improve coordination in relation to climate change adaptation. |
REC229-2844 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The committee recommends that Australian governments specifically address issues of compatibility and capacity to facilitate the most effective interoperability of emergency service organisations and their key personnel, especially for fire services. |
REC229-2843 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends that Commonwealth, state and territory governments ensure that all facilities caring for vulnerable groups, in particular hospitals, schools, childcare and aged care facilities, have emergency management plans, relevant to their geographic settings, in place and regularly revised. |
REC229-2839 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends that disincentives to insurance, such as taxes and levies applied by the states and territories, should be removed as part of a national reform process. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC228-1610 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Emergency Services Agency should annually review fire management zones and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should subsequently update the Regional Fire Management Plans. |
REC228-1617 | 37 - Funding | The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should annually (and on a cumulative basis) track and report on funds allocated for, and spent on, its Bushfire Operations Plan to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services. |
REC228-1608 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should review the operations of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan Implementation Working Group to determine if it is the most appropriate mechanism for ‘monitoring the scope and effectiveness’ of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan. If it is retained, ways to improve its effectiveness should be identified and implemented. |
REC228-1616 | 37 - Funding | The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should enhance internal monitoring of its implementation of bushfire management activities and spending under the Bushfire Operations Plan by routinely reconciling figures in this plan with those in the Directorate’s corporate financial system. |
REC228-1623 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should develop and routinely review a strategic bushfire capability for the ACT. The contribution of ACT Fire and Rescue (including the Community Fire Units) and the ACT Rural Fire Service (including Parks Brigade) should be explicitly stated. |
REC228-1607 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Justice and Community Safety Directorate, in managing future amendments to the Emergencies Act 2004, should propose amendments which require the Emergency Services Agency to maintain information on privately-owned assets of public interest that are vulnerable to bushfire without the need to include this information in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan. |
REC228-1613 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should continue to work with National Land managers and develop a National Land bushfire management framework to address bushfire risks on National Land. |
REC228-1622 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Emergency Services Agency and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should continue to improve working arrangements between the ACT Rural Fire Service Parks Brigade and the ACT Rural Fire Service headquarters, by: |
REC228-1606 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should comply with the Emergencies Act 2004 requirements for the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan by including in this Plan an explicit statement of all resources needed to meet the objectives of the Plan. |
REC228-1612 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should develop a strategy for monitoring the development and implementation of all Government land managers’ operational plans. |
REC228-1621 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should improve its management of the Community Fire Unit Program by: |
REC228-1605 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Justice and Community Safety Directorate should continue to review its strategic and accountability indicators and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should commence a review of its strategic and accountability indicators. The directorates should consult to develop complementary measures which better assess their bushfire management activities. |
REC228-1611 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Emergency Services Agency should specify preparation and approval requirements for bushfire operational plans, particularly those for lands in the Bushfire Abatement Zone. |
REC228-1618 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Emergency Services Agency, the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should strengthen across-Government delivery of major projects in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan and Regional Fire Management Plans by collectively: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC207-2893 | 37 - Funding | Explore options to obtain revenue from advertising on the Bureau’s website |
REC207-2880 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Ensure the Bureau puts in place necessary planning and governance arrangements to develop its bid for capital funding to maintain its critical supercomputing capacity |
REC207-2892 | 37 - Funding | Apply a consistent cost-recovery model to all services delivered to state/territory fire agencies. |
REC207-2879 | 37 - Funding | Firm up approval processes and funding for any departures from provision of the basic product set |
REC207-2890 | 37 - Funding | Review and rebalance relative investment in long term climate modelling and medium-term seasonal outlook. |
REC207-2877 | 37 - Funding | Explore opportunities to re-phase investments in large scale projects and programs such as the Strategic Radar Enhancement Program, the NexGen Forecast and Warning System Products and the Improving Water Information Program. |
REC207-2889 | 37 - Funding | Review level of investment in research activities to free up budget and reduce pressure on computing capacity |
REC207-2875 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Agree clear allocation of responsibilities to state and local government for flood management, with defined boundaries on the Bureau’s role and: |
REC207-2884 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Focus leadership practices to re-orient culture away from customisation and experimentation and towards reliable, efficient and consistent documented processes |
REC207-2874 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Formalise and standardise service levels provided to emergency services. |
REC207-2883 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Start a project to introduce organisational process thinking with a view to standardising processes and product specifications. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC206-1889 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislation by 1 March 2013 to make adherence to the General Insurance Code of Practice a compulsory requirement for all general insurers. |
REC206-1882 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government amend the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) to make it obligatory that insurers offer to consumers the option of a general insurance policy that conforms to Standard Cover, as prescribed in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985 (Cth), from 1 July 2012, so that all insurers carry a product that provides full replacement in the event of total loss and cover for damages resulting from flood. |
REC206-1888 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government empower the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to regulate claims handling and settlement of financial service providers. This can be achieved by the Treasurer introducing legislation by 1 July 2012 to give effect to the measures contained in Schedule 1, Part 1 of the lapsed Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2010, so that breaches of the duty of utmost good faith in relation to claims handling constitute a breach of the Insurance Contracts Act. |
REC206-1887 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission amend Regulatory Guideline 139 by 1 July 2012 to require the Financial Ombudsman Service to report regularly to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and also to make public: |
REC206-1892 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government allocate additional and continuing funding in the 2012–2013 budget to the Insurance Law Service to establish a consumer advisory position at the Financial Services Ombudsman. The position should be co-funded by the Insurance Law Service and the insurance industry. |
REC206-1885 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislative changes required to remove the exemption for general insurers to unfair contract terms laws, and ensure its enactment by the end of 2012. |
REC206-1891 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government and relevant State and territory governments jointly allocate additional and continuing funding in the 2012–13 budget to the Insurance Law Service for the mobilisation of a temporary physical presence in areas of need following natural disasters. The service should be available to all persons in an affected disaster area and not subject to means-testing. |
REC206-1884 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Parliament pass the Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2011 and ensure its enactment by 1 July 2012. The Committee further recommends that the standard definition of ‘flood’ be included in the definition of Standard Cover in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985. |
REC206-1890 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission amend Regulatory Guideline 165 to: |
REC206-1883 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government amend the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) so that from 1 July 2012 any derogation from Standard Cover is required to be communicated to policyholders as a departure from ideal standards: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC205-1896 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Australian governments should implement policies that help the community deal with the current climate by improving the flexibility of the economy. This would also build adaptive capacity to deal with future climate change. This includes reforms to: |
REC205-1895 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | Reforms to address barriers to effective climate change adaptation should be assessed on a case-by-case basis to determine whether they are likely to deliver net benefits to the community. This should include consideration of any risks to their implementation. |
REC205-1904 | 24 - Govt responsibility | State and territory taxes and levies on general insurance constitute a barrier to effective adaptation to climate change. State and territory governments should phase out these taxes and replace them with less distortionary taxes. |
REC205-1899 | 24 - Govt responsibility | Local governments’ uncertainty about their legal liability is a barrier to effective climate change adaptation. State governments should clarify the legal liability of councils with respect to climate change adaptation matters and the processes required to manage that liability. |
REC205-1898 | 24 - Govt responsibility | To help clarify roles and responsibilities of local government for climate change adaptation, the state and Northern Territory governments should publish and maintain a comprehensive list of laws that delegate regulatory roles to local governments. This would assist both state and local governments to assess whether local governments have the capacity to discharge their roles effectively. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC186-0396 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government together with national, state and territory emergency service organisations and radio and television broadcasters, develop a secure database of up-to-date contact details for key personnel to be used during an emergency. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC185-1931 | 37 - Funding | The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Grants Commission ensures that as part of the current redesign of its data request, state and territory governments are required to include their past insurance and reinsurance receipts for natural disaster insurance premiums. These data must be taken into account by the Commission in determining the states' GST share. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC176-0144 | 37 - Funding | Further Commonwealth funding for bushfire suppression be made conditional on state fire agencies agreeing to the Commonwealth evaluating and auditing their fuel reduction programs. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC174-2986 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The ANAO recommends that Centrelink assess the reliability of emergency recovery payment data and reports generated from its system(s), and update the approach, standards and procedures for the collection, storage and use of the data. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC162-3016 | 37 - Funding | ESWG recommends investigation of options to fund NGERAC’s on-going activities including through AEMO’s funding model. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC161-3038 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that the Commonwealth Petroleum (Submerged Lands) (Management of Safety on Offshore Facilities) Regulations (MOSO) be amended to ensure that the safety case for a floating facility specifically identifies when command structure changes occur (which may be well before departing the site and associated zone). We also recommend that the OPGGS Act be amended so that a vessel becomes a facility when any part of it comes within 500 metres of the site and continues to be a facility until no part of the vessel remains within 500 metres of the site. |
REC161-3025 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That Australian Maritime Safety Authority should have a role in assuring continuing marine standards that are not inconsistent with Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 provisions and that Australian Maritime Safety Authority needs defined powers to assist National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority (NOPSA) in minimising risk in the offshore petroleum industry. Potential mechanisms for achieving this outcome include: providing Australian Maritime Safety Authority with defined powers and obligations under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006, thereby ensuring that the Authority becomes an effective inspector/regulator of vessels while they are deemed to be facilities; or revising the current Commonwealth maritime legislation disapplication provisions of the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 with the aim of achieving the same goal. If it can be readily achieved and is an efficient regulatory option, we believe the first option is preferable. |
REC161-3031 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority develop a robust risk assessment matrix for use in assessing and responding to the changing risk associated with each facility and the operator. Further, we recommend that National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority increase auditing frequency and duration to audit each manned facility on average twice per year (covering each staff swing), but more often if the risk matrix indicates this is necessary; and that audits should average several days actually on major facilities. |
REC161-3037 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that the Commonwealth undertake legislative change that will ensure that when any floating facility reverts to a ‘navigable form’, the relevant provisions of the Navigation Act and the OHSMI Act will apply regardless of any voyage criteria. This will help to ensure that all Australian seafarers are covered. |
REC161-3024 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Commonwealth Petroleum (Submerged Lands) (Management of Safety on Offshore Facilities) Regulations 1996 Regulations be amended to ensure that the safety case for a floating facility specifically identifies when command structure changes occur (which may be well before departing the site and associated zone). We also recommend that the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 be amended so that a vessel becomes a facility when any part of it comes within 500 metres of the site and continues to be a facility until no part of the |
REC161-3029 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | In relation to safety case development and compliance overall, that National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority revise its approach to interacting with operators prior to the safety case assessment process and subsequently and direct more resources into its advisory functions. We further recommend that National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority develop and implement a formal plan for supporting and guiding each operator prior to safety case acceptance, as well as for ongoing compliance with that safety case, recognising the unique experience, capabilities and assessed risk of that operator. Each plan needs to include advice, education and liaison meetings with the operators. The plan needs to be continuously reviewed and reassessed based on latest information, including the interaction with the operator. Implementation should be reviewed at a senior level within National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority. |
REC161-3036 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Commonwealth and States/Northern Territory legislate to establish a properly resourced and empowered independent national safety investigation capacity to investigate serious oil and gas industry (including pipeline) incidents including near miss events that could have led to a major accident event. We further recommend that the regulatory investigatory powers under the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 be reviewed in the context of powers for the proposed independent national safety investigator, noting that the regulator must retain those investigatory powers necessary in order to fulfil its legislative functions. |
REC161-3023 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Commonwealth undertake legislative change that will ensure that when any floating facility reverts to a ‘navigable form’, the relevant provisions of the Navigation Act and the OHSMI Act will apply regardless of any voyage criteria. This will help to ensure that all Australian seafarers are covered. |
REC161-3028 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources continue to support a duty of care safety case regime for best practice offshore petroleum industry regulation augmented to include regulation of integrity. Since the safety case is at the centre of the duty of care co-regulatory regime, we consider that the requirement for the implementation of the safety case at facilities involved in the exploitation of petroleum resources should be provided for within the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 itself. |
REC161-3035 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That Ministerial Council on Mineral and Petroleum Resources liaise with Ministers with environmental and planning responsibilities, and if necessary Council of Australian Governments, to ensure that environmental requirements for oil and gas projects are not imposed subsequent to safety assessments and do not increase the risk of major accident events. |
REC161-3040 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend the Commonwealth consider a plain English rewrite of the Navigation Act 1912 with the aim of producing a modern, performance-based Act. |
REC161-3027 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That powers should be conferred on National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority to enable it to effectively regulate safety and integrity for all facilities and pipelines in the water and the WA islands which export gas by pipeline. National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority’s authority should extend to the nearest valve on the mainland above the shore crossing. |
REC161-3033 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Commonwealth Petroleum (Submerged Lands) (Management of Safety on Offshore Facilities) Regulations 1996 regulations be amended to explicitly enable assessment of safety culture, leadership, and consideration of operator past history, motivation and current capacity in approvals of safety cases. National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority should be able to audit against these criteria and challenge operators on these issues. |
REC161-3039 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | We recommend that AMSA should have a role in assuring continuing marine standards that are not inconsistent with Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act (OPGGS) Act provisions and that AMSA needs defined powers to assist NOPSA in minimising risk in the offshore petroleum industry. Potential mechanisms for achieving this outcome include: providing AMSA with defined powers and obligations under the OPGGS Act, thereby ensuring that the Authority becomes an effective inspector/regulator of vessels while they are deemed to be facilities; or revising the current Commonwealth maritime legislation disapplication provisions of the OPGGS Act with the aim of achieving the same goal. If it can be readily achieved and is an efficient regulatory option, we believe the first option is preferable. |
REC161-3026 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Commonwealth consider a plain English rewrite of the Navigation Act 1912 with the aim of producing a modern, performance-based Act. |
REC161-3032 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006 and its subsidiary regulations be amended to enable National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority to have a broader range of graduated compliance tools including the ability to impose a civil fine on an operator per day of non compliance with an improvement or prohibition notice. Legislation should also be considered that would enable National Offshore Petroleum Safety Authority to make public, with appropriate safeguards, specific information concerning its enforcement actions including the name of the operator, the breach, and the enforcement action required including potential penalties. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC159-3056 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should specify and document the role of each of its various clinical governance processes, how they relate to each other, and how these will be managed, measured and monitored within an overarching clinical framework. |
REC159-3053 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should develop policies and guidelines to assist ambulance officers’ decisions on whether or not to transport a patient to hospital. This guidance might include appropriate responses when a mentally impaired patient declines transport or treatment, and when to call on management or clinical guidance. |
REC159-3051 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should: |
REC159-3061 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should develop and implement policies and guidance to staff on how complaints should be assessed and actioned, including timeliness targets. |
REC159-3060 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should develop a policy that provides direction on what type of feedback it will seek, from whom it will seek the feedback, and how this feedback will be used to improve the patient care experience. |
REC159-3057 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | ACTAS should conduct formal reviews of its clinical procedures manuals in consultation with its Clinical Advisory Committee, and develop guidance to oversight these reviews. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC147-3190 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The ANAO recommends that, to facilitate EMA’s response to requests for assistance in overseas emergency management situations, a statement of the broad principles, responsibilities and performance expectations to apply when EMA is involved in overseas operations be developed and agreed between EMA, DFAT, AusAID and other relevant stakeholders. |
REC148-3189 | 37 - Funding | The ANAO recommends that, to ensure that grant conditions are satisfied, EMA enhance procedures to monitor the progress of projects and follow up those behind schedule or not fulfilling funding agreement requirements. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC146-3192 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The committee recommends, in accordance with the findings of the Hawke Taskforce, that CASA's Regulatory Reform Program be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible to provide certainty to industry and to ensure CASA and industry are ready to address future safety challenges. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC145-3217 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments process, examine the establishment of a system of national coastal zone environmental accounts, employing the model developed by the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership. |
REC145-3224 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3232 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to establishing a separate funding program for infrastructure enhancement in coastal areas vulnerable to climate change. Such funding should be provided according to a formula requiring contributions, either financial or in-kind, from state governments and relevant local government authorities. |
REC145-3208 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, recognise the extensive Surf Life Saving Australia network and take appropriate steps to integrate this network into emergency services preparedness, planning, and response systems and activities. |
REC145-3240 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that proposals for a National Oceans and Coast Act and a statutory Coastal Council be the subject of ongoing consideration once the Intergovernmental Coastal Zone Agreement is determined. |
REC145-3223 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government urgently commission a detailed climate change vulnerability assessment for Kakadu National Park, in consultation with the park’s traditional owners and other stakeholders and drawing on the results of the ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of the park. This assessment should specifically focus on the vulnerability of Kakadu’s freshwater wetland systems to saltwater intrusion. A key outcome of the assessment should be the development of a Climate Change Action Plan for Kakadu National Park, with coordinated input from the Australian Government and Northern Territory Government, Indigenous land owners, researchers and other stakeholders. |
REC145-3231 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government request that the Centre for Excellence for Local Government ensure a particular focus on capacity building for coastal local councils. Capacity building should focus on addressing issues relating to: |
REC145-3207 | 37 - Funding | To further enhance Australia’s disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery arrangements in the event of possible major coastal disasters, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a grants program, the Coastal Natural Disaster Mitigation Program, to fund natural disaster mitigation projects in the Australian coastal zone. |
REC145-3239 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a National Coastal Advisory Council to: |
REC145-3221 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in considering its response to the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), take into account concerns about the EPBC Act and coastal zone management raised as part of this inquiry—in particular, the need to address the cumulative impacts of coastal development. This could be achieved by numerous means, including: |
REC145-3230 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3200 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3238 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3220 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that, in seeking to expand the area protected within Australia’s National Reserve System (NRS) under the Caring for our Country program, the Australian Government focus on high biodiversity coastal habitat, including more effective off-reserve coastal zone conservation and expanded coastal reserves that provide larger buffer zones. In undertaking this initiative, the Australian Government should continue to work with state/territory and local governments, Indigenous groups, conservation organisations, private landholders and other stakeholders to ensure that these protected areas are added to the NRS in a timely manner. |
REC145-3226 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3197 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the coastal zone component of the National Climate Change Science Framework and proposed National Climate Change Science strategy be clearly identified by the proposed high level coordination group and involve key coastal stakeholders. |
REC145-3237 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in cooperation with state, territory and local governments, and in consultation with coastal stakeholders, develop an Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone to be endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments. The intergovernmental agreement should: |
REC145-3219 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3225 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government: |
REC145-3236 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Australian Government provide funding support for the ongoing activities of the Australian Coastal Alliance in providing a national information and communication interface between research organisations and local government authorities and other coastal stakeholders. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC144-3380 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develop and publish an operational policy document which spells out the command and control structures and procedures should an emergency event arise. |
REC144-3388 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If the Auditor-General does not undertake a review in the near future, the Committee recommends that the ACT Government re-investigate the suitability of the Fairbairn site as a proposed centralised accommodation facility for emergency services. |
REC144-3394 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develops a joint strategic bushfire management plan with the NSW Government and the NSW Rural Fire Service in relation to those areas which have the potential to impact on both jurisdictions. |
REC144-3386 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee considers that the ACT Government should table in the ACT Legislative Assembly the cost-benefit analysis and business plan for Fairbairn as a central site for emergency services in the ACT. |
REC144-3392 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the ACT Government finalise Version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan as required under the Emergencies Act. |
REC144-3383 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that, if the Bushfire Council is to have an advisory role generally in emergency management, it should be renamed to reflect a general emergency role rather than a role specifically in relation to bushfires. |
REC144-3391 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the ACT Government explain its reasons to the Legislative Assembly for not proceeding with the release of Version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan in July 2005. |
REC144-3382 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that responsibility for oversighting the progress of the implementation of agreed recommendations of the Coroner be undertaken by a truly independent body and not by the Bushfire Council. |
REC144-3390 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If the ACT Government decides to proceed with the site as the emergency services headquarters, that it accord a high priority to the finalisation of the site preparations for the ESA at Fairbairn as a matter of urgency. |
REC144-3381 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Council consultative requirements under the Emergencies Act 2004 be reviewed, with a view to removing the requirement to consult with the Bushfire Council on operational matters, such as staff appointments and matters prescribed by regulation. |
REC144-3389 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If the Auditor-General does not undertake a review in the near future, the Committee recommends that the ACT Government make a public announcement about the future accommodation plans for the Emergency Services Agency and its component parts so that both the ESA and the ACT public are informed about current proposals and timeframes. |
REC144-3395 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends that the ACT Emergency Services and the Rural Fire Service in particular institute regular meetings with the NSW Rural Fire Service and other appropriate authorities, such as environment |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC126-1954 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That senior officers of the Emergency Services Agency give greater recognition to the skills, knowledge and experience of people from other agencies – particularly the land management agencies – as well as rural residents and private individuals and use these people in roles commensurate with their skills and experience |
REC126-2006 | 24 - Govt responsibility | I recommend that, as appropriate, the ACT cooperate with the Commonwealth in the implementation of the committee's recommendations and, in particular, give careful consideration to adoption of the following recommendations: |
REC126-1964 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That all firefighting agencies adopt a policy and practice that all fires in remote areas of the ACT be responded to as quickly as possible, with vigorous and sustained efforts made to suppress the fires and not leave them unattended – especially at night – unless there are compelling reasons relating to firefighter safety or lack of resources |
REC126-1942 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the ACT Attorney-General and the ACT Government - in consulation with the Chief Justice of the ACT and the ACT Chief Magistrate - take legislative action that would have the effect of funds being directly appropriated annually to the courts, preferable along the lines of the Commonwealth model as it applies to the High Court of Australia, the Federal Court of Australia, the Family Court of Australia and the Federal Magistrates Court. Alternatively, the funds could be appropriated in accordance with the South Australian model, which has a seperate Courts Administartion Authority. |
REC126-1978 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That it be a matter of policy and practice that the relevant land management agency is responsible for the initial response to any fire or fires on the land under its care or management – within the overall operational response of the ACT Rural Fire Service |
REC126-1948 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency be removed from the Department of Justice and Community Safety and transformed into an independent statutory authority reporting directly to the responsible Minister. Note in this regard that Mr McLeod made a similar recommendation, and I endorse it unequivocally. Placing the agency within a government department puts unnecessary layers of bureaucracy between the agency and the responsible Minister, and the bureaucrats concerned usually have no special knowledge of or experience in emergency management, regardless of their seniority in the bureaucracy |
REC126-1989 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That formal protocols be developed and agreed with NSW authorities, so that a concerted effort that combines the resources of both NSW and the ACT can be brought to bear in the future - without impediment caused by lines on a map that make the ACT an island within the state of NSW |
REC126-1962 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That, because of the small jurisdiction of the ACT (equivalent to one fire district in NSW) the ACT Government consider all possible options for the provision of fire services to the ACT, among them: |
REC126-2012 | 24 - Govt responsibility | If they are willing and available to participate, that the taskforce's membership include Mr Phil Cheney, Mr Tony Bartlett, Mr Val Jeffery and Mr John Lowe |
REC126-1976 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency have authority over the land management agencies and other landholders in order to implement preparedness and prevention measures – including fuel-reduction works where there are failures in compliance |
REC126-1946 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the ACT Government consider amending the Coroners Act 1997 to include what were ss. 56(1)(d) and 56(2)(c) of the 1956 Coroners Act |
REC126-1985 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the suport of the ACT Government, seek to establish with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service a protocol that will provide for the establishment of a joint incident management team as part of unified control arrangements based on adoption of the following principles: |
REC126-1962 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan be completed and introduced without delay |
REC126-2009 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That a taskforce be established to give effect to the recommendations in this report |
REC126-1966 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the Emergency Services Agency investigate and implement arrangements that will provide the capacity to use fire retardant in remote areas |
REC126-1945 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That s. 47 of the ACT Coroners Act 1997 be expanded to explicitly state that an inquest and the inquiry are not adversarial in nature and are solely inquisitorial, with a view to establishing the truth |
REC126-1984 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the Emergency Services Agency, with the support of the ACT Government, develop a single, new memorandum of understanding with the NSW Department of Environment and Conservation and the NSW Rural Fire Service, providing for liaison and joint operations as soon as it becomes apparent to whichever jurisdiction is managing a fire that the fire will probably affect the other jurisdiction. Joint operations should not be limited to when an incident occurs on both sides of the border, as is the current arrangement |
REC126-1958 | 37 - Funding | That the ACT Government allocate sufficient funds to enable full-time and volunteer firefighters to participate in relevant courses and programs |
REC126-2008 | 34 - Local knowledge | That, if he is willing to participate, Mr John Lowe be made a member of the implementation taskforce to which I refer in recommendation 70 |
REC126-1965 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That helicopters be used wherever possible to facilitate the rapid deployment of remote area firefighting crews |
REC126-1944 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That s. 59 of the ACT Coroners ACT 1997 be amended by deleting the words ‘by instrument’ in s. 59(1) and by deleting the words ‘by his or her instrument of appointment’ in s. 59(2)(b) |
REC126-1981 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That senior officers in the Australian Federal Police and the Emergency Services Agency maintain regular and meaningful contact during fire emergencies, to ensure full dissemination of information and thus facilitate the making of good operational decisions |
REC126-1956 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That courses and programs be conducted to increase the level of Incident Control System training and augment the expertise of people who are likely to perform functions in an incident management team |
REC126-2007 | 34 - Local knowledge | That the views and concerns expressed by the ACT Sustainable Rural Lands Group be taken into account when implementing the recommendations in this report |
REC126-1964 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That remote area firefighting resources be deployed to a fire in a remote area as a matter of priority and in preference to the deployment of large tankers |
REC126-1943 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That the ACT’s Director of Public Prosecutions Act 1990 be amended by repealing s. 6(d) of the Act |
REC126-1979 | 24 - Govt responsibility | That the policy and practice just recommended be the subject of a memorandum of understanding between the Emergency Services Agency and the Department of Territory and Municipal Services (previously the Department of Urban Services) or other relevant department or agency, so as to ensure that the land management agency on whose land a fire starts has responsibility to respond immediately to that fire in accordance with the applicable standards for weight of response. Further, the land management agency should be responsible for efforts to suppress fire until such time as it becomes clear that the suppression task is beyond capacity of the agency, at which point the ACT Rural Fire Service should assume direct responsibility for coordinating the ongoing response |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC116-2128 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Working Group recommends that jurisdictions review their emergency management arrangements (plans, legislation, etc) to ensure that they are able to mitigate, respond to and recover from disasters, and maximise the duration of self reliance that can be achieved. |
REC116-2098 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Working Group recommends that Emergency Management Australia (EMA) facilitate national discussions into the capability of States/Territories to ensure thorough collaborative systems and plans for inter-jurisdictional resource interoperability exist, and where this has not already occurred at State/Territory level and appropriate agencies, committees or government departments can be identified, they should be tasked with progressing specific issues in the following areas: |
REC116-2109 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends that participants in the exercises designed to test continuity of executive government plans and procedures should be the office holders themselves. |
REC116-2126 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends the Australian Emergency Management Committee note that: |
REC116-2108 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends that all States/Territories and the Australian Government should regularly (annually) test their continuity of executive government plans and contingencies. |
REC116-2125 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working group recommends that the Australian Government take a leadership role with regard to addressing the national capability issues identified within this review. Further, that the States/Territories recognise and accept the collaborative nature of developing national capability and commit through engagement and consultation to assisting the Australian Government in this task. |
REC116-2105 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends that the adequacy of existing national mortuary capability to meet the likely demands of a catastrophic disaster be assessed by State/Territory Coroners. This assessment should also consider the need for a mobile mortuary capability and involve discussions with the Australian Federal Police. |
REC116-2124 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The whole of government disaster plan should also be written in such a way as to manage continuity of national government, ensure delivery of key services for which the Australian Government has responsibility and establish (or document existing) command and control mechanisms. |
REC116-2100 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Working Group recommends that agreed national protocols be developed to manage the integration of overseas workers and international aid into an affected jurisdiction. |
REC116-2123 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends that the Australian Government consider developing an overarching whole of government disaster plan that clearly articulates authority, roles and responsibilities of agencies, inter-departmental committees and key officials, to link the range of existing Australian Government disaster plans. |
REC116-2099 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Working Group recommends that a review of the operation of the Commonwealth Mutual Recognition Act 1992 be conducted and that agreed national protocols be developed to manage the integration of |
REC116-2118 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Working Group recommends that State/Territory Recovery Committees review their membership to ensure that it is reflective of community needs, including representation from the Insurance Disaster Response Organisation. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC098-2149 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth work with the states and territories through the proposed Council of Australian Governments to review the response to bushfires to ensure that principles of fire prevention and rapid and effective initial attack are adopted and implemented by all rural fire authorities and public land managers |
REC098-2166 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia work through the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to ensure that: |
REC098-2148 | 3 - Biodiversity | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments develop a mechanism that ensures that appropriate measures are taken by public and private land |
REC098-2159 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that in changing the incident management systems as proposed in recommendation 23 above all bushfire agencies review concerns about difficulties in communicating operational information from the fire front to air operations. |
REC098-2187 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth require state and territory governments to have in place comprehensive bush fire management plans as a pre-requisite for accessing funding from the National Heritage Trust and like programs. |
REC098-2141 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the National Heritage Trust, offer assistance to the states and the Australian Capital Territory to develop specific prescribed burning guides, at least |
REC098-2158 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth should commit funding for aerial fire fighting beyond the 2003–04 season on the proviso that the Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the state and territory governments make a commitment to: |
REC098-2171 | 37 - Funding | The Committee strongly recommends that the New South Wales, Victorian and Tasmanian Governments abolish the Fire Levy tax they impose on home and business insurance premiums (wherever applicable), making it payable through household rates instead. Any cost savings gained by the insurance industry through relief from collecting Fire Levies should be passed on to policyholders through reduced premiums. At the same time the Committee urges the Insurance Council of Australia to run ongoing education campaigns to increase public awareness on bushfire preparedness, including the need for insurance. |
REC098-2135 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments implements to a minimum national standard adequate access to all public lands including wilderness areas of national parks. |
REC098-2154 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seek to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments seek the adoption by all states and territories of multi-agency protocols and agreements for fire |
REC098-2170 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia request the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to: |
REC098-2131 | 24 - Govt responsibility | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the Council of Australian Governments ensure that states and territories have adequate controls to ensure that local governments implement required fuel management standards on private property and land under their control. |
REC098-2152 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth, through the Council of Australian Governments and the Australasian Fire Authorities Council, initiate an overhaul of the incident management systems used |
REC098-2169 | 37 - Funding | The Committee recommends that, for the purpose of communications for the police, ambulance and fire brigades, any rental costs associated with the use of radio sites under the care, control or management of the Commonwealth, state, territory or local government be waived, other than for the ongoing cost associated with the use of power at the site. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC037-4165 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | • Proposed amendments to the State Disaster Plan be formalised |
REC037-4164 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | The role of local government in counter—disaster affairs be clearly defined and formalised by legislation. Local government authorities would then be fully aware of their responsibilities and of their entitlement to financial and other counter—disaster resources from State Government level. [Reference paragraphs: 232 to 233] |
REC037-4161 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | That separate counter—disaster systems be avoided by retaining counter—bushfire arrangements as part of the State’s total counter— disaster system. [Reference paragraph: 228] |
REC037-4168 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The provisions of the State Disasters Act, 1983, be extended to cover the proposed policy and organisational amendments. (Reference paragraph: 286] |
REC037-4160 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The current counter—bushfire concept be retained, with the proviso that it be kept under continuous review to ensure that all relevant future developments and techniques are effectively utilised. (Reference paragraphs: 88 to 90 and 257 to 259] |
REC037-4167 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | The definitions of command, control and co—ordination, as stated in the Australian Counter Disaster Handbook, be standardised throughout Victoria’s counter—disaster system. [Reference paragraphs: 106 to 111] |
REC037-4166 | 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform | In the future development of Victoria’s counter—disaster capability, effective utilisation and management of resources be regarded as a major objective. |