That, following a significant natural disaster such as the 2022 flood, the Inspector-General for Emergency Management conduct a review at an appropriate time to provide feedback for continuous improvement.

That the Victorian Government confirm the powers of the Inspector-General for Emergency Management to undertake reviews on a self-referral basis or, if such powers do not exist, to legislate to provide these powers.

That the Victorian Government consider all the evidence, findings and recommendations from this Report when developing a new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy.

That the new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy detail the coordination responsibility of the Victorian Government to ensure all flood studies for all local government areas are fully funded and completed.

That the Victorian Government make public the internal, de-identified after-action review conducted by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

That the Victorian Government clearly state the operational role and responsibilities of each emergency service in preparation for a flood emergency, outlining the appropriate chain of command, communication protocols, and engagement with the local community.

That the Victorian Government ensure regional catchment management authorities, with local councils, are funded and resourced to conduct and implement up to date flood studies on a regular basis.

That the Victorian Government require peer review of publicly funded flood modelling as part of the next Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy.

That Melbourne Water and other floodplain management authorities review flood models every five years and update the models at least every 10 years and after the occurrence of a major flood.

That the Victorian Government provide Victorians with access to appropriate data contained within the FloodZoom platform

That the Victorian Government introduce amendments to the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic) to require vendor disclosure statements to include a simple statement on flood risk. In addition, houses or dwellings previously flooded must be included in any vendor declaration statement.

That Emergency Management Victoria work with local government authorities and local State Emergency Service units to provide access to local flood guides to all residents in a flood zone, that identify the likely flood impacts on individual properties.

That the Victorian Government improve individual and community awareness about their own roles and responsibilities in emergency management, and make available information resources for preparing for flood and other emergencies.

That the Victorian Government require the emergency management sector to ensure that the needs of vulnerable communities including people with disability are included in all disaster preparation and response plans and ensure that sufficient funding is available to make all disaster emergency responses inclusive for people with disability.

That the Victorian Government provide flood risk and planning information in a way that is appropriately accessible to people with additional needs, including people with disability.

That the Victorian Government ensure early warning systems include consideration of a voluntary register of people in need of additional support to receive early warning and support during natural disasters.

That the Victorian Government fast-track the implementation of flood studies into planning schemes. This should be done cooperatively with local councils and relevant stakeholders, group together flood studies into regional amendments, and use the Minister for Planning’s powers as required, within two years of completion.

That the Victorian Government introduce amendments to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic) and Victoria Planning Provisions so that planning and other authorities must address climate change at all levels of the planning process.

That the Victorian Government work with floodplain management authorities and climate scientists to understand how flood modelling can be used to better predict the impact of climate change on flooding and update its flood management policies in line with this understanding.

That regional local councils work closely with their regional catchment management authorities to better understand, manage, and mitigate the risk of building on floodplains in regional Victoria.

That Victoria’s strategic land use planning limit inappropriate new housing and business developments inside 1% AEP floodplains.

That the Victorian Government support residents within 1% AEP floodplains, including with funded programs, to manage the risk facing their existing properties and make their properties more flood resilient.

That the Victorian Government fund a resilient homes program to raise or retrofit residential properties at risk of flood inundation, and which prioritises homeowners affected by the 2022 flood event.

That the Victorian Government require planning authorities, floodplain management authorities and other relevant actors to take account of the change in land use and especially projected changes to land use when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the land subject to inundation overlay.

As part of the development of the new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy, that the Victorian Government review the operation of the last Strategy, in consultation with local councils, community representatives, expert advisory groups and other relevant stakeholders

That the Victorian Government’s review of the last Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy (and development of the new Strategy) examine levee funding and management arrangements to determine if they are still fit for purpose based on new information and insights from the October 2022 flood event.

That the Victorian Government fund floodplain managers to develop maps modelling scenarios demonstrating the impact on landholders of specified levee breeches.

That the Victorian Government review the Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy to examine issues around rural levee management. This should include the roles and responsibilities of local councils and private landowners and consider the adequacy of taxpayer support for maintaining these systems.

That the Victorian Government fund the pilot of a ring levee development program in Northern Victoria to protect house and curtilage in flood-prone areas.

That the Victorian Government ensure that future flood mitigation efforts include updated and rigorous hydraulic modelling before implementation, ensuring the effectiveness of compensatory measures. Additionally, these strategies should undergo independent peer review to validate their expected performance.

That the Victorian Government ensure that major flood mitigation measures be assessed and reviewed to ensure they perform as intended.

That the efficacy and impact of the Flemington Racecourse flood wall be considered as part of Melbourne Water’s review of mitigation in the Maribyrnong River catchment announced following the updated flood modelling.

That the Victorian Government further investigate options for increasing outlet capacity at Lake Eppalock. This investigation should involve:
- conducting a cost-benefit analysis to evaluate financial feasibility
- extensive stakeholder engagement to gather input from affected parties and communities
- examination of environmental effects
- environmental risk assessments to understand potential impacts on local ecosystems, wildlife and water quality
- reviewing water-sharing arrangements to ensure: –appropriate adjustments to maintain equitable water distribution and –compliance with legal and regulatory requirements.

That the Victorian Government ensure that, for future events that are expected to replicate high storage and high rainfall conditions, new temporary operating rules for water storage and release are developed. These new rules must take account of the interest of those who are affected by Eildon and Eppalock’s storages including downstream landholders and water entitlement holders.

That the Victorian Government ensure that the state’s existing culvert infrastructure in high-risk flood areas is fit for purpose, and that the Government also consult with local councils and other relevant stakeholders and prioritise betterment in any upgrade works deemed necessary.

That the Victorian Government audit transport links in and out of disaster-prone areas.

That the Victorian Government clarify responsibility for flood mitigation infrastructure, with clear accountability and transparency for who is responsible for each asset.

That the Victorian Government work with the Commonwealth Government to ensure the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements are not unduly burdensome.

That the Victorian Government prioritise investment in betterment projects to improve the resilience of mitigation infrastructure, and in doing so work with the Commonwealth Government to achieve this goal.

That the Victorian Government adapt policies and funding models to prioritise betterment initiatives, including ensuring that financial resources are allocated effectively to meet long-term needs of at-risk communities, and in doing so work with the Commonwealth Government to achieve this goal.

The transfer of ownership and responsibility for public gauges to the Bureau of Meteorology should be completed as a priority, and the Victorian Government should request the Commonwealth Government provide a public update by the end of 2024 on these transfer timelines.

That the Victorian Government identify and fill critical gaps in the state’s gauge network. New gauges should be installed in priority locations as soon as possible, and existing gauges should be upgraded with telemetry services. Information from flood gauges and telemetry services should be easily accessible by the public.

That the Victorian Government use the experience of warnings transmitted during the 2022 flood event to identify and adopt best practice for community warning frequency.

That the Victorian Government improve the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of the VicEmergency service during an emergency. In doing so, the Government should actively seek input from non-government and government stakeholders to ensure that the service can meet the diverse needs of different communities during a crisis.

That the Victorian Government improve the flood warning system so that warnings are:
- accurate with the most up-to-date information
- delivered in a timely way
- clear and easily understood
- consistently disseminated across different communities
- accessible in relevant formats and languages, where appropriate.

That the Victorian Government ensure the emergency warning system is inclusive and able to be used by all Victorians, and should:
- include real-time translation of warnings into multiple languages during a crisis event
- deliver information in easier to understand ways which meet the needs of people with a disability.

Given the essential role of digital connectivity in emergency management and response, that the Victorian Government, working with the Commonwealth Government as necessary, address connectivity limitations, focusing on rural and remote areas. Potential options to consider are the need for:
- enhanced infrastructure investment
- geographically based coverage
- rapid deployment of temporary satellite vans.

That the Victorian Government establish long-term community awareness initiatives to ensure the public understand flood risk and actions. Successful bushfire awareness campaigns could be used as a basis for such initiatives.

That the Victorian Government increase funding for training of volunteers to boost the capacity of State Emergency Service units and Shepparton and Echuca and Moama Search and Rescue squads to respond during emergencies.

To improve the management and distribution of sandbags during a flood event, that the Victorian Government:
- ensure that there is sufficient supply quantity of sandbags available for preparation for floods in a wet year.
- assess the benefits of a coordinated sandbag management system in Victoria. This system could include capacity for scalable sandbagging stations and address resource gaps in high-risk flood areas.
- ensure that emergency management plans are regularly updated to reflect current resource and logistical capabilities.
- explore options for supplementing reliance on sandbags with innovative new products such as floodgates or water inflated barriers.

That the Victorian Government develop a strategic rescue plan in areas at high risk of flooding, so that they have appropriate resources and expertise for rescues during a crisis event. This plan should include consideration of procurement, expansion of reserve caches and processes for rapid deployment of resources.

That the Victorian Government, in collaboration with the Victoria State Emergency Service, review its approach to evacuation warnings to identify opportunities for improvement and increased community responsiveness.

That the Victorian Government and the Victoria State Emergency Service work with:
a. New South Wales to finalise the MOU that has been initiated, and to make it publicly available
b. South Australian counterparts to initiate and establish a MOU or other mechanisms for cross-border cooperation in relation to shared emergency events, and to make this publicly available.

That the Victoria State Emergency Service undertake a strategic review of its resources, leadership and personnel allocation. This review should focus on enhancing communication systems, ensuring adequate availability of essential resources like rescue equipment, and implementing robust volunteer recruitment processes, support and training programs.

That the Victorian Government increase funding and support for the Victoria State Emergency Service to enable a comprehensive upgrade of emergency communication technologies, ensure a steady supply of critical response resources, and expand volunteer recruitment and retention programs, thereby bolstering the agency’s capability to manage and respond to emergencies effectively.

That the Victorian Government ensure that incident control centres include a mechanism for local expertise to be included in their operations and help inform processes to assist managing localised warnings and response.

That the Victorian Government increase funding to Shepparton and Echuca and Moama Search and Rescue squads to ensure optimal response capabilities in future emergencies.

That the Victorian Government, working with local councils, establish statewide operating guidelines for Emergency Relief Centres. These guidelines should include protocols on rapid activation, streamlined communication and resource mobilisation. Local councils should remain empowered to tailor protocols to meet local needs.

In line with Recommendation 58, that the Victorian Government, working with local councils, investigate options for emergency funding arrangements to assist operating Emergency Relief Centres and include these arrangements in statewide operating guidelines.

That the Victorian Government plan and resource recovery hubs (including online access) sufficiently to fulfil their role in long-term community recovery and resilience building.

That the Victorian Government simplify the application process for disaster recovery funding. This could include reducing paperwork, providing hands-on assistance and investigating technology to streamline processes.

That the Victorian Government evaluate the criteria and funding arrangements for financial assistance post-disaster with a view to:
a. better aligning support with costs of recovery
b. proposing options for quickly deploying support mechanisms according to the scale and complexity of the event.

That the Victorian Government review its framework for providing housing support following an environmental disaster. In particular, the Government should assess the application system to ensure that genuinely affected households are provided support in a timelier manner and to mitigate the risk of fraudulent claims.

That the Victorian Government recognise caravan parks as essential businesses in disaster-prone areas as providers of housing and emergency support and ensure support is available (including grants) under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to caravan park operators, including those operating on Crown Land.

That the Victorian Government, noting that repair of natural environment is often overlooked in disaster recovery, assess and make funding available for natural environment and restoration.

To assist with ongoing clean-up of flood-affected areas following disasters, that the Victorian Government establish a dedicated financial support program for local businesses involved in debris removal and restoration efforts. This should include reimbursement mechanisms for businesses, such as earthmoving companies, that contributed equipment and personnel to the clean-up but suffered significant financial losses doing so.

That the Victorian Government pay its bills on time, especially following natural disasters.

That the Victorian Government work to support better collaboration between local communities, contractors, and government agencies, ensuring swift deployment of additional human resources for efficient post-disaster clean-up efforts.

That the Victorian Government collaborate with local authorities and community groups to develop and implement a debris management strategy and ensure that it aligns with broader disaster management plans as part of future-proofing for environmental events.

That the Victorian Government develop community-based initiatives and resource-sharing mechanisms, fostering resilience and solidarity among towns facing challenges from environmental disasters. These should ensure timely and effective responses to future crises, leveraging collective strength and kindness to aid in the recovery process.

That the Victorian Government provide long-term funding contracts for mental health services in flood-affected regions, with a focus to securing dedicated mental health professionals and effective service delivery in communities impacted by natural disasters.

That following the outcomes of the House of Representatives’ Inquiry into insurers’ responses to 2022 major floods claims, the Victorian Government advocate to the Commonwealth Government that it take action to ensure that residents and businesses in flood-affected areas can obtain and maintain necessary insurance.

That the Victorian Government’s response to this Inquiry identifies the responsible authorities for each recommendation and provides a timeframe for action and reports back to Parliament on progress made implementing the recommendations.

Melbourne Water should review their flood models every five years and update them at least every 10 years and after the occurrence of a major flood.

Melbourne Water needs to ensure that rainfall runoff and flood models are calibrated to observed flood information.

Melbourne Water should ensure that their rating curves, which represent the relationships between river levels and corresponding river flows, extend also to rare and extreme flood events and have been derived using established bestpractice.

Melbourne Water should take account of the best estimates of the impact of climate change when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay.

Melbourne Water should adopt forecasting tools which enable forecasts to be made within a total of no more than 60 minutes.

Melbourne Water should use the hydraulic model being developed (expected to become available in April 2024) to determine (and be subjected to independent peer review) the impact of the Flemington Floodwall and the efficacy of the associated downstream compensatory works.

Melbourne Water should commission an independent expert review and audit of their forecasting system with the aim of identifying areas where forecast accuracy, warning times and model run times could be improved.

Melbourne Water should take account of the change in land use and projected changes to land use when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay.

Melbourne Water should immediately update the Mid Maribyrnong flood model with a modern two dimensional flood model developed in accordance with Melbourne Water guidelines and use this model to set new design flood levels.

Melbourne Water should have a protocol that enables flood forecasting at intervals at less than two hours when prudent to do so by reason of the responsiveness of the catchment for significant events.

Melbourne Water should consult with the Bureau of Meteorology to develop rainfall forecasts more frequently than six hours.

Melbourne Water should seek the approval of the Minister for Planning to apply interim planning controls designating the Land Subject to Inundation Overlay in locations where flooding occurred, pending the update to the Mid Maribyrnong flood model.

Melbourne Water should investigate how it came to be satisfied with the reduction of the flood levels and finished floor levels at the Rivervue Retirement Village as specified in the endorsed plans dated 2 June 2009.

Melbourne Water should investigate the feasibility of installing one way valves on the outlets from the street and yard drainage from Evergreen Avenue (Rivervue Retirement Village).

Melbourne Water should investigate long term sustainable flood mitigation options for the Maribyrnong River.

The Department of Justice should review the current model for rapid impact assessment to improve the quality of the information collected.

Local Government Victoria should lead the design and implementation of strategies to support councils to further develop social capital needed for recovery.

The Department of Human Services should develop an improved model for communication for future disasters that provides a single point of information and contact for disaster affected communities

The Department of Premier and Cabinet should develop clear guidelines for departments in designing community disaster relief and recovery programs.

Rural Finance Corporation (Department of Treasury and Finance) and Regional Development Victoria should coordinate any future disaster relief and recovery programs for businesses.

Regional Development Victoria should implement the recommendations from the Department of Planning and Community Development's review of the Community Recovery Fund to improve the delivery of relief and recovery programs in the future.

The Department of Premier and Cabinet should lead: x the development of an evaluation framework, based on work undertaken to date by the Department of Human Services, to be used in assessing the impact of relief and recovery programs in the recent floods and in future disaster events x an evaluation of the impact of relief and recovery programs in the recent floods, using this framework.

A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy is needed and should clearly articulate the principles, roles and responsibilities for the ownership, management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees. Neither land tenure nor prior government involvement will dictate ownership of public levees:
• the beneficiary pays principle will determine ownership and management;
• outside Melbourne, the ownership of, and responsibility for, the management and ongoing maintenance of all urban levees, including modern urban levees created under formal schemes, is assigned to local councils;
• in all other non‐metropolitan areas, CMAs are confirmed as the responsible authority for the management and ongoing maintenance of priority rural levee systems, where such levees, (a) have clearly identified beneficiaries who are willing to fund ongoing maintenance, and (b) are located, at least in part, on public land;
• in situations where there is a clear benefit and the majority of stakeholders are in agreement, consideration should be given to a special charge scheme, as determined by the Water Act 1989 (section 196); and
• privately built rural levees on private land remain owned and managed by the landholder.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should provide a strategic framework for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees. The Victoria Flood Management Strategy will provide criteria for a consistent statewide approach to the prioritisation of the state’s levees for future management and investment:
• as part of their revised Regional Flood Strategies, CMAs will identify and prioritise levees within their catchments;
• that the Statements of Obligations for CMAs under the Water Act 1989 be amended to reflect these assigned roles and responsibilities; and
• prioritisation will be underpinned by the beneficiary pays principle.

All priority public levees not currently the subject of approved schemes, will become subject to approved schemes under Division 5, Part 10 of the Water Act 1989. Such schemes will articulate an agreed set of terms, including:
• the public authority with ownership and management responsibilities for the levee;
• the beneficiaries of the levee;
• clear standards and expectations for the levee’s performance and its maintenance;
• where appropriate, a rationale for the rating of beneficiaries for ongoing maintenance; and
• all ad hoc township levees deemed to be permanent priority levees must be brought under an approved scheme.

Where a levee has been identified as low priority, and beneficiaries are not willing to contribute to its maintenance, public authorities will inform levee beneficiaries that they will not fund the repair of their levee following a flood event.

Responsible authorities will identify low priority levees for potential removal, and have them removed when funding becomes available.

Streamlined processes to enable access to levees for the purposes of conducting works, including maintenance, must be implemented. Where a levee is managed by a public authority as part of a formal scheme, and is sited on either private land, or on a mixture of public and private land, access to private land for works will be negotiated as part of any scheme agreement. Where a levee is sited on public land, but is not managed by a public authority, local beneficiaries willing to conduct maintenance will be given access to do so, provided:
• the public land manager and beneficiaries reach agreement on types of access and upgrading or maintenance works to be performed, and the limits to such access; and
• the land manager consults with the floodplain manager to ensure reasonable standards are adhered to – modification of the levee will require a permit.
If required, legislation, such as the National Parks Act 1975, be amended to allow access to public lands by local landholders.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for conducting works on levees for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy, in order for maintenance on all levees to occur more quickly. The guidelines will outline circumstances in which exemptions from current approval processes are appropriate. Councils will be permitted to obtain exemptions within their planning schemes for:
• the construction of appropriately designed rural ring levees around private assets;
• maintenance works on existing levee banks that do not exceed the original height of the levee, or alter the footprint of the levee; and
• where exemptions are granted, councils will ensure that an inspection regime remains to ensure new levees do not adversely impact others, and are not raised above their original height. The state government to also consider changing the referral role of CMAs under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, to that of an advisory role.

The funding model for works on levees and their ongoing maintenance be revised, to be primarily based on the beneficiary pays principle. The state government should give consideration to wholly funding, or contributing to, the initial upgrade of high priority levees to an agreed standard. The construction of any new public levees will be the subject of a cost‐benefit analysis to be undertaken by DSE and the public authority, and be supported by a floodplain management study. Levees deemed low priority will be wholly the responsibility of the beneficiaries.

A regular inspection and maintenance regime will be undertaken for all high priority levees managed by a public authority. All such levees will be inspected by the relevant public authority on an annual basis, and after a flood event. All levees will have a regular maintenance schedule.

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment continue to invest in the auditing of Victoria’s levee systems, both public and private, so that the Victoria Flood Database contains reliable and up to date data, including information on levees’ location, height, condition and ongoing viability for flood protection.

The current technical guidelines for the construction of levee systems will be reviewed. A revised Levee Design, Construction and Maintenance technical guidelines will include guidelines for the construction of both priority public levees, and private levees on private land, such as ring levees, which protect key assets. These guidelines will be made available to all rural councils, who will make landowners constructing new levees on their property aware of the principles and specifications contained in the guidelines and encourage construction based on them.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment to review ownership of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water’s Yarriambiack Creek levee, with a view to the appointment of a more suitable public managing authority/authorities.

In consultation with local communities, local councils will develop flood response plans as subplans to their current Municipal Emergency Management Plans. As part of the flood risk assessment process, these plans will be informed by the best available flood mapping and modelling, and will identify agreed activities to be undertaken during floods including, where appropriate, the construction of temporary levees. The condition of levees will be incorporated into such plans to enable improved emergency response.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for the management of levees in emergencies, during and after a flood event, which can be incorporated into local flood response plans. The department will also provide, as part of these guidelines, a set of criteria for assessing the ongoing viability of ad hoc levees post‐flood. The Emergency Management Act 1986 will be amended to support the implementation of these guidelines. A more effective means for councils to remove illegal levees will also be examined by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Where flood investigations show positive and cost effective outcomes, infrastructure providers, such as VicRoads, will consider enhancing their infrastructure to act as levees. Any development of this nature will require collaboration with, and the approval of, the relevant floodplain authorities.

The state government will work with Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and stakeholders to determine ongoing ownership and associated responsibilities for redundant channel infrastructure in the Wimmera and the Mallee.

The Victorian Government should work with the New South Wales Government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to establish an appropriate floodplain management committee and to develop a floodplain management strategy for the Murray River. The strategy will define priority regions for the development of floodplain management plans, address ways of improving the management of all levees on the Murray River, and seek agreement in relation to improved approvals processes, levee heights and maintenance regimes.

The Victorian Government to implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the development and implementation of appropriate flood mitigation and protection strategies for essential services.

When developing flood mitigation options in lowland areas, local governments should give consideration to the use of temporary levees as an alternative or addition to permanent structures. To maximise the use of these structures and limit flood damage, and aid affordability, consideration should be given by local governments to the sharing of temporary levees among different townships and different council areas.

A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should identify and assign roles and responsibilities for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and flood mitigation:
• CMAs are confirmed as the responsible authority for the management and ongoing maintenance of waterways, including vegetation management, for the purposes of flood protection; and
• CMAs will negotiate with landholders, councils and other authorities, and conduct agreed flood mitigation works on the basis of beneficiary pays.

The role of flood risk management planning rests with CMAs and Melbourne Water (under the Water Act 1989), and is a shared responsibility with local government. Shared responsibilities for flood risk management planning and implementation will be consistently reflected in government policy.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly articulate the policy guidelines for the management of vegetation and debris in Victorian waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and mitigation, taking into account the localised potential flooding effects of in‐stream vegetation in townships.
To that end:
• the Victoria Flood Management Strategy will provide flood risk criteria for identifying specific reaches of rivers and streams that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance, and to be subject to a revised permitting system;
• in their Regional Flood Strategies, CMAs will identify specific reaches of rivers and streams in their catchments, that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance, and to be subject to a revised permitting system;
• each CMA will develop an In‐stream Management Policy to clarify responsibilities for the management of all waterways, including vegetation management. This will clearly articulate the circumstances under which the CMA will approve the removal of vegetation. This policy to be reviewed every three years; and
• where appropriate CMAs will develop agreements with local regional councils.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment should develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for works on waterways for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy. An exemption process will be introduced, with particular application to identified reaches of rivers and streams that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance:
• that government will amend the Victorian Planning Provisions to create a new exemption for native vegetation removal under clause 52.17, for the purpose of ‘flood protection’; and
• Catchment management authorities will amend their respective ‘Works on Waterways’ bylaws to reflect these changes.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop a code of practice on the removal of vegetation around critical public assets, in consultation with councils, CMAs and asset managers. Regional Flood Strategies will support this code of practice as part of shared flood risk management planning.

Significant modification of waterways in urban or rural areas will only be considered after the completion of a flood risk management process, undertaken in consultation with members of the community.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly identify authorities and assign responsibilities for stream blockage and debris removal in waterways posing a high risk to public infrastructure both during and after a flood:
• in the aftermath of a flood event, CMAs, in liaison with local councils, will manage debris posing a high risk to public infrastructure;
• the In‐stream Management Policy of CMAs will guide the post‐flood management of debris affecting the assets of private owner beneficiaries;
• DSE will review the woody debris removal practices of CMAs and develop new management guidelines; and
• engagement with stakeholders, including councils and landholders will take place prior to any large scale removal of woody weeds, such as willows, is undertaken by CMAs.

Local knowledge on the management and ongoing maintenance of waterways, including vegetation clearing and debris removal, needs to be incorporated in the development of regional flood mitigation strategies and local flood plans. Specifically:
• the process of flood risk assessment must include community consultation, and these views will inform development of both floodplain management studies, and floodplain implementation plans;
• in the absence of a formal planning process, councils and authorities undertaking significant ad hoc works on waterways for flood mitigation and protection must involve the local community; and
• the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy and Victorian River Health Strategy will clearly articulate this process.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop clear policy for the coordinated management of rural drainage, clarifying the legal framework, and identifying authorities with responsibility for the management and ongoing maintenance of formal schemes, and their development:
• where appropriate, an expedited approvals process for works be applied in line with recommendation 5.4; and
• a central component of policy will be the principle of beneficiary pays.

Within the jurisdiction of Melbourne Water, it shares with local councils the responsibility to manage local drainage systems as outlined under the Water Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 1989 respectively:
• Melbourne Water, in conjunction with metropolitan councils, will undertake an audit of drainage infrastructure to identify drains that are not currently managed by a public authority; and
• following this audit Melbourne Water will work with relevant councils to develop best practice models for the management of the drainage asset.

Flood studies will be undertaken to determine the flood extent on the basis of a greater than 1 in 100 ARI, where appropriate:
• The Water Act 1989 to be amended.

The state government give consideration to enacting legislation to provide protection from legal liability for public authorities conducting works on priority levees in good faith, acting reasonably and responsibly in the public interest, and in accordance with standards agreed to under approved schemes. Public authorities should not be excluded from liability if they have acted negligently.

That statements of obligations, issued under the Water Industry Act 1994 for water authorities, be amended to include a provision whereby managing authorities must:
• make available to the public information designed to inform and educate local communities, particularly those communities living downstream of water storages ‐ this information will relate to dam operations, the rules governing those operations, and the capacity, or lack thereof, of storage infrastructure to provide protection in the event of major flooding; and
• ensure this information forms part of an ongoing program of interaction with local communities, to be conducted at a minimum of every two years, and providing community members with the opportunity to raise questions, discuss issues, and be informed on current dam operations.

The state government accept recommendations 25 to 28, inclusive, of the Victorian Floods Review.

The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 8, to review the flood gauging network. As part of the review, consideration should also be given to the use of portable telemetered river gauges, and to the replacement of manual gauges with telemetered gauges over time and where appropriate.

The state government establish a well coordinated and formalised system for the reading of river gauges by local people, including flood wardens. Furthermore, the knowledge of local people in predicting flood heights and impacts should be considered by emergency management agencies when predicting floods.

The state government review the current funding approach used for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of river gauges, with a view to improving the river gauge network.

The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 10 in relation to the datums used to describe river and stream heights.

Public authorities such as councils and CMAs should continue to seek local knowledge in relation to flood management issues. In particular, councils will collaborate with VICSES and other key stakeholders in reviewing the system of flood wardens. Roles and responsibilities of flood wardens, and the process for their recruitment, should be formalised and clearly articulated in relevant flood management plans.

The state government should provide core, ongoing funding to the responsible authority for the FloodSafe community education program. Funding should be provided for education about prevention, response and recovery phases and include information on rates notices about the height of particular floods.

The state government should implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the creation of resilience committees and resilience plans, with responsible authorities.

Management of community expectations: better understanding of what different groups within a community expect.

Management of community expectations: continued community education.

Management of community expectations: further development of tools that would allow the community to more easily
access accurate and time-critical information.

Agency incident management preparedness: provide clarity and certainty in specific roles and responsibilities for each agency.

Agency incident management preparedness: refining IT tools to process the intelligence.

Agency incident management preparedness: a more comprehensive approach to planning, including the number of personnel, their training and better use of on-the-ground intelligence in the affected areas that enables immediate and strategic decision-making to be concurrent processes.

Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: developing tools and workflows to quickly and reliably transform technical data into intelligence that can be used to construct messages for community information that are timely, relevant, tailored and effective.

Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: streamlining the authorisation processes for urgent warnings.

Efficient and effective supporting tools and processes: high-quality local/municipal planning.

The state take the necessary measures to clarify roles, responsibilities and cost-sharing arrangements for flood warning systems, including tasking state and regional bodies to be responsible for the flood warning system. This will require engaging with the commonwealth to amend the 2001 arrangements, updating the 1998 floodplain management strategy accordingly and continuing to support commonwealth initiatives designed to improve flood mapping standards and associated issues.

the state task the Emergency Services Commissioner with the responsibility to establish an effective audit regime of the total flood warning system.

the state develop a flood warning system for each basin and location with community input and make relevant documents publicly available. Each warning system should include key performance indicators.

the state and commonwealth undertake a review into the appropriate institutional arrangements for the forecasting and predictions function currently undertaken by Melbourne Water for the Port Phillip and Westernport region.

the state engage with the Bureau of Meteorology to establish a joint initiative to review existing flash flood warning systems in Victoria and identify where additional systems are needed, with a particular focus on urban centres with a history of flash flooding. This review should seek to achieve outcomes similar to those implemented in NSW. Subject to those outcomes being implemented, the state should determine which agency is responsible for flash flood warnings.

the state and the Bureau of Meteorology liaise to ensure the existence of appropriate quality control processes for gauges and contingency measures in the event that gauges are damaged during flood events.

the state expand the Regional Water Monitoring Partnerships model to include all flood warning gauges.

the state: • undertake a strategic review to identify areas at risk from flash or riverine flooding. Shortcomings in the flood gauging networks identified in the review should then be the focus of remedial action • seek to address as a priority any notable gaps in the total flood warning system as apparent in the 2010–11 floods (including south west Victoria, Wimmera and north central region) by enhancing mapping, gauging and education programs; and • seek a commitment from the Bureau of Meteorology to ensure any new gauges installed are utilised to enhance flood prediction capability and coverage.

the state, in consultation with Bureau of Meteorology and Melbourne Water, take the necessary action to ensure that all flood warnings issued are linked to the geographical location of the gauge the data was derived from.

the Bureau of Meteorology should present water levels in both local datum and Australian Height Datum (gauge zero) for all its published information and warnings

the state take the necessary measures to upgrade existing manual stream and rain gauges and ensure that all future gauges provide a seamless transfer of data from the gauges to the Bureau of Meteorology.

the Bureau of Meteorology undertake a review of its radar coverage in the context of flash and riverine flood warnings for Victoria, with a particular focus on known gap areas such as the Horsham/Nhill region.

the Bureau of Meteorology adjust its flood prediction models to incorporate water storage conditions (to enable it to issue more timely and useful flood predictions for communities based downstream of water storages).

the state clarify the role of intelligence cell staff (for example, hydrologists and/or Catchment Management Authority) who are utilised in Incident Control Centres during flood events

the state ensure that all personnel who, because of their particular flood expertise, are likely to be potential participants in an Incident Control Centre are familiar with the requirements of the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System structure

the state ensure that all personnel who are likely to become involved in incident management teams for floods receive basic flood awareness training prior to such involvement.

the state establish appropriate arrangements to ensure the capacity to maintain technical expertise for flood intelligence is initiated, including appropriate agreements with commercial experts.

the state ensure that regional and local flood plans incorporate all available flood mapping and intelligence, including assessments of levees and flood consequence information.

the state develop an efficient process to ensure that, during flood events, temporary construction of flood mitigation works, such as levees, is controlled so as not to unacceptably impact on flood intelligence.

the Bureau of Meteorology provide Incident Control Centres with real-time access to flood data held by the Bureau of Meteorology. This will require Bureau of Meteorology staff making themselves available to respond to enquiries from Incident Control Centres during a flood event.

the state establish standards for flood mapping to ensure they are kept contemporary and meet the purposes of landuse risk planning and emergency response. In doing so, maps should extend where appropriate to include Probable Maximum Flood, over a range of Annual Exceedence Probability levels and be explicitly linked to a stream gauge.

the state take the necessary measures to require that local knowledge is considered in flood risk planning, including verification of flood maps and flood response plans.

the state establish a process for volunteer community member accreditation to allow volunteers to provide flood information to the control agency during a flood event. This process should establish a base competency standard and provide appropriate emergency management and Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System training to accredited community volunteers.

the Bureau of Meteorology expand its volunteer amateur weather watch groups to enhance its weather and flood information gathering procedures.

the state require dam owners and operators to review storage operating manuals to incorporate lessons from the 2010–11 floods and make this information publicly available. The manuals should include a clear policy on dam surcharging and pre-release.

the state require that dam owners and operators inform the control agency and the Bureau of Meteorology about the management and operation of dams and weirs consistent with the flood warning requirements of the relevant river systems, including providing telemetry at sites as necessary. This may require the state proactively liaising with other states to ensure equivalent obligations are placed on interstate dam operators where the dam may impact Victorian communities.

the state require that dam owners and operators inform people situated downstream of water storages if the owners/operators become aware of an immediate threat arising from the dam to the safety of those people. The owner/operators should provide this information as soon as the owner/operators become aware of the threat.

the state require dam owners and operators provide regular situational reports to the relevant control agency where dam issues may impact incident management.

the state clarify which agency is responsible for collecting post-flood extent and related data. This should include: • the development of guidelines to ensure consistent standards are applied to post-flood data collection; and • an appropriate process to ensure funding availability for such activities.

the state take into account any outcomes from the Commonwealth Government’s flood mapping reviews in the continual development of the Victorian flood database and to incorporate into the database flood data currently held by Melbourne Water.

the state undertake a community education program to inform households of their respective flood risk. This may include information on rate notices of heights of houses above flood level and educating people about flash flooding.

the state allocate core funding for the ongoing delivery of the ‘FloodSafe’ program to flood prone communities across Victoria.

the state develop and implement a single web portal as a means of providing emergency information to communities and local government on an ‘all hazards’ basis, including the information referred to in recommendations 74, 89 and 92.

the state develop and implement standards for Emergency Alert to ensure consistent use, training and application by accredited operators within agencies across ‘all hazards’.

the state require that agencies operate in compliance with the guidelines of the Victorian Warning Protocol to ensure efficacy of warning messages.

the state put in place appropriate measures to inform the community of the intended purpose of the Emergency Alert warning system.

the state develop a standard approach to the provision of emergency warnings and information in formats – spoken and written – that recognise diverse community needs, including language and disability

the state engage with local government to ensure emergency services’ public information and warnings reflect the community demographic.

the state investigate the ability to refine the Flood and Storm Information Line to enable it to receive as well as provide information.

the state review its Memoranda of Understanding with official emergency broadcasters to take account of increased usage of internet based information, including social media and the ability to broadcast community meetings

the state actively pursue the use of social media as part of its emergency warning and public information system.

the state undertake further trials to explore the opportunity for greater use of social media as a credible source of information to and from the public during an emergency

the state appoint a state emergency controller who is ultimately accountable for all major emergencies.

the state reconfigure the Victorian Emergency Management Council and the supportive committee arrangements to ensure a comprehensive, accountable, effective and integrated approach to the development of emergency management arrangements is in place for Victoria. The process should also include consideration of the Security and Emergencies Committee and Central Government Response Committee roles, functions, reporting arrangements and relationships with other state level emergency management groups. Settled arrangements must be clearly articulated to ensure stakeholder understanding.

the state, as a matter of urgency, develop a multi-agency Incident Control Team capability to be readily available for statewide deployment to establish incident control or to relieve functioning control structures.

the state develop and implement operational performance standards for each state agency involved in emergency management response and recovery and that: • each agency be assessed by the Emergency Services Commissioner periodically against these performance standards for both capability and capacity; and • where performance against these standards for either capability or capacity cannot be demonstrated by any agency – appropriate advice is communicated to the relevant Minister, departmental/agency head and State Emergency Response Coordinator; and – an action plan is developed and implemented to address the relevant capability or capacity deficiency in both the short and longer term.

the state commit to securing effective multi-agency interoperable communications as a high level priority and that all future communications projects and upgrades incorporate compliance provisions mandating interoperability requirements.

the state ensure that common and interoperable resource management systems are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible.

the state ensure that sector wide familiarity and understanding of the various systems for incident management is developed and maintained. Primarily, this should be achieved through multi-agency emergency management training and exercising involving usage of the various agency incident management systems.

the state ensure that interoperable information management practices are developed and implemented by emergency management agencies. Common systems should be utilised to the fullest extent possible.

the state ensure that appropriate record management processes are developed and implemented and that these processes also provide record accountability for multi-agency operations. Agency processes should be standardised to the fullest extent possible

the state ensure, as a matter of priority, that the State Control Centre is able to function as a fit for purpose, multi-agency emergency management centre. Necessary works to achieve this outcome should have an overarching focus on the implementation of common agency systems and processes to the fullest extent possible.

the state ensure that any new systems and equipment purchased by state emergency management agencies are interoperable with other relevant agencies to the fullest extent possible. This should involve the state establishing a procurement gateway process with input from the Emergency Services Commissioner.

Victoria Police revise coordinator arrangements to ensure: • a coordinator presence is maintained at the place where incident control is being exercised • effective control is established and is maintained until the response phase has concluded • key control roles may be performed by personnel from agencies other than the designated control agency • that the timely compilation and distribution of an appropriate Incident Action Plan is recognised as a fundamental component of establishing effective control • those performing the coordinator role at an Incident Control Centre be suitably trained, skilled and experienced in emergency management and where possible possess a degree of local knowledge of the relevant area; and • that the revised coordinator arrangements are reflected within the State Emergency Response Plan

the State Emergency Response Coordinator further develop the Strategic Emergency Management Assurance Team process by involving subject matter experts from relevant emergency management control agencies who are the subject of Strategic Emergency Management Assurance Team focus.

the state conduct an ‘all hazards’ needs analysis to determine requirements for level 3 Incident Control Centres with a focus on ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency capability. Following this analysis, the state take steps to ensure the availability of sufficient and functional level 3 Incident Control Centres across the state with an ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency capability

the state: • ensure an ‘all hazards, all agencies’ approach to Incident Action Plan compilation is developed and implemented to enable the timely issue of functional Incident Action Plans. All agency incident action planning processes should be standardised to the fullest extent possible, including consideration of a library of pro-forma Incident Action Plans; and • develop and implement mechanisms to test and ensure that agencies possess satisfactory incident action planning capability and capacity for ‘all hazards’ at all levels of operations.

the state: • revise the Emergency Management Team Practice Note to include a template to ensure an appropriate and consistent approach to Emergency Management Team operations • provide the revised Emergency Management Team Practice Note to all stakeholders to enable familiarisation; and • ensure that there is regular exercising of Emergency Management Teams with an `all hazards’ focus.

the state ensure: • a common, functional and accessible system be introduced to enable effective Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre and Incident Control Centre communications • a regime of regular Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre exercising is introduced with oversight by an appropriate independent body. Such exercising should include testing of systems utilised for Incident Control Centre and Municipal Emergency Coordination Centre communications • those required to perform Emergency Management Liaison Officer roles have undertaken appropriate training; and • resource requesting arrangements are clarified and documented so that control and coordination functions do not overlap.

the state undertake a complete review of emergency management legislation. This should include agencyspecific emergency management legislation and should focus on service interoperability and securing an ‘all hazards, all agencies’ capability

the state formalise and continue the Emergency Response Legal Advisers Forum.

the state ensure: • water rescue/swift water rescue definitions, roles and responsibilities are clarified and communicated to all stakeholders to ensure common understanding • appropriate training, equipment and support is provided to those required to perform water rescue/swift water rescue. Common training programs, standards and accreditation should be utilised wherever possible to increase potential for joined up operations and maximised capability • that based upon the experiences of these flood events, an appropriate level of water rescue capacity and capability is established and maintained • flood plans (all levels) and flood emergency response planning incorporate consideration of pre-positioning of appropriate water rescue capability in the event that such services should be required; and • that revised water rescue roles, responsibilities and arrangements are clearly defined in the Emergency Management Manual Victoria and such definitions are replicated in all individual agency planning and operational documents

the state introduce a joint emergency management leadership training program that will deliver critical core competencies for all levels of management of major emergencies. Future appointments to senior operational emergency management positions should require successful accreditation at the appropriate level.

the state: • ensure an appropriate regime of regular emergency management training and exercising is introduced. This must be ‘all hazards’ and multi-agency focused and include all relevant stakeholders • designate an accountable officer to hold ongoing responsibility for conducting such exercises; and • designate the Emergency Services Commissioner as holding ongoing responsibility for auditing and reviewing this training and exercising.

the state develop and implement a strategy that maximises the flexibility and united capacity of the Country Fire Authority and Victoria State Emergency Service to respond to emergencies.

the state undertake major reform of Victoria’s emergency management arrangements to bring about an effective ‘all hazards, all agencies’ approach, incorporating: • clarity of command and control in all emergencies • common operating platforms, including communications and information technology • interoperability between all agencies • regular joint training and exercising by all agencies • the development and implementation of performance standards for each emergency management agency • the development and maintenance of effective planning arrangements at all levels of emergency management • a meaningful monitoring and audit regime for designated standards and planning requirements; and • an effective accountability mechanism to support the maintenance of legislative and other agency obligations.

the Departments of Health and Human Services finalise the definition of ‘vulnerable person’ and the list of facility types where vulnerable people are located and ensure that the definition and associated policy(ies) are applicable across ‘all hazards’.

the state review and align all policies and procedures for evacuation, such as the interim evacuation guidelines and the State Health Emergency Response Plan, to ensure consistency and to clarify roles and responsibilities.

municipal councils undertake a risk assessment of caravan parks and decide if any should be included in the list of facilities where vulnerable people may be located.

the state update the current fire specific guidelines and resources for evacuation planning to take an ‘all hazards’ approach

the commonwealth consider including (as part of its review of standards for aged care services) requirements for: • robust ‘all hazards’ evacuation plans that include current after-hour contact details of people who are able to make authoritative decisions during an emergency; and • rehearsal of those plans.

the state and the commonwealth, during a flood event, make information available on providers who have capacity to accommodate patients and residents who require evacuation.

the state review the legislation and policies that set out clean-up and recovery responsibilities for infrastructure such as crossovers, culverts, drains, bridges and waterways, including consideration of: • whether the entities who are given obligations or powers to undertake clean-up works have the capacity to do so; and • the appropriateness of having different legal regimes for what is essentially the same piece of infrastructure. If the review reveals that the current responsibility matrix is inadequate, the state develop an action plan to address the identified shortcomings.

the state make available to the public a clear guide of who is responsible for: • clean-up and recovery of various types of infrastructure that straddle the public/private boundary; and • the policies agencies will follow in determining whether to repair infrastructure under their control.

the state, in respect of the Rapid Impact Assessment process: • resolve which agency/ies has policy and operational responsibility for this process • define the purpose of Rapid Impact Assessment; and • review the process, in light of the 2010–11 floods, to examine options to improve the efficiency of the collection of information.

the Department of Planning and Community Development review the volunteer register and examine additional options to support councils in volunteer management, including the development of tools and staffing support.

the Department of Planning and Community Development examine strategies to address and clarify insurance coverage of community volunteers in emergency events

the state review the potential for National Registration and Inquiry System 6 to provide a single point of information collection to both register individuals and plan the delivery of recovery services. If the review determines National Registration and Inquiry System 6 is unable to fulfil this function, the state should work with the commonwealth and other states to implement the necessary changes to National Registration and Inquiry System 6. If National Registration and Inquiry System 6 is unable to be developed as a single information collection system: the state should develop and implement a single point of information collection system, including how information obtained from outreach activities can be incorporated into this system and how such information may be linked into the Rapid Impact Assessment process.

the state amend the current protocol governing National Registration and Inquiry System information collection and sharing to: • clarify the role of councils and Centrelink during and after emergencies • ensure the amended protocol is written in plain English and easily understood; and • coordinate, in conjunction with the state and federal privacy commissioners, the development of a new National Registration and Inquiry System information sharing protocol in line with the proposed National Registration and Inquiry System 6 and state or federal privacy legislation.

the state review the way early outreach occurs and implement changes that will ensure that there is a consistency of approach regardless of which agency undertakes the service.

the state clarify the transition to recovery arrangements including the processes for approving and funding of essential works after transition to recovery has been formalised.

the state (consistent with recommendation 46) develop a model for determining the capability and capacity of departments and agencies with roles and responsibilities in large scale or protracted emergencies. The issues of capability and capacity should be addressed at all levels of emergency management planning.

the state task the Emergency Services Commissioner with the responsibility to develop and undertake the regular audit of emergency management plans at all levels.

the state ensure: • where external assistance is provided to Victoria during emergencies, communities are advised of the specific purpose of that assistance, through media and other information channels; and • all agencies provide incident management personnel with information regarding the arrangements for tasking Australian Defence Force resources and that this advice is reinforced during emergencies where Australian Defence Force support is provided.

the state: • assess current risk and risk mitigation strategies for essential services, with a focus on ensuring that risks are appropriately identified at all levels of emergency planning; and • ensure that the responsible authority or owner/ operator of essential services put in place appropriate strategies to mitigate any risk to service continuity

the state: • adopt a strategy to expedite incorporation of updated flood mapping or modelling into planning schemes • reconsider in what circumstances the ‘1 in 100 year event’ is the appropriate design event • actively support the Australian Building Code Board in its development of a new national standard for residential buildings in flood prone areas. Until such time as any new standard is incorporated into Victorian law, provide advice to householders about appropriate building materials for flood prone areas and ways that houses can be designed or adapted to mitigate flood risk; and • retain the ability of a Catchment Management Authority to require a council to refuse a planning permit or impose particular conditions when the Catchment Management Authority considers the flooding risk to be unacceptable.

the state, following the completion of the Municipal Association of Victoria Improving Emergency Management in Local Government program, work with municipalities to revise the role and responsibilities of local government in emergency management. The issue of capability and capacity of each local government should be addressed in all related emergency management arrangements.

the state develop and incorporate into emergency management planning regimes plans based on geographic risk, such as sub-regional plans

the Department of Human Services develop proactive strategies to provide information and assistance for people applying for emergency grants.

the state implement arrangements to improve the support provided to local government on disaster financing before, during and after emergency events.

the state finalise the 2008 review of Victoria’s municipal assistance. This should include addressing: • the provision of upfront funding for local councils for repair of community assets • packages for early relief and recovery to be included in both the Natural Disaster Funding Arrangements and the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, including outreach packages; and • the process of reimbursement of local councils after floods.

the state: • ensure that the concerns raised by Victorians regarding the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements are provided to the national review, including the issues of: – betterment (what it means and how it is applied); and – the 51 per cent income rule for eligibility of businesses for grants. • establish a single point of information (such as the single web portal referred to in recommendation 33) on all emergency related financial assistance available to individuals, businesses and local government. The means of accessing this information should be widely circulated in the community.

the state comprehensively pursue the objective of achieving (where possible) the priority outcomes of the National Strategy for Disaster Resilience and the imperative of shared responsibility, in particular by: • requiring that local knowledge is considered as a critical component of all phases of emergency management • involving local communities in the development and ownership of community resilience plans based on an ‘all hazards’ approach and tailored for the specific needs of each community • encouraging local communities to form resilience committees to develop and administer community resilience plans • nominating Victoria Police as the lead agency in initiating the strategy to develop community resilience committees; and • requiring emergency service agencies to consult and engage with local community resilience committees in the preparation, planning, response and recovery phases of emergency management.

That Melbourne Water and councils explore opportunities for working collaboratively to address the management of flooding risks with a view to optimising the efficient and effective use of their flood mitigation resources.

That Melbourne Water ensures stakeholder expectations are fully considered when setting flood risk reduction targets.

That Melbourne Water ensures that stakeholders (and especially local councils) are fully consulted before and during the development of drainage strategies and plans. These plans should consider councils’ drainage systems.

That councils develop flood risk management practices consistent with best practice risk management, and that these incorporate:
- specific flood risk management goals and objectives, which are supported by stakeholders and clearly linked to the councils’ wider strategies, plans and budgets
- a risk assessment and prioritisation process based on a sound knowledge of flood exposure
- an option assessment process with clear criteria that would include costs of treatment options, effectiveness (in mitigating flooding risks), and impacts on the conservation and environmental goals of stormwater management
- a long-term flood risk management plan to achieve the objectives of these practices
- an ongoing targeted community education program to raise awareness of flooding issues, ascertain community expectations and encourage behaviour that will limit flooding risks
- performance indicators that measure the effectiveness of flood risk management treatments in lowering flooding exposure, the results of which should be regularly reported to the community.

That all agencies develop drainage asset management plans, consistent with best practice, and that these incorporate:
- service levels and community expectations
- a demand management plan
- a condition assessment and monitoring program
- lifecycle costing principles
- a long-term financial plan

That councils plan for, and implement, formal consultation arrangements with stakeholders to set drainage goals and objectives, and desired service levels.

That agencies assess the cost-effectiveness of establishing a dedicated and proven asset management information system which is integrated with the other information systems used to manage drainage assets.

That agencies develop a detailed improvement plan and commit resources to its implementation.

That councils implement a condition assessment and monitoring program conforming to best practice principles.

That agencies integrate condition information into their asset management decision-making practices and use it as the basis for validating asset valuations and depreciation calculations.

That councils formulate, track and report on measures that show their performance in managing drainage assets.