Inquiry Search
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC323-4266 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government review the provision of temporary and long term housing options provided to those affected by the February-March 2022 floods, with a view to: • ensuring a range of options are identified and embedded within emergency and recovery plans, so that solutions can be implemented as soon as possible after a natural disaster • ensuring that housing options meet individual and community needs • removing planning impediments that prevent those from accessing more safe and secure housing in times of crisis. |
REC323-4267 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government consider investing in supporting relocations, land swaps and providing fair and adequate compensation for landowners who wish to relocate from severely flood-impacted areas. |
REC323-4256 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government work with relevant agencies and local landowners to find ways to improve the management of drainage channels including looking for recommendations to reduce red and green tape. |
REC323-4285 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government, in consultation with telecommunication providers and satellite communication providers, investigate ways to minimise the complete loss of telecommunication services in natural disasters, including: |
REC323-4257 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government work with local government, industry and sustainable planning experts, including the Government Architect, on policy initiatives in the New South Wales planning system that will help deliver more resilient and sustainable homes, buildings and places. |
REC323-4286 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government advocate through the National Cabinet for the Bureau of Meteorology to review its rain data infrastructure and flood modelling tools, to ensure forecasting locations, rain and flood gauges and other infrastructure are appropriately placed, maintained and updated. |
REC323-4258 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the NSW Government significantly increase its investment in flood mitigation and preparation, including its support of local governments to do the same, by: • increasing ongoing, long term funding and access to technical guidance and assistance for local councils • ensuring that land-use planning and development takes a risk-based approach. |
REC323-4263 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the NSW Government prioritise support for the full restoration of sewage treatment facilities on the Richmond River, for the benefit of communities in the Northern Rivers region. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC316-4040 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The PICC be exercised in conjunction with any and all Emergency Plan exercises to test and refine strengthened arrangements. |
REC316-4028 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Any changes to the ECC structure and role be exercised both within ESA and across a WHoG exercise and testing program. |
REC316-4037 | 17 - Assets and technology | Consideration be given to developing alternate website contingency in the event of a critical failure and an assurance review across all community facing Government websites. |
REC316-4023 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | An opportunity to exercise and test the formation and functioning of a Management Executive through desktop and/or limited scenario-based exercises be provided. |
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. |
REC316-4019 | 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. |
REC316-4032 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | Concurrent and/or non–standard emergencies such as energy supply impacts be included in future exercise programs. |
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. |
REC316-4030 | 17 - Assets and technology | Continue to explore options in the short term to improve the functionality and relationship with NSW RFS ‘Fires Near Me’ with respect to ACT specific information before the 2020-21 bushfire season. |
REC316-4043 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | NDIA be engaged in regard to information sharing in emergencies as part of the above actions. |
REC316-4029 | 17 - Assets and technology | ACT Government continues to develop the concept for an ACT specific emergency app whilst also using national coordination mechanisms to support an affordable nationally standard all-hazards mobile app. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC315-3816 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government re-commit to the current, regionally based approach to planning and coordinating hazard reduction activities across all tenures through Bush Fire Management Committees but ensure that it is actually being implemented at a high-level of quality across NSW. Getting it to a high-level of quality requires: |
REC315-3845 | 26 - Research | That Government commission further research on the potential risks and benefits of backburning during severe, extreme and catastrophic conditions and/or in particular terrain, and that the NSW RFS use this research to inform future backburning protocols and training. |
REC315-3824 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That Government commit to shifting to a strategic approach to planning for bush fire, and develop a new NSW Bush Fire Policy similar to the NSW Flood Prone Land Policy in order to accommodate changing climate conditions and the increasing likelihood of catastrophic bush fire conditions; to build greater resilience into both existing and future communities; and to decrease costs associated with recovery and rebuilding. |
REC315-3856 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to improve response times to Triple Zero calls, the NSW RFS implements the integrated dispatch system before the 2020-21 fire season commences. |
REC315-3800 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Government, along with other Australian governments, ask AFAC to establish a national bush fire database. This database would enable: |
REC315-3830 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That as a matter of urgency, in order to accelerate and finalise a State-wide strategic fire trail network, the NSW RFS Commissioner and Bush Fire Coordinating Committee (BFCC): |
REC315-3815 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to equip NSW RFS with comprehensive information on all structures and assets at risk of bush fire, Government ensures that: |
REC315-3843 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve early fire suppression, the NSW RFS trial initial aerial dispatch in areas of high bush fire risk. The trial should identify the most appropriate and cost-effective mix of aircraft, and any associated infrastructure improvements that would be required. |
REC315-3821 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That government agencies managing land (at all levels and through all agencies) be the best neighbours possible by considering their neighbours when undertaking activities related to bush fire preparation and having clear, two-way communication about these activities, with the aspiration that government landholders will be seen as highly desirable neighbours. |
REC315-3851 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, to ensure mobile generators are sourced and distributed on a priority basis during natural disasters, the EUSFAC work with the NSW Telco Authority, relevant NSW government agencies and commercial stakeholders to develop a mobile asset deployment strategy. The strategy should reduce duplication in purchasing, maintaining and housing mobile generators and improve agility in deployment. |
REC315-3829 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That, in order to ensure outcomes-based roadside vegetation management to reduce roadside tree fall and grass ignitions in planning and preparing for bush fire, Transport for NSW, working with local government and NSW RFS, establish a consistent framework for roadside vegetation management that analyses road priority, utility, amenity, strategic value and risk. The framework should: |
REC315-3808 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | That, in order to strengthen the capability of local councils in future emergency events: |
REC315-3837 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to improve firefighter safety, Government fire authorities: |
REC315-3819 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, as part of the spatial technology acceleration program, Government support deployment of remote sensing and picture processing technologies to monitor and audit how well Asset Protection Zones and defendable space are being maintained, especially around towns. |
REC315-3849 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s fire fighting capacity, Government trial aerial fire fighting at night in the 2020-21 season with a view to full implementation if successful. |
REC315-3827 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to minimise communication outages and extend basic communication coverage during bush fires, the NSW Government work directly, or together with other Australian governments and/or their relevant power and telecommunications regulatory, policy and market bodies, to: |
REC315-3806 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That the NSW RFS work with AFAC to analyse the impact of changing fire seasons on inter- jurisdictional resource sharing agreements, both domestic and international, and determine any flow-on effects for NSW fire fighting personnel capacity. |
REC315-3836 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure frontline personnel have appropriate personal protective clothing during bush fires: |
REC315-3818 | 26 - Research | That, in order to improve understanding of optimal hazard reduction techniques and their application in the landscape: |
REC315-3848 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to enhance NSW’s ability to improve situational awareness, Government expand FRNSW’s Remotely Piloted Aerial Systems (RPAS) capability (both capital assets and trained operators) to major regional centres and ensure the NSW RFS and other NSW government agencies can access this capability as required. |
REC315-3826 | 10 - Infrastructure | That, in order to maximise the protection of critical infrastructure in a bush fire, Australian governments revise the regulatory framework for the provision to government authorities of information about all critical infrastructure (public and private) including a possible change to compel the owners of critical assets to provide all needed metadata, updated annually, for appropriate planning, preparation and response for bush fire. This would include information about location, ownership, access, details of service the infrastructure supports, and fire treatments of building and surrounding zones. |
REC315-3802 | 26 - Research | That Government establish NSW as a major world centre of bush fire research, and technology development and commercialisation. This should include: |
REC315-3835 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That, in order to ensure the safety of local landholders on firegrounds, the NSW RFS emphasises the importance of local landholders using protective clothing while fire fighting as part of the RFS’ ‘Farm Fire Unit Integration’ priority for 2020-21. |
REC315-3817 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That Government, noting that hazard reduction targeted in proximity to assets is on balance more likely to provide help than hinder, should: |
REC315-3847 | 17 - Assets and technology | That, in order to ensure Australia’s fire fighting aerial capacity capitalises on existing assets and is made up of the right mix, Government: |
REC315-3825 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That Government, acknowledging that a strategic approach to planning for bush fire will take time, and in order to protect, prepare and build resilience into existing communities better, should immediately: |
REC315-3863 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That, in order to provide real-time information on evacuation doorknocking during emergency events, Government explore a shared data gateway for NSW agencies based on the NSW State Emergency Service Collector app and a common mapping and analytics platform. |
REC315-3801 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That, in order to improve capability to detect ignitions and monitor accurately all fire edge intensity and progression automatically across the State in near real time, Government establish a spatial technology acceleration program to maximise the information available from the various remote sensing technologies currently in use and to plan for inclusion of new remote sensing systems that can sense precisely and rapidly through heavy smoke, cloud, fog and dust. This will require work within the State and with partners nationally and internationally. |
REC315-3831 | 26 - Research | That, in order to capture and understand the impacts of bush fire smoke better, Government invest in operational air quality forecasting and alert systems, and public health research and policy development. This would involve investment to: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC299-1341 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in conjunction with a risk‑based approach, a minimum hectare target is also maintained that can be measured and compared. This minimum target should not be below the 5% target established by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission. |
REC299-1340 | 26 - Research | That any such pilot program ought to be managed by the relevant indigenous organisations, with support provided by DELWP and its partner agencies and the development and the evaluation of any pilot program should be overseen by an independent and reputable academic or research institution. |
REC299-1339 | 26 - Research | That Government provide support in the form of funding for the Return to the Firestick project, and that a formal pilot scheme be established where data can be collected, collated and analysed and the effectiveness of this approach be compared against current burning practices. |
REC299-1348 | 4 - Fire season preparation | In keeping with the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s findings and recommendations, human life has primacy in bushfire‑related regulations and it is important that this is maintained in the implementation of bushfire management overlays and relevant vegetation removal exemptions should reflect the primacy of human life. |
REC299-1347 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | In order to manage a reduced time window available to undertake the current types of planned burns, alternative methods, including the indigenous mosaic ‘cool’ burns, should be examined and trialled as they may extend the period in which planned burns can be undertaken while reducing overall risk and fuel loads. |
REC299-1346 | 26 - Research | DELWP and its partner agencies, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services, should undertake research into the specific effects on health of people affected by planned burns and the information should be made public. The study should include the direct impact of smoke on affected populations and impacts on water, food supplies and livestock. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC292-2369 | 26 - Research | I recommend that the New South Wales Police Force evaluate whether the use of noise-attenuation devices should be mandated when explosive distraction devices are used. |
REC292-2348 | 17 - Assets and technology | I recommend that if it has not already done so, the New South Wales Police Force acquires the audio surveillance technology that in similar circumstances would allow a device to be monitored in the Police Forward Command Post and/or the Police Operations Centre and that the organisation ensures that its capacity in this regard keeps pace with technological advances in the area. |
REC292-2342 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | The development of an integrated intelligence system that allows police officers secure access to all information platforms should also provide for the recording of all command decisions, the reasons for them, and the dissemination of those decisions. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC280-1376 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC280-1382 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC280-1399 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land. |
REC280-1375 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service five year hazard reduction program past 2016. |
REC280-1381 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC280-1398 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC280-1380 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public. |
REC280-1386 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC280-1378 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: -improve accountability in relation to the implementation of bush fire risk management plans as a means of delivering more hazard reduction. |
REC280-1385 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
REC280-1377 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC280-1383 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC261-1493 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate. |
REC261-1500 | 10 - Infrastructure | That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by: |
REC261-1515 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service: |
REC261-1499 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by: |
REC261-1514 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding. A final fencing agreement would be negotiated no earlier than six months following a major national park fire. |
REC261-1498 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire. |
REC261-1513 | 17 - Assets and technology | That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated. |
REC261-1495 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the NSW Rural Fire Service: |
REC261-1503 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting. |
REC261-1494 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones. |
REC261-1502 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC260-1063 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider reviewing its guidelines and protocols in respect of hazard reduction planning and burning-off operations in the light of the evidence from experts witnesses in these proceedings that the incidence of, and intensity of, major fires is increasing and in the light of expert evidence given in these proceedings concerning the dangers of vorticity-driven lateral spread. |
REC260-1050 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | Alternatively, I recommend that the RFS consider developing such capacity to deploy weather balloons itself, in conjunction with mobile weather stations, for this purpose. |
REC260-1049 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Rural Fire Service consider proposing an arrangement with the Bureau of Meteorology to deploy weather balloons specifically for the purpose of assessing atmospheric instability during periods of severe to catastrophic fire danger in locations most likely to be severely affected, for example, areas in which a very high C-Haines index reading is registered and local fires have been identified. |
REC260-1071 | 4 - Fire season preparation | The NPWS to consider developing a land management policy that requires hazard reduction around identified assets within the Park and the clearing of fire trials within the Park before the bush fire season commences. Consideration should also be given to developing additional fire trails in the Park, bearing in mind the lack of available fire trails to the south of the John Renshaw Parkway in the park. |
REC260-1070 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | The NPWS conduct a review of its prescribed burns program to ensure, as far as reasonably practicable, that all necessary managerial approvals for a prescribed burn are provided as promptly as possible. |
REC260-1067 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | That as part of the adoption of such a posture in ‘severe’ or worse fire conditions, the National Parks and Wildlife Service consider alerting, at an early stage, all relevant persons and organisations, such as shire councils, heavy plant operators, the local RFS captains, Fire & Rescue NSW and other emergency services, that it is doing so, and that their assistance may be required at short notice. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
---|---|---|
REC217-1812 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1819 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
REC217-1832 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1811 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | Responsible authorities will identify low priority levees for potential removal, and have them removed when funding becomes available. |
REC217-1818 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1831 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1810 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1817 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1826 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | 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: |
REC217-1809 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1815 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1825 | 22 - Role of local Gvt | 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. |
REC217-1808 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1813 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1821 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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. |
REC217-1807 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | 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: |
REC217-1836 | 26 - Research | Flood studies will be undertaken to determine the flood extent on the basis of a greater than 1 in 100 ARI, where appropriate: |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC155-3480 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework establish zones in the interface between public and private land in which bushfire risk management is the shared responsibility of the Victorian Government and private landholders. |
REC155-3472 | 26 - Research | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies conduct or commission research, and a possible trial study, to determine the potential of thinning and other silvicultural practices – whether alone or in combination with prescribed burning – as a means of reducing fuel loads and as a bushfire management strategy in Victoria’s forests. |
REC155-3465 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That in order to enhance the protection of community and ecological assets, the Department of Sustainability and Environment increase its annual prescribed burning target from 130,000 hectares to 385,000 hectares. This should be treated as a rolling target, with any shortfalls to be made up in subsequent years. |
REC155-3464 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That the Department of Sustainability and Environment implement remote sensing imagery as a routine part of its pre-burn and post-burn assessment process for prescribed burning. Maps of every prescribed burn should be produced in a similar format to those used in Western Australia, indicating the boundary of each burn and the varying fire intensities achieved within the burn area. The boundaries of all Fuel Management Zones within each burn should also be indicated. |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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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 |
REC144-3393 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | The Committee recommends that the responsibility for land management issues lie within a single portfolio, specifically the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services. |
REC144-3385 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Committee recommends that the ESA hold discussions with NSW with a view to developing a joint exercise program with the NSW Rural Fire Service on an ongoing basis. |
REC144-3384 | 41 - Emergency Management exercises | The Committee recommends that the ESA develop a schedule of proposed exercises as a five year rolling plan, in order that all the elements of emergency services are able to be tested over that time and in differing |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC126-1959 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That the Emergency Services Agency introduce a program with land management agencies in the ACT to ensure that maps of all public and private land in the ACT are subjected to regular review and amendment as required. Maps of a scale sufficient to facilitate fire management operations should be available in printed form and maintained on an electronic database capable of modification to add relevant features during a firefighting operation |
REC126-1974 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That responsibility for fuel management lie with the land management agency that controls the area and that land managers be given authority to implement prescribed fuel-reduction burns within their area |
REC126-1988 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That protocols and arrangements between the ACT and NSW require that each jurisdiction be fully involved in examining and planning for the threat posed by any fire likely to affect one or other jurisdiction and in coordinating the response to that fire |
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 |
REC126-1973 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | If it is not part of the proposed version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan, that the plan be revised to provide for a fuel-reduction burning regime in the ‘Land Management Zone’ that is equivalent to that contemplated for the corridors designated as the ‘Landscape Division Zone’ and that the regime involve burning areas in rotation to achieve an appropriately varying fire age spectrum across the entire landscape |
REC126-1986 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the ACT and NSW authorities conduct a comprehensive risk analysis based on the most up to date knowledge relating to fire behaviour and spread in order to establish the degree of risk to each others' jurisdiction from fires ignitting in the other jurisdiction and to ensure that both jurisdictions remain fully informed and participate in risk assessments, the development of suppression strategies, and the development and dissemination of community information messages or warnings |
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 |
REC126-1972 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That clarification be provided and information be made public in connection with the hazard reduction proposed under the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan for the area designated ‘Land Management Zone’, which appears to cover about 70 per cent of the ACT landscape and might be excluded from fuel-reduction burning |
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 |
REC126-1951 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That before each fire season the Emergency Services Agency, in conjunction with the Bush Fire Council – after consultation with the relevant ACT agencies, the Bureau of Meteorology, relevant NSW agencies and the community – conduct a qualitative risk analysis of the conditions and circumstances prevailing and forecast and develop strategies to ensure heightened preparedness during seasons identified as severe |
REC126-1971 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That a hazard-reduction program be introduced, involving regular and strategic burning in all areas of the ACT – including the catchment areas – with a view to having fuel-reduced areas in a pattern across the landscape, excluding only small areas of particular ecological or conservation importance |
REC126-1977 | 4 - Fire season preparation | That a program be implemented to ensure that existing fire tracks and trails are cleared and accessible at all times and that a network of additional fire trails be established so as to allow direct fire suppression operations without undue delay in the event of a wildfire |
REC126-1950 | 39 - Disaster Risk Management | That the Emergency Services Agency adopt a more rigorous risk management approach to incident management and prediction – with particular emphasis on the development of improved community information strategies and protocols |
REC126-2002 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That consideration be given when building to the positioning of outbuildings around residential structures such that their potential impact on the main structure is reduced |
REC126-1960 | 13 - Mapping and data quality | That an appropriate geographic information systems capability be maintained to enable the production of fire-specific maps as the need arises and that personnel from the Emergency Services Agency and other agencies be trained in the operation of map production systems, so that 9maps can be modified to include fire-specific information as required |
REC126-1975 | 5 - Hazard reduction burns | That prescribed burning operations be conducted according to agreed standard burning prescriptions |
REC126-2000 | 1 - Land-use and building regs | That the ACT Government consider taking measures to implement the provisions of Australian Standard 3959, Construction of Buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas, for the ACT urban area |
Rec-ID | Code | Recommendation |
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REC061-3248 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services that a joint communications and dispatch facility be established under the Minister's control to implement the following minimum services to the Victoria Police and the emergency services: |
REC061-3413 | 15 - Inter-service cooperation | The Committee recommends to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services that a joint communications and dispatch facility be established under the Minister's control to implement the following minimum services to the Victoria Police and the emergency services: |