The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – with support from all legislated fuel management organisations for public and private land – lead a community engagement process to improve the Victorian community’s understanding of:
a) the purpose of Victoria’s fuel management program and the concept of residual risk
b) the conditions under which fuel management effectiveness is limited
c) how fuel management is planned, conducted, evaluated and reported. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the emergency management sector – develops and implements processes to ensure greater dissemination and improved understanding of information for all Victorians, and visitors to Victoria in an emergency event. This should consider but not be exclusive to individuals who:
a) are not familiar with Victoria and its environment
b) find it difficult to understand and respond to emergency information
c) are socially or geographically isolated. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the State review (and where necessary amend) legislation including but not limited to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958, Forest Act 1958 and Local Government Act 2020 to:
a) clarify accountability for fuel management across land and fire agencies, public authorities, councils, private organisations and individuals
b) define shared responsibility for fuel management across land and fire agencies, stakeholders and community
c) enable organisations with a legislated responsibility for fuel management to conduct fuel management on behalf of other organisations on land outside of their legislated land tenure, where invited to do so
d) provide consistent protections to all personnel, including volunteers, when carrying out fuel management functions on behalf of their legislated organisation. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in partnership with agencies engaged in state, regional and incident control centres:
a) review and update shift roster and handover processes to ensure they are procedurally consistent and support the achievement of objectives at all stages of a protracted event
b) provide training and guidance to ensure shift roster and handover processes are consistently applied in state, regional and incident control centres. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the emergency management sector and as part of the emergency management planning reforms:
a) review, update and confirm arrangements for all tiers of control, including the flexible application of areas of operations, with a particular focus on the triggers for activation, integration with other tiers of control and clearly defined roles and responsibilities
b) exercise these arrangements to ensure they are appropriate and familiar during emergencies. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – in collaboration with the Country Fire Authority and local government – undertake a review of the current residual risk target to ensure that it remains contemporary in terms of its designated percentage value. The review should:
a) involve engagement with land and fire management agencies; public authorities; private organisations; individuals and any other stakeholders with a role in fuel management
b) define a pathway to expanding the residual risk target to apply to all methods of fuel management, with the expansion of the target to apply across all organisations with a legislated responsibility for fuel management
c) become part of a program of review of the State’s land and fuel management policy occurring on a regular basis and not exceeding a five-year cycle. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) – in conjunction with legislated fuel management organisations – develop a common set of objectives, metrics and reporting requirements for fuel management that form part of a compulsory regime that enables the Victorian Government to report publicly on a holistic fuel management program. The reporting requirements should:
a) apply to all organisations with a legislated role in fuel management; across public and private land (all land tenures); and at all levels – state, regional and municipal
b) include residual risk where appropriate - however, complementary metrics should be developed if residual risk cannot be determined. 

State and territory governments should ensure that the implementation of the Australian Warning System is accompanied by a carefully developed national education campaign that considers the needs of all Australians. 

The Australian Government should enhance national preparedness for, and response to, natural disasters, building on the responsibilities of Emergency Management Australia, to include facilitating resource sharing decisions of governments and stress testing national disaster plans. 

Australian, state, territory and local governments should engage further with Traditional Owners to explore the relationship between Indigenous land and fire management and natural disaster resilience. 

Australian, state and territory governments, in consultation with local governments and the private sector, should review supply chain risks, and consider options to ensure supply of essential goods in times of natural disasters. 

Australian, state and territory governments should adopt procurement and contracting strategies that support and develop a broader Australian-based sovereign aerial firefighting industry. 

The Australian Government should establish accountability and assurance mechanisms to promote continuous improvement and best practice in natural disaster arrangements. 

State and territory governments should deliver education to ensure that the public understands the new Australian Fire Danger Rating System ratings, the potential danger attached to each rating, and the action that should be taken in response to each rating. 

Australian Government agencies should work together across all phases of disaster management. 

State and territory governments should have a structured process to regularly assess the capacity and capability requirements of fire and emergency services, in light of both current and future natural disaster risk. 

The Australian Government should review the content of the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community manual to ensure consistency of language and application with a revised COMDISPLAN. 

Australian, state and territory governments should ensure that personal information of individuals affected by a natural disaster is able to be appropriately shared between all levels of government, agencies, insurers, charities and organisations delivering recovery services, taking account of all necessary safeguards to ensure the sharing is only for recovery purposes. 

State and territory governments should review their arrangements for sharing resources between their local governments during natural disasters, including whether those arrangements:
(1) provide sufficient surge capacity, and
(2) take into account all the risks that the state or territory may face during a natural disaster. 

Australian, state and territory governments should establish an authoritative advisory body to consolidate advice on strategic policy and relevant operational considerations for ministers in relation to natural disasters. 

Australian, state and territory governments should review Australian Medical Assistance Team capabilities and procedures and develop necessary training, exercising and other arrangements to build capacity for domestic deployments. 

The National Disaster Risk Information Services Capability should include tools and systems to support operational and strategic decision making, including integrated climate and disaster risk scenarios tailored to various needs of relevant industry sectors and end users. 

State and territory governments should take steps to ensure that there is better interaction, planning and ongoing understanding of Australian Defence Force capabilities and processes by state and territory fire and emergency service agencies and local governments. 

State and territory governments should take responsibility for the capability and capacity of local governments to which they have delegated their responsibilities in preparing for, responding to, and recovering from natural disasters, to ensure local governments are able to effectively discharge the responsibilities devolved to them. 

Australian, state and territory governments should restructure and reinvigorate ministerial forums with a view to enabling timely and informed strategic decision-making in respect of:
(1) long-term policy improvement in relation to natural disasters
(2) national preparations for, and adaptation to, natural disasters, and
(3) response to, and recovery from, natural disasters of national scale or consequence including, where appropriate, through the National Cabinet or equivalent intergovernmental leaders’ body. 

Australian, state and territory governments should develop national air quality forecasting capabilities, which include broad coverage of population centres and apply to smoke and other airborne pollutants, such as dust and pollen, to predict plume behaviour. 

Australian, state and territory governments should support the implementation of the National Disaster Risk Information Services Capability and aligned climate adaptation initiatives. 

State and territory governments should:
(1) each have a process or mechanism in place to communicate natural hazard risk information to households (including prospective purchasers) in ‘hazard prone’ areas, and
(2) work together, and with the Australian Government where appropriate, to explore the development of a national mechanism to do the same. 

State and territory governments should continue to deliver, evaluate and improve education and engagement programs aimed at promoting disaster resilience for individuals and communities.

Australian, state and territory governments should:
(1) develop close to real-time, nationally consistent air quality information, including consistent categorisation and public health advice
(2) greater community education and guidance, and
(3) targeted health advice to vulnerable groups. 

The Australian Government should establish a standing entity that will enhance national natural disaster resilience and recovery, focused on long-term disaster risk reduction. 

State and territory governments should update and implement the National Framework to Improve Government Radio Communications Interoperability, or otherwise agree a new strategy, to achieve interoperable communications across jurisdictions. 

Australian, state, territory and local governments should explore further opportunities to leverage Indigenous land and fire management insights, in the development, planning and execution of public land management activities. 

Australian, state and territory governments should develop arrangements that facilitate greater inclusion of primary healthcare providers in disaster management, including: representation on relevant disaster committees and plans and providing training, education and other supports. 

Each state and territory government should establish an independent accountability and assurance mechanism to promote continuous improvement and best practice in natural disaster arrangements. 

ACT Government undertake a detailed legislative review to ensure that information regarding vulnerable community members can be appropriately accessed, provided and used during an emergency event.

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.

The ESA Community Education and Engagement program be adapted to include an expanded role for RFS volunteers and include a wider set of stakeholders who are more vulnerable to the impact of bushfire. A plan would require wider involvement across stakeholder organisations such as Directorates who have existing relationships with vulnerable groups.

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.

The CCIP be reviewed in conjunction with the review of the Emergency Plan and the two synchronised. A workable approach to delivering operational emergency communications and strategic WhoG communications is developed with simple and clear reporting arrangements.

The BFC Terms of Reference be reviewed to ensure they are contemporary and reflect learnings from this and recent bushfire seasons.

The five year review of the Emergencies Act examine amendments to better define the rationale for a State of Alert / State of Emergency whilst ensuring that the relevant Minister / Chief Minister still has sufficient discretion to make a declaration based on advice from relevant Government officials and committees.

WHoG desktop exercise should be conducted to test and support relocation and evacuation planning.

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.

That Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACS) lead a working group from across relevant organisations to undertake the five year review of the Emergencies Act in conjunction with a wholistic review of the Emergency Plan and relevant sub-plans; and recommendations from this review, to the extent they are accepted by Government. Bringing together a small Taskforce of staff from across government for a set period would assist the working group in delivering the work needed to address these and other recommendations.

That at the start of each fire season, based on advice from the Bush Fire Coordinating Committee, Government provide a public statement with an evaluation of the likely fire season risk and the effectiveness of the planning and preparation for the upcoming season. This should be based on sophisticated monitoring of the key risk factors and signals for an extreme fire season. It should form the basis for clear public communication about these risks on a regional basis and the actions that Government proposes in preparation.

That, in order to ensure people can access clear information on cross-border fires, the NSW RFS:
a) incorporate information on fires in neighbouring states and territories into Fires Near Me NSW
b) collaborate with other states and territories to develop a national app as part of the Australian Warning System being developed through the AFAC Warnings Group.

That Resilience NSW review existing functional area arrangements to ensure they are closely aligned to agencies responsible for direct service delivery.

That, in order to ensure Australia’s fire fighting aerial capacity capitalises on existing assets and is made up of the right mix, Government:
a) request the Commonwealth to conduct a trial with NSW RFS on the feasibility of retrofitting RAAF C130 aircraft with modular airborne fire fighting systems to provide the Australian Defence Force with the capacity to augment aerial fire fighting during major disasters
b) work with states and territories through the National Aerial Firefighting Centre to review the current mix of aviation assets and determine whether it is fit-for-purpose, noting the current lack of mid-sized fire fighting aircraft.

That Government invest in long-term ecosystem and land management monitoring, modelling, forecasting, research and evaluation, and harness citizen science in this effort. This will include, among other things:
- tracking and trying to forecast what is happening to ecosystems over decades under projected changes to climate extremes, including fire regime change
- better understanding interaction of fire with other disturbances, e.g. drought, hydrological changes in the landscape
- commissioning experiments and feasibility studies for ecosystem adaptation experiments – for example, facilitating shift of high conservation-value rainforest vegetation communities further south as climatic conditions change
- better understanding the influence of different land management practices on landscape flammability (in different landscapes) over the short, medium and long-term, and enabling an adaptive management approach.

That, in order to ensure recommendations accepted by the Government are implemented in a timely and transparent manner, Government establish a central accountability mechanism to track implementation of recommendations from bush fire-related reviews and inquiries and consider expanding this to other policy areas.

That, in order to ensure the guiding principles and approval processes are contemporary, streamlined and more flexible, the NSW and Commonwealth Governments review the Defence Assistance to the Civil Community (DACC) arrangements. This review should include the circumstances in which the State can request Commonwealth assistance, and the level of information provided by the ADF to the State on available resources and capabilities.

That, in order to ensure tourism businesses are prepared for natural disasters including bush fires, Resilience NSW work with NSW RFS and Destination NSW to develop bush fire preparedness support for tourism businesses, based on research into existing models. Over time, this support could be expanded to include other natural hazards.

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.

That, in order to ensure State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC) interoperability during all natural disasters, Resilience NSW review the current SEOC arrangements and location including responsibilities for ongoing resourcing and maintenance.

That Government commit to:
a) evaluating existing bush fire preparedness programs to determine the most effective and efficient approach given increased frequency of extreme fire seasons, and develop outcomes-based measures to monitor programs’ impact over time
b) post-evaluation roll out the most effective bush fire preparedness programs to all communities and at-risk cohorts in bush fire prone areas across NSW.

That, in order to improve firefighter safety, Government fire authorities:
a) ensure all light tankers used as part of active frontline bush fire fighting operations are fitted with a single point crew protection safety spray system and radiant heat protection blankets as a minimum standard across all NSW fire authorities
b) ensure all medium/heavy tankers are fitted with radiant heat protection blankets, wheel and ‘halo’ sprays fitted as a minimum standard across all NSW fire authorities
c) undertake additional research to determine the most appropriate cabin protection for the different frontline vehicles.
d) provide ongoing investment for NSW RFS fleet upgrades.

That, in order to improve bush fire planning and protection of road infrastructure and to ensure communities, freight movers and fire fighting agencies have appropriate access and egress in a bush fire event, Government, working with local government as needed:
- develop a formal bush fire risk assessment process for all State roads and bridges, to
identify:
* ‘high-risk’ communities where access and egress in the event of a fire will be
affected, for example rural communities connected by a single road surrounded by bushland, and ensure community bush fire planning processes (i.e. Bush Fire Risk Management Plans (BFRMPs) or Community Protection Plans) include plans to ‘leave early’ or enforce mandatory evacuation orders
* how waterways can be integrated better into the transport network as evacuation routes or places of shelter when road and rail transport is unavailable – waterways should be included in regional emergency management plans
* route options for rapid identification of needed road closures in the event of fire
* key sections of the State’s road network for future upgrade to ensure whole corridors
are resilient to fire impacts, regardless of who manages the asset
- audit, through the NSW RFS Audit Unit (to be established) the inclusion of critical road
infrastructure in BFRMPs prepared by Bush Fire Management Committees (ensuring that appropriate transport representation is provided to BFMCs) and Local Emergency Management Committees across the State.
In support of these measures, it will be critical that the community is given early warning of bush fire events and has ample time to evacuate prior to or during an emergency.

That, in order to improve cross-agency communication and coordination during bush fires, the NSW RFS review Fire Control Centres (FCCs) in areas that were heavily affected by fire. The results should be combined with the Emergency Operations Centre (EOC) Facilities Review to identify areas that would benefit from a purpose-built FCC, enabling co-location with the EOC.

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):
- set a deadline for Bush Fire Management Committees to complete all outstanding Fire Access and Fire Trail (FAFT) Plans for submission to BFCC for approval, and a related deadline for BFCC consideration of these
- assess the completed suite of FAFT Plans to identify high-priority trails of relative strategic importance across the State for urgent construction or upgrades with particular reference to the needs of upcoming fire seasons
- enforce completion of annual fire trail condition assessment reporting by relevant landholders. Following this, the BFCC should, as part of its standard business, undertake an audit of all FAFT Plans and annual fire trail condition assessment reports
- develop a single asset management system to capture the outcomes of annual fire trail condition assessment reporting on a tenure-blind basis to support BFCC strategic and budgetary prioritisation and inform funding allocation to agencies for capital works programs
- commission a review of FAFT Plans, with particular assessment of containment line potential, following a significant bush fire event in their area, as part of the planned review of BFCC Policy and NSW RFS Standards in 2020-21.
Where it is not feasible to construct a fire trail completely on public land, and private landowners are not satisfied with proposed negotiated arrangements to construct the trail across their land, Government should negotiate acquisition of an easement interest, with appropriate compensation, over private land.

That, to ensure updated resource-sharing arrangements are in place, the NSW and Victorian Governments progress and finalise a multi-agency Memorandum of Understanding before the 2020-21 fire season commences.

That, in order to ensure frontline personnel have appropriate personal protective clothing during bush fires:
a) FRNSW review the current design of its bush fire jacket, noting improvements that have been made since 2002 that meet AS/NZS4824:2006 Protective clothing for firefighters, and increase the allocation of bush fire coats to two jackets per member
b) NSW RFS issue two sets of personal protective clothing to operational members, and others as appropriate.

That, in order to increase the respectful, collaborative and effective use of Aboriginal land management practices in planning and preparing for bush fire, Government commit to pursuing greater application of Aboriginal land management, including cultural burning, through a program to be coordinated by Aboriginal Affairs and Department of Planning, Industry and Environment working in partnership with Aboriginal communities. This should be accompanied by a program of evaluation alongside the scaled-up application of these techniques.

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.

That Government develop and implement a policy on injured wildlife response, rescue and rehabilitation including:
a) a framework for the co-ordination and interaction with emergency management structures
b) guidelines for Incident Management Plans to include wildlife rescue and rehabilitation as a consideration
c) a requirement for all vets and wildlife rescue volunteers to obtain the Bush Fire Awareness accreditation
d) guidance for firefighters on handling injured wildlife.

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:
- prepare, in association with the insurance sector, a model framework and statutory basis for the establishment of an enforcement, compliance and education program which adopts a risk-based approach to routine inspection of local bush fire prone developments to ensure that every local development on bush fire prone land is prepared for future bush fire seasons in accordance with bush fire protection standards of the day, that account for worsening conditions
- ensure local government is resourced to enable effective audit, enforcement and compliance powers in respect of local developments and assets on bush fire land
- consider the introduction of subsidies for property owners to undertake site mitigation works to reduce bush fire risk and work with the Insurance Council of Australia to develop an agreed set of measures to insure against with a view to risk reductions resulting in lower insurance premiums
- review vegetation clearing policies to ensure that the processes are clear and easy to navigate for the community, and that they enable appropriate bush fire risk management by individual landowners without undue cost or complexity.

That, in order to strengthen the capability of local councils in future emergency events:
a) Resilience NSW, in consultation with local government, develop specific training that focuses on the role, responsibilities and expected functions of the Local Emergency Management Officer (LEMO), including regular ‘refresher’ components
b) Councils support their staff to participate in LEMO training on an ongoing basis, and ensure that staff who are LEMOs are appropriately senior and have the authority to commit resources.

That, in order to ensure Aboriginal people can access appropriate support during evacuation, Resilience NSW work with Local Emergency Management Committees and Aboriginal Affairs to ensure:
a) local Aboriginal communities are included in emergency planning and preparation
b) all staff involved in evacuation centres and support services are culturally competent.

That, in order to equip NSW RFS with comprehensive information on all structures and assets at risk of bush fire, Government ensures that:
- there is a single whole-of-government procurement and acquisition program for imagery and LiDAR and that Government accelerate the building of the State Digital Twin and associated Digital Workbench
- owners/managers of assets (apart from private home owners whose information will be provided through local councils) in bush fire prone land are required to provide to the Digital Twin at least the following information/metadata with quality control certification on an annual basis (with annual census at least two months before the start of the fire season):
* precise geolocation
* description of asset including picture
* value level
* fire treatment on asset
* Asset Protection Zone (APZ) details and how it is maintained
* access details
* what redundancy is available if relevant
* any metadata requirements specific to the asset class
* emergency contact and instructions on how to access where more information is held
* any restrictions on data access and sharing.
The Digital Twin must also be able to incorporate:
- information about the hazard reduction results for road verges, fire trails, APZs and other defendable space
- local information supplied by organisations such as local NSW RFS brigades.

That Government adopt the principle that cultural burning is one component of a broader practice of traditional Aboriginal land management and is an important cultural practice, not simply another technique of hazard reduction burning.

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.

That, in order to prioritise early suppression and keep fires small:
a) Government set a KPI for NPWS regarding the percentage of fires that start on-park and are contained within 10 hectares, and consider whether 70% is an appropriate KPI for the NSW RFS and NPWS
b) NSW fire authorities deploy remote area fire fighting resources based on enhanced research and predictive modelling. In some circumstances, this may require prioritising the deployment of RART to enable rapid initial attack of new remote area ignitions over ongoing suppression operations, where supported by a relative risk assessment.

Consider amending the Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 to align SAFECOM Board operations with accepted governance standards with the Minister appointing an Independent Chair of the SAFECOM Board. The SAFECOM Chief Executive (CE) should report to the Board and maintain SAFECOM’s role at the direction of the Board. Alternatively, SAFECOM could be abolished, moving to a model of a Department of Fire and Emergency Services where the departmental head reports to the Minister but the value proposition of any such machinery of government change would need to be thoroughly examined.

Review the use of aviation assets including facilities to operate them given the increased pressure from extended fire seasons on northern and southern hemisphere resources. Review line scanning capability with a view to providing real time data to the IMTs on where fires are burning using aviation assets as an intelligence tool rather than just a fire suppression capability.

Defining recovery time objectives and recovery point objectives for key business systems.

Regularly reviewing these plans to ensure that they reflect the current operating environment.

Developing, approving and implementing disaster recovery plans for all key business systems.

Conducting a risk assessment of disaster recovery plans for key business systems.

Documenting results and recommendations from disaster recovery tests.

Scheduling disaster recovery tests for key business systems regularly, in line with their importance.

The chairpersons of disaster management groups within the Townsville Disaster District, supported by the Queensland Police Service, Queensland Fire and Emergency Services and the Queensland Reconstruction Authority develop a district action plan based on the capability enhancement strategy. 

To enable entities in the sector to proactively work to achieve better results for the community, the recommendations and lessons of this review should be evaluated through the lessons management processes of entities involved in dam safety for their value and relevance. 

To enable the community to have a shared understanding of risks and enhance community engagement, flood scenarios in Emergency Action Plans be published, and in a format that can be utilised by public mapping systems. 

To enable the casual/itinerant worker and tourism sector, including those who do not have English as a first language, to make informed choices about disaster management, community engagement and communication strategies about Paradise Dam and floods in the Burnett river system be tailored to this sector. 

To ensure enhanced capability integration and enable timely community messaging Bundaberg LDMG in consultation with Sunwater develop additional Emergency Alerts and associated polygons for a Paradise Dam failure and load these on to the disaster management portal. 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, Sunwater develop and deliver a sustainable long-term communication strategy on the community safety issues and
risk profile connected with Paradise Dam. This is to be:
- undertaken in collaboration with local and district disaster management groups, and
- continued until the risk profile of the dam is in accordance with Queensland guidelines for dam safety
- evaluated for its effectiveness. 

To enhance shared capacity and collaboratively manage risk, the Chair of the Bundaberg DDMG use the QERMF process to determine if dam failure for Paradise Dam should be reported as a residual risk in this instance due to known changes in the risk profile to:
- the State Disaster Coordination Group (SDCG) in accordance with their responsibilities under the State Plan
- QFES for ensuring the development of the state-wide risk assessment. 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, and act on them, a joint Sunwater/council community engagement program be conducted to prepare the community downstream from Paradise Dam for events in the 2019/2020 storm and cyclone season, including the possibility of a Paradise Dam failure. 

To increase shared understanding of risks, ensure the coordination of plans and manage risks, dam failure for Paradise Dam be included as a separate risk within the Bundaberg District Disaster Management Plan (DDMP). 

To enable the community to make informed choices about disaster management, Bundaberg and North Burnett regional councils and Sunwater undertake a community-informed audible test of the Paradise Dam siren. 

To increase understanding of hazards and manage risks, dam failure for Paradise Dam be included as a separate risk within the North Burnett Local Disaster Management Plan (LDMP). 

This report be returned to the InspectorGeneral Emergency Management to monitor, evaluate and report on progress and implementation of the recommendation(s) that are accepted in whole or in part by government. 

To increase shared understanding of risks, enable coordinated plans and collaboratively engage with downstream community members, residents listed within a dam EAP be identified by the Local Government Area (LGA) they reside in. 

To enable entities to have a shared understanding of forecast information for dam failure events during a flood, including flood wave travel time, speed and height, Emergency Action Plans contain protocols and responsibilities of relevant stakeholders for these aspects. 

The state’s arrangements for disaster management, including recovery, are articulated in the Disaster Management Act (2003), the Queensland Reconstruction Authority Act (2011), the State Disaster Management Plan and the Queensland Recovery Plan. To enable state-level arrangements to better support community-led recovery and to improve Queensland’s recovery governance
arrangements:
a. State-level roles and responsibilities of:
i. the Leadership Board Sub-committee (Recovery)
ii. the State Recovery Policy and Planning Coordinator
iii. the State Recovery Coordinator
iv. the Queensland Reconstruction Authority
v. functional recovery groups
for coordinating and reporting on recovery should be made more distinct from each other, and any overlap between them removed for greater clarity. Roles and responsibilities should be published on relevant websites.
b. A capability that delivers the effectiveness of the State Disaster Coordination Group and its supporting apparatus for response should exist for recovery. The capability should support coordination and reporting, and improve communication arrangements and sharing of operational information between functional recovery groups and agencies. Such a capability may be established by revising the State Disaster Coordination Group terms of reference and membership, or investigating the capacity for Queensland Reconstruction Authority to deliver it.

State arrangements for on-the-ground support to recovering local governments should be in line with Queensland’s disaster management arrangements, and ensure the best balance between local relationships, suitable capability and sufficient capacity.

09-Community education/engagement/preparedness

Practical guidance on what community-led recovery means, and how it can be best implemented should be captured and shared with all who have responsibility for it. This should be done to help individuals and communities to take the lead in recovery and so that community-led recovery becomes the norm following disasters and other events.

Greater clarity about responsibilities for recovery at the community, local, and district levels should be considered in any future review of the Disaster Management Act (2003).

Further work be undertaken to develop effective public flood risk messaging and community education materials that are easy to understand and tested with the community to ensure flood risk is understood. 

Councils should formalise arrangements with entities that have the skills, capability and capacity to effectively manage spontaneous volunteers. These should be documented and integrated into planning and exercising.

The progress of recovery for this event be reviewed incrementally over the next 2 to 3 years, with a formal, independent report provided on the effectiveness of the recovery after 3 years.

As part of the annual Emergency Action Plan review for the Ross River Dam, consideration should be given to the potential impacts of operating the gate outside automatic mode and whether this event has provided any new information and learnings which can be incorporated into the Emergency Action Plan. This should occur prior to the 2019/20 wet season.

The Department of Housing and Public Works should be included within Local Disaster Management Group evacuation centre planning and plans and assist with decision making around the relocation of evacuees from evacuation centres.

Councils, with the support of stakeholders, continue to develop and promote local disaster dashboards as the ‘point of truth’ for community information and messaging during disaster events. Greater use during recovery should be considered. 

A single point of truth be established for accurately capturing and reporting on disaster management group activation levels for any given timeframe. 

A strategy should be developed between the key tourism and transport operators, and local and state government. It should address the arrival of visitors and tourists after a disaster, and should ensure that their arrival matches communities’ needs for recovery and return to normal business. The Department of Tourism, Major Events, Small Business and the Commonwealth Games should monitor its implementation.

A strategy should be developed to improve the availability of information to decision-makers and other audiences. Information should be searchable, more specific, timely, and allow stake-holders to find what they want.

A Local Government Association of Queensland representative should be included on the Crisis Communications Network to enhance the delivery of consistent information across and between levels of government.

Planning and warnings for storm tide should be based on modelling that shows the chances of an event occurring (probabilistic).

Queensland should examine the feasibility of the installation of storm tide markers in prominent public places and the exploration of new technology to highlight storm tide risk to the community and its visitors. 

Queensland should implement and maintain a system-wide lesson management program.

The operation and maintenance of flood gauges should be developed and planned for on a catchment basis.

Education on bushfires should include information about: 
- the change in climate resulting in higher level of bushfire risk
- local bushfire risk, possible consequences, and preventative and preparedness actions for the community
- the purpose of bushfire mitigation activities (to reduce, not stop bushfire)
- the need, types and purposes for planned burning
- intersects between different legislation and their regulations and exemptions
 the importance of a shared approach to bushfire mitigation
All agencies with education material should share it freely. Material should be appropriately authorised for use in Queensland.

To make planned burning and land clearing easier to understand and implement for landholders, a single point of contact for all bushfire mitigation inquiries and permits should be established.

Area Fire Management Groups should share seasonal risk information with local groups and actively and appropriately contribute to disaster management planning.

The outputs of these capabilities should be shared and actively inform the disaster management sector, including response operations and the creation of warnings and public messaging.

All Area Fire Management Groups should adopt and be guided by a good neighbour policy.

Targeted education about the short- and long-term effects of chemical suppressants should reach those likely to be exposed to them before aerial chemical suppressants are used in Queensland again.

The future risk of bushfires to Queensland communities should be re-evaluated as part of the 2020 State Risk Assessment in light of recent and emerging science, events and lessons.

A good neighbour policy such as that of the Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service, setting out clear expectations, be developed to guide all landholders.

Clear public messaging regarding risks (if any) from the use of suppressants, including to 'organic' producers, should be developed and socialised before the next fire season and be readily available for dissemination when needed.

We recommend that the Department of Natural Resources and Mines and the four councils work together to effectively and economically regulate levee banks.

We recommend that the four councils develop floodplain management plans in accordance with Recommendation 2.12 of the Final Report of the Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry.

We recommend that, in the absence of stand-alone catchment management authorities, the Department of Infrastructure, Local Government and Planning fulfil its obligation under the State Disaster Management Plan to drive the enhancement of flood resilience in the four catchments by:
- coordinating flood resilience activities and funding at a state and catchment level
- developing strategies and plans, in consultation with the four councils and relevant entities, to effectively identify, assess, prioritise and manage catchment scale flood risks using an integrated catchment management approach
- assessing the capacity and capabilities of the four councils and supporting them as necessary in building flood resilience in the catchments and in their local areas.

Discontinue the automatic allocation of Fire Warden powers to Council and Committee members and substitute an option for members to be appointed as Fire Wardens.

Further define the principle of landholder responsibility for fire management and strengthen its fundamental place in the Act. This should include a clear requirement for landholders to prevent fire on their land from spreading to neighbouring properties.

Retain the Bushfires Council as a Ministerial advisory body.

Implement a fully integrated civilianised single call and dispatch centre, that includes a redundancy option outside the Sydney CBD, which will adopt an agnostic approach to deploy the quickest most suitable resource to an emergency. Such a centre should be managed by either a non uniformed public servant staffed organisation like the Office for Emergency Management, or the NSW Police Force

As a matter of priority commence the roll out of AVL capability for the Rural Fire Service fleet, completing as much work as possible before the 2018/19 bushfire season, capitalising where necessary on current and future work undertaken with the NSW Government Radio Network to ensure both officer safety and situational awareness

Explore better options for call and dispatch, telecommunications and information sharing capability across the emergency management portfolio including the adoption of a multi-agency emergency management operations complex

TFS should initiate a policy review (seeking support from government as appropriate) to clearly identify what body or agency is responsible for planning, carrying out and enforcing fuel management on private property at a township level. If current arrangements are unclear or ineffective, TFS should request government to consider making this a statutory responsibility of TFS and provide any additional funding required to support this function.

TFS should engage in discussions with government about the construction of purpose-built State Control Centre facilities for emergency management in Tasmania.

Where gas exists, and no provisions are made for its constant removal, no shots should be fired, and, where permitted in a gassy mine, shots should be fired only by a man specially appointed, and at such hours when the miners are not within the mine. All shots should be tamped by stone well damped, and only copper or wooden tools should be employed. As far as possible the use of explosives should be discouraged, and skilful mining encouraged. Danger-boards should be placed further from the faces whence gas issues (say), where practicable, 50 yards.

Infringement of the regulations by either party should be followed by a summary form of justice, instituted before two Magistrates.

Where safety-lamps are necessary - gas being present for (say) one month after being found in dangerous quantity - they should be securely locked by a man duly appointed, and tampering with them must be punishable by a simple and inexpensive process of law. 

Complete sets of daily-report books should be provided, and kept in the mine or office, to be overlooked by the Inspector during his periodical visits.

The Commission consider that in all mines where gas exists the course of the air should be directed to sweep along the working-faces; in mines worked by Pillar and Stall, bratticing must be resorted to to carry the gas from the face as it issues, and so prevent any accumulation of explosive gases or of gases inimical to life. In cases where gas exists it would be better that no bords should be broken off the back or return heading or supplied with air fouled by dangerous gases. The panel system of working by confining and localising districts, or some modification thereof, might be pursued with advantage.
Of all known systems of mining, Longwall, by supplying a strong sweeping ventilation along the face of the workings, offers the best security to the miner. A modification of the Pillar and Stall (say the "wicket system") may, under certain circumstances and conditions, secure perfect ventilation of the face without the use of brattice (which is liable to injury), but it is very doubtful how far such modification could be permitted under the provisions of the present Coal Mines Regulation Act. This Act evidently only anticipated one system of mining.

The Commisison would not insist upon a barometer being provided at each mine. Experience has proved that this is a tardy index to atmospheric conditions. Serious changes in the atmospheric pressure occur and are felt before they are indicated by a barometer.

The Commission do not approve of removing any responsibility from the management by increasing the power or number of the Inspectors. The visits of these officials should, so far as possible, be visits of surprise.

Where dust exists in quantity, and under conditions favourable for ignition, it should be periodically and sufficiently dampened by water

Where safety-lamps are used, and the obligation is laid upon the men to cleanse the same, all examinations, tests, and repairs to these should be done by the owners. 

That the Government conduct a review of fire prevention
activities undertaken by local government, including the amounts and sources of funding for such activities and the support of departments and agencies to manage and mitigate risk. The review should include determining compliance with
s43 of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and should consider the appropriate support required to enable Councils to meet their obligations under the Act.

The Government introduce an amendment to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or other instruments which imposes significant penalties and strengthens enforcement, including via infringement notices, for offences against Total Fire Ban requirements before the 2017‑2018 fire season.

The Government should:
(a) provide additional support to the Gippsland Arson Prevention Program; and
(b) support the establishment of arson prevention programs of this type in other bushfire‑prone regions within Victoria, and involve both community and government agencies.

That a review of the cross‑tenure approach be undertaken to determine its effectiveness and to address issues that arise in fire prevention on private and public land.

That in the event that Hydro Tasmania decides to start cloud seeding again, water managers, represented by DPIPWE, work with Hydro Tasmania to ensure appropriate, best practice application of the guidelines issued by the Agricultural and Resource Management Council of Australia and New Zealand.

That DPAC becomes the Management Authority for recovery in Tasmania.

That SES and Tasmania Fire Service share resources and align their community education programs and adopt an all-hazards approach to awareness.

That the Flood Warning Consultative Committee reviews flood classification levels in the Service Level Specifications with BoM specifically relating to flood level triggers on gauges.

That Government establishes a central flood policy unit responsible for coordinating flood policy across all government agencies, including Government Businesses, and ensures that such a unit has a whole-of-government and community focus.

That heightened awareness and action is needed by communities when BoM issues flood watches and related warnings. Councils and SES need to facilitate this.

That the State Emergency Management Committee allocates resources to reviewing all findings and recommendations in the Productivity Commission Report No. 74 relevant to Tasmania and, for those identified as relevant, actions taken and, if none, why not.

That all councils include an easily identifiable website link for the public to locate their Municipal Emergency Management Plan and community safety information.

That DPIPWE examines the Forest Practice Code 2015 for relevance of its concepts to farming and other business activities near rivers, streams and naturally occurring dams and makes recommendations to Government accordingly.

That, in the event of a major emergency such as the June floods, a government department (DPAC or State Growth) be appointed to coordinate infrastructure repair, to the extent that funding allows, for the whole state. Individual entities will still have the right and responsibility to repair and maintain their own assets, but some central oversight and coordination is, in our view, likely to be beneficial.

That in flood-prone municipalities, the respective Municipal Committee develops or reviews flood-related sub-plans within a Municipal Emergency Management Plan at least every two years and submits each sub-plan to the Regional Controller for approval. In addition, that each Municipal Committee maintains a current flood plan, in a standardised format, which at least identifies: • flood-prone parts of their locality, particularly those where lives may be at risk; • required actions to be taken in the event of a flood threat, especially timely evacuation; • trigger points for taking required actions and how those trigger points will be monitored; and • how the community can access flood-plan information

That DPIPWE examines the WMAwater report along with its own, analyses the differences, consults with the Forest Practices Authority and Environment Protection Authority, and proposes an appropriate course of action to Government.

That Government engages with non-government organisations that may provide services during emergency events to clarify the terms and conditions for support through a written arrangement (MOU or similar).

That Attorney General’s Department explore options to overcome fatigue and welfare issues of SAGRN staff associated with emergency events of extended duration.

Review existing electronic information systems used by emergency services organisations and other government agencies, and: a) establish a single incident information system across the Emergency Services Sector (MFS, CFS and SES), and b) identify opportunities to consolidate incident information systems of other agencies

That the Department of the Premier and Cabinet revise the ministerial documents relating to emergency management.

That the recommendation made following the Pinery bushfire, ‘to review control facilities at State, region and incident level’, be expanded to include all emergency services facilities that will be utilised for major incidents other than bushfire e.g. flood and earthquake and to also be extended into metropolitan areas, and implemented.

That SA Health undertake a review of their emergency management arrangements. Health State Controllers should be consulted during this review and arrangements should be consistent throughout the department and across the State and compatible with State emergency management arrangements and information systems

That the State Emergency Service explores options for providing suitable personal protective clothing to personnel from supporting emergency services during major flooding events and sandbagging operations.

Develop practical policy outcomes to support resilience (e.g. the 72- hour model) and promote this broadly to community through media, awareness campaigns, policies etc. Research should be undertaken to gain insight into the types of messaging and activities that have the most impact on sustained behaviour change within the community before committing to a particular model.

Review representation in the State Emergency Centre including: a) determining if there is a more suitable functional support group e.g. the Procurement Functional Support Group, to replace the Logistics Functional Support Group, and if so, Chief Procurement Officer, DPC, has responsibility for the management of this role within the State Emergency Centre. b) That when the State Crisis Centre is not operating from a physical location, a State Crisis Centre liaison officer is attached to the State Emergency Centre.

That relevant agencies, such as the Department of State Development, SA Police and emergency services, collaborate to establish an education campaign to encourage businesses in South Australia to develop Business Continuity Plans which, among other potential hazards such as flood and fire, also take into account the potential impact of an extended power outage.

That systems for Automatic Vehicle Location and personnel tracking be implemented within the emergency services sector.

That the State Emergency Service together with the Local Government Association and Country Fire Service establish a plan for coordinated provision of sandbags to the public, including options for what is provided, where and when, and the process for effective communication of availability to the public.

That the position of Deputy Director, Office for Digital Government is dedicated to the Office for Digital Government; and that people throughout DPC are identified and trained to perform appropriate roles within the State Crisis Centre

Update the SEMP Part 3, Annex F ‘Debriefs’ to provide more guidance regarding the types of debriefs, when they are required to be undertaken and at what level and guidance for undertaking and recording debriefs, and implementing lessons identified.

Engage an independent business analyst to review the current call, receipt and dispatch process for emergency services i.e. the Metropolitan Fire Service, Country Fire Service and State Emergency Service, from the initial call for assistance through to response of emergency service resources, including the allocation and coordination of multiple taskings.

That a review of the role and effectiveness of the State Emergency Management Committee (SEMC) including: the legislative functions; membership including the chair; roles and responsibilities; and, SEMC Advisory Groups be undertaken.

Establish a lessons management capability across the SA emergency management sector to collect, analyse and track lessons identified during debriefs and reviews following events and other sources such as interstate and oversees reviews and inquiries.

That the Flood Reform Task Group, as proposed by the Department
of Environment, Water and Natural Resources, develop a business
case for Cabinet, based on the dam safety discussion paper
(Pisaniello & Tingey-Holyoak, 2016) which identifies options and a
way forward to address dam safety in SA.

That the Department of Education and Child Development be included as a member of State Emergency Management Council and represented in the State Emergency Centre.

That a single emergency service multi-agency control centre be established with sufficient capacity and capability to deal with all types of emergency incidents in SA. Also consider Police and State Emergency Centre.

The Chairpersons of disaster management groups within the Mackay Disaster District, supported by the Queensland Police Service and Queensland Fire and Emergency Services recommend implementing the Mackay District Improvement Strategy (refer to page 53 of the inquiry).

I recommend that the Commonwealth Attorney-General liaise with ASIO to develop a policy to ensure that where correspondence is received by a government agency, minister or public office holder, from a non government entity, and that correspondence is relevant to the security assessments of the author, the correspondence be referred to: ASIO; and a Fixated Threat Assessment Centre.

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.

I recommend that the New South Wales Police Force undertake a formal assessment of alternatives to the TOU’s current soft-point ammunition to determine whether a more appropriate form of ammunition is reasonably available.

I recommend that ASIO liaise with the Fixated Threat Assessment Centre with a view to both agencies cooperating in the identification, assessment and management of fixated, radicalised individuals.

I recommend that the Law, Crime and Community Safety Council develop a mechanism to ensure that all information on criminal history (including bail) that is relevant to the investigation and prosecution of criminal offences is readily accessible to police and prosecutors across all Australian jurisdictions.

I recommend that the New South Wales Police Force, in conjunction with NSW Health, establish a Fixated Threat Assessment Centre to identify and gather information about fixated persons, assess the risks they pose, and attempt to mitigate such risks through early intervention.

I recommend that the Premier of New South Wales consider whether the Privacy and Personal Information Protection Act 1998 and the Health Records and Information Privacy Act 2002 should be amended to ensure that there is appropriate access to health related information available to ASIO (consistent with recommendation 12 of the report of the Martin Place Siege Joint Commonwealth—New South Wales review)

I recommend that: the Commonwealth Attorney-General and ASIO confer with the Australian Psychological Society regarding the restrictions in clause A 5 2 of the Code of Ethics (2007) with respect to radicalisation, terrorism and politically motivated violence; and the Australian Psychological Society consider amending clause A 5 2 of the Code of Ethics (2007) to enable psychologists to report risks of a terrorist nature.

The Department of the Premier and Cabinet to conduct an independent review of the current arrangement for the management and distribution of the Emergency Services Levy. The review will have the specific purpose of: · seeking input from key entities including the Departments of Treasury, Finance, Fire and Emergency Services, Lands, and Parks and Wildlife, WA Local Government Association, and the Office of Bushfire Risk Management. · ensuring the arrangement has the flexibility and agility to deal with emerging bushfire risk priorities. · establishing a budget process that enables a shift in investment towards prevention, mitigation and building community resilience and capability.

The State Emergency Management Committee to establish a State Bushfire Coordinating Committee as a sub-committee of SEMC. The State Bushfire Coordinating Committee will be chaired by the Director of the Office of Bushfire Risk Management and will have the primary responsibility to: · develop a State Bushfire Management Policy and a set of long term bushfire risk management objectives; · provide a forum for key bushfire risk management stakeholder agencies; · advise the SEMC on matters pertaining to bushfire, in particular, to report against the investment in, and achievement of the bushfire risk management objectives; · provide advice and support to the proposed Chief Officer of the Rural Fire Service on bushfire risk management matters; and · report to SEMC and to the community on bushfire risk management matters on at least an annual basis.

The State Government to explore options for streamlining the functions and the independence of the State Emergency Management Committee Secretariat and the Office of Bushfire Risk Management with a view to including an inspectorate function, and appointing a person who is dedicated to that role. The purpose is to provide assurance and reporting, and to inquire into, monitor and report transparently on emergency management standards, preparedness, capability, service delivery and investment performance outcomes. Within two years of the establishment of this arrangement the State Government to review and assess whether it is meeting the desired outcomes.

Live resource tracking system that can be used by all response agencies

The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, the State Fire Commission introduces key performance indicators reporting in relation to its work in community engagement to measure its success in program delivery and community engagement.

The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that the Government should undertake a review of how firefighting equipment and gear in Tasmania can be better standardised with interstate equipment and gear to improve cross-jurisdiction resource utilisation.

The Committee finds that on the evidence presented, that the State Fire Commission should assess whether community engagement programs of the State Fire Services and State Emergency should be centralised.

The Tasmanian fire agencies commission a review into the efectiveness of aerial firefghting in the 2016 fires, in order to better understand and to document for future reference the cost-efectiveness of specifc fire suppression strategies and tactics in different vegetation types. The Review should include a comparative analysis of fire suppression options whether aerial or ground-based.

The Tasmanian fire agencies review: • their pre-season engagement with groups such as (but not limited to) environmental groups who might beneft from a greater understanding of fire management tactics, in order to inform them of and receive feedback on intended approaches to firefghting and fire management the work of the Public Information Section at incident management, regional and State level, to develop an increased appreciation of what information management might be most appropriate to serve the public interest in understanding the progress of the incident and to identify ways of providing surge capacity to resource effective information management in protracted and signifcant incidents.

The Tasmanian fire agencies take steps at a national level to share learnings from the 2016 fires about the administration of interstate assistance and support the codifcation of the workings, structure and reporting lines of an Interstate and International Liaison Unit for future complex deployments within Australia and New Zealand.

The Tasmanian fire agencies think more broadly about how staff who are already employed by Government could support the management of future emergencies.

Develop a disaster client record system.

Assess vulnerability of ecosystems and species to coastal inundation.

Consider outcomes of national review of warnings and review resilience of warning systems’ infrastructure.

Incorporate heatwave surge response planning into business continuity planning.

Enhance the community development program.

Review all hazards response and recovery plans to ensure they address likely earthquake consequences.

Develop coastal inundation education materials that meet the needs of exposed communities.

Undertake local level emergency management planning for areas at risk of debris flow.

Advocate for an National Notifiable Diseases Database.

Improve integration of health information systems.

Continue the Bushfire Ready Neighbourhoods Program.

Assess water supply resilience in the case of an interruption.

Develop and implement a community storm safe awareness program.

Assess options for managed coastal retreat.

Introduce child-centred household level disaster risk reduction strategies in school programs.

Assessment of council’s capacity to manage land effectively.

Review environmental risks associated with hazardous uses within flood prone areas.

Review Ambulance Tasmania surge capacity.

Encourage businesses to consider human influenza pandemics in business continuity planning.

Relax the requirement for medical certificates in the event of an outbreak.

Improve understanding of the allocation of ownership across government, business and individuals.

Review legislation relating to Fuel Stove only areas, Fire Permit System and Total Fire Bans to ensure appropriate incentives to modify individuals’ behaviour.

Development mechanisms to support small councils to manage treatment across the PPRR spectrum (across all hazards).

Actively manage riparian vegetation to manage flood dynamics.

Pro-actively manage landslide areas.

Develop and implement a targeted community flood awareness program.

Review Tas Govt interoperability arrangements.

Test the Biosecurity Act 2015.

Improve the understanding of the vulnerability of critical infrastructure.

Expand the existing Fire Ready Schools Program with enhanced support and incorporate other sites used by vulnerable groups.

Include heatwave in existing preparedness programs.

Develop a community education strategy for when to call 000, 131 444, and 132 500.

Identify and anlalyse the location of critical infrastructure within defined flood areas.

Improve maintenance of flood mitigation infrastructure.

Develop and deliver earthquake hazard awareness products.

Enhance business continuity planning by the Tasmanian Health Service.

Identify and analyse statewide storm hazard risk.

Implement a database management approach for notifiable disease record systems.

Utilise coastal mapping to assess need for coastal defences.

Continue the Community Bushfire Protection Program with a renewed focus on vulnerable groups.

Improve community educational information.

Up-skill isolated communities in emergency PPRR skills.

Develop enablers and capacity for Tasmanian earthquake risk owners.

Review seismic monitoring network alert systems to ensure emergency managers are on the contact lists.

Clarify the relationship between the DHHS and THS in the establishment of flu services.

Engage with industry bodies to explore opportunities to better understand and manage risks.

The report recommends that regional summary reports of clinical reviews be standardised to facilitate review and comparison across regions.

The report recommends that Ambulance Tasmania collects data to allow regular and meaningful comparison of clinical outcomes at the regional level, to better allocate resources and to rapidly identify problems.

The report recommends that Ambulance Tasmania outline what KPIs are measured and provide targets or benchmarks to define what is good or poor performance.

The report recommends that Ambulance Tasmania investigate why the level of multiple responses had increased.

The report recommends that Ambulance Tasmania investigate whether the additional resources in the North and North West regions were effective in reducing average response times.

Impact Assessment Data Sharing The Office of Emergency Management: · with the SEOCON, jointly provides further guidance to Regional Emergency Management Officers about their role in facilitating local council access to the Impact Assessment Data Base · with REMOs and the SEOCON jointly provides further information to local councils about Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements and the data available through this mechanism · includes information about the Impact Assessment Data Sharing Arrangements in the Local Recovery Toolkit · develops a mechanism to allow local councils to have direct access to the collated impact data.

Preventing Flood Related Fatalities: The NSW Government consider the recommendations from the Preventing Flood Related Fatalities Report when it is released.

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.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-commission an independent investigation into the allegations that brigade group captains and captains were not duly, or in a timely way, notified of the outbreak of the Wambelong fire
-improve procedures for the notification of group captains to ensure that they are notified of any fire outbreak in and/or adjoining their brigade areas.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government: • recognise that climate change has increased fire conditions in south-eastern Australia and the risk to natural and cultural values in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area; and • report annually to the World Heritage Committee on the state of conservation in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government recognise the need to enhance protection and conservation efforts in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area by allocating increased funding:
• to the Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania, for appropriate management activities and resources; and
• for research projects aimed at providing qualitative and quantitative data specific to climate-related and ecological threats to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (such as dry lightning strike).

The committee recommends that the Australian Government commit to long-term funding for the the National Aerial Firefighting Centre of an amount that is at least equal to government's current contribution, rising in line with the Consumer Price Index

The committee recommends that the Australian Government, in conjunction with state and territory governments, investigate a national remote area firefighting capability, to support Australian fire agencies.

SACFS and the BoM review current weather, fuel loads and curing rates to determine the most appropriate and accurate forecast is prepared, issued and validated against current conditions.

The Department of Housing and Public Works should consider preparing an annual communique to asset owners of, and local governments with access to public cyclone shelters, outlining the maintenance and certification process and pre-season status.

Opportunities should be identified through the Local Government Association of Queensland council to council arrangement to share structural engineers to assess potential places of refuge against the Department of Housing and Public Works’ structure classification criteria.

A state-wide engagement strategy is coordinated to ensure community messaging is consistent across all levels of Queensland’s disaster management arrangements.

A state-wide strategy, including a common definition, is developed for identifying and engaging vulnerable people in emergencies.

An audit of all local government areas vulnerable to storm tide events is completed and opportunities identified to resolve gaps in evacuation zone planning to ensure consistency with the Queensland Evacuation Guidelines for Disaster Management Groups and neighbouring local government areas.

SunWater provide downstream residents with easily understood information regarding operation of the dam, and the impacts that various outflows may have for them, in accordance with mapping prepared for the Emergency Action Plan. This information should be complementary to any information from the Banana Shire Council.

Banana Shire Council coordinates the development of a strategy to significantly enhance public education regarding local disaster management arrangements within the Banana Shire, focusing on key identified risks.

improves engagement with communities to prepare for and respond to bushfires by:
- increasing focus on monitoring the effects of educational materials it develops
- reviewing and amending its bushfire warnings and alert protocols to provide clear and consistent messages to residents about the action to be taken before and during a bushfire.

Queensland Fire and Emergency Services should consider developing and implementing mechanisms, such as face-to-face forums, for disaster management practitioners to share knowledge, contemporary research findings and document good practice about warnings.

The Queensland Emergency Alert Guidelines is reviewed to reflect current practice and incorporate evidence-based improvements informed by lessons learned and research.

The State Disaster Coordination Centre Notification Matrix is reviewed to ensure local governments are notified of any event affecting, or likely to affect, their local government area.

The Queensland State Disaster Management Plan is reviewed to:
- clarify core disaster management functions in relation to the issue of warnings, and provide guidance on state agency lead, co-lead and support roles and responsibilities
- include direction for primary agencies to ensure local groups are included in the development and issue of hazard-specific warnings and public information
- ensure the role of the Crisis Communications Network and the Public Safety Business Agency Public Information Cell is clearly articulated to enable effective public information and messaging at all levels of the arrangements, including local government.

Farm Management Deposits
The Farm Management Deposit Scheme appears to be a well-structured framework for
building rural resilience, however its uptake is low. Recent Commonwealth Government
announcements regarding this scheme should be applauded, but more work appears to be
needed to understand why the scheme is not more widely used, and to promote its use as a
means of building enterprise resilience.

Improvements to the Targeting of Government Support to Build Primary Industry Resilience
In a climate where Governments at all levels are seeking to maximise the effectiveness of
Australian businesses, including primary production, there would seem to be some benefit in
exploring available options to ensure those enterprises that exhibit the industry improvement
behaviours sought are not excluded from disaster support. The Recovery Coordinator
supports the intent of measures to ensure disaster relief support only goes to bona-fide
primary producers, but believes there would be benefit in identifying a more elegant means
of determining eligibility than is in place currently. The Local Land Services (LLS) work in this
area should continue.

Government Communications Coordination
In future events, a more coordinated communications structure across Government, where
planned Government announcements relevant to the region in recovery are developed in
conjunction with the recovery team, would be beneficial to ensure recovery teams are aware
of, and can plan for, decisions that impact on the work of the recovery team.

Media Engagement Consideration should be given on future recovery operations to adopting a more structured approach to media engagement, with regular media briefings undertaken at a frequency dependent upon the phase of the recovery activities and the level of media interest. These briefings could be conducted at different locations around the region, if appropriate, and would provide the opportunity for communication of key messages and provide journalists with the opportunity to ask questions regarding the recovery. This could be complemented by media coverage of community engagement visits. For all recovery operations,
consideration should be given to the identification and secondment of a dedicated media
advisor to manage the media messaging.

Improving Community Preparedness and Resilience
Noting work ongoing to improve the quality of planning at LEMC level, communities should
be encouraged and assisted where possible to make simple assessments of their risks and
take simple measures to support themselves in the immediate time after an event. This may
include identifying potential isolations and preparing supplies of food and water; backup communications options; proposing possible community meeting places and / or identifying
community members who may be able to assist others.

To provide improved oversight and assurance in its administration of the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recommends that the Attorney‐General’s Department:
(a) obtain project level information from states and territories to enable more informed analysis of claim amounts; and
(b) implement a risk‐based approach to examining the eligibility and value for money of a sample of recovery and reconstruction projects.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recommends that the Attorney‐General’s Department significantly improve the administration of disaster relief and recovery funding by:
(a) adopting more timely processes for developing, finalising and promulgating disaster funding guidelines and advisories; and
(b) implementing administrative arrangements that provide it with greater details of the amounts included in expenditure claims, including project specific information.

DFES should prepare a Standard Operating Procedure for the conduct of community meetings, and have available the appropriate audio visual and other equipment, to ensure that such meetings are able to fulfil their function in providing information and direction

Automatic Vehicle Location technology should be adopted to enable a better appreciation of the deployment and location of appliances at an incident, in order to increase situational awareness

Relevant policies and Westplans should be amended to require that full consultation occurs between the Controlling Agency and the Department for Child Protection and Family Support regarding the location of the evacuation centre(s) in a bushfire incident.

Procedures should be established to monitor the use of heavy plant during a bushfire incident, including the tasking of support appliances. Procedures should provide for the appointment of a dedicated Machinery Supervisor as prescribed within the Australasian Interservice Incident Management System.

SEMC Secretariat Community Emergency Management Officers should work with the Shire to document the Shire of Mundaring’s learnings from the Parkerville Stoneville Mt Helena fire with a view to sharing this with other local authorities particularly those facing similar situations in order to extend the range of tools available to assist local governments to understand their roles and responsibilities in future emergencies.

Radio infrastructure in the Perth Hills should be reviewed to assess whether it is practicable for radio and/or mobile phone coverage to be improved to achieve better coverage across the area.

Staff and consultants skilled in community engagement practice should be specifically included in bushfire risk management planning and preparedness building programs undertaken by State agencies and/or local government.

Every effort should be made to enhance the ability of communications personnel to cope with fast moving and time critical fire events by providing and maintaining: ongoing extensive communications training; advanced vehicle capability for clear communication within areas of radio coverage dead spots; ability to receive Air intelligence live streaming; map production facilities; deployment of multiple Incident Control Vehicles when required; all Incident Control Vehicles with access to DFES Information Technology Systems.

GDF Suez: • consequences of fire in the worked out areas of the Hazelwood mine, and an assessment of the most effective fre protection for the exposed coal surfaces; conduct, assisted by an independent consultant, a risk assessment of the likelihood and • controls are in place to eliminate or reduce the risk of fre; and prepare an implementation plan that ensures the most effective and reasonably practicable • implement the plan

The State, led by Emergency Management Victoria, develop a community engagement model for emergency management to ensure all State agencies and local governments engage with communities and already identifed trusted networks as an integral component of emergency management planning.

The State empower and require the Auditor-General or another appropriate agency, to: • oversee the implementation of these recommendations and the commitments made by the State and GDF Suez during this Inquiry; and • report publicly every year for the next three years on the progress made in implementing recommendations and commitments.

GDF Suez: • practice and ensures that, by taking a risk management approach, it is suitable for fire prevention, mitigation and suppression in all parts of the Hazelwood mine; and review its ‘Mine Fire Service Policy and Code of Practice’ so that it refects industry best • work plan for the Hazelwood mine. incorporate the revised ‘Mine Fire Service Policy and Code of Practice’ into the approved

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
- commission an independent investigation into the allegations that brigade group captains and captains were not duly, or in a timely way, notified of the outbreak of the Wambelong fire
- improve procedures for the notification of group captains to ensure that they are notified of any fire outbreak in and/or adjoining their brigade areas.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information.

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.

That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out.

That NPWS and the RFS consider developing a land management policy that requires active engagement with property owners adjoining the Park to ensure that hazard reduction and asset protection is encouraged and undertaken before the bush fire season commences

That where, in the future a similar process for land clearing is adopted, the rationale and process is better explained and widely promulgated.

That recovery policy incorporates the need for regular public meetings which give access to officials and representatives of agencies, as required

The Australian Government appoints an additional Australian Transport Safety Bureau Commissioner with aviation operational and safety management experience.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority structures all regulations not yet made with the three-tier approach, and subsequently reviews all other Civil Aviation Safety Regulation Parts (in consultation with industry) to determine if they should be remade using the three-tier structure.

The Australian Transport Safety Bureau investigates as many fatal accidents in the sport and recreational aviation sector as its resources will allow.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority shares the risk assessment outputs of Sky Sentinel, its computerised risk assessment system, with the applicable authorisation holder.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority implements a system of using third-party commercial audits as a supplementary tool to its surveillance system.

The Australian Government develops the State Safety Program into a strategic plan for Australia’s aviation safety system, under the leadership of the Aviation Policy Group, and uses it as the foundation for rationalising and improving coordination mechanisms.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority assures consistency of audits across all regions, and delivers audit reports within an agreed timeframe.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority provides full disclosure of audit findings at audit exit briefings in accordance with international best practice.

The Civil Aviation Safety Authority changes its regulatory philosophy and, together with industry, builds an effective collaborative relationship on a foundation of mutual understanding and respect.

The Australian Government amends regulations so that background checks and the requirement to hold an Aviation Security Identification Card are only required for unescorted access to Security Restricted Areas, not for general airside access. This approach would align with international practice.

Defence should not procure any firefighting vehicle for Marrangaroo Training Area without first consulting relevant personnel within the Rural Fire Service on an appropriate type of vehicle, and obtaining training for the personnel proposed to use it. Alternatively, Defence should explore contracted firefighitng support during periods of live-fire on Marrangaroo Training Area.

Firefighitng capability at Marrangaroo Training Area be upgraded so that Australian Defence Force members are not placed in situations of unacceptable risk. Specifically, those participating in range practices must have access to a firefighting vehicle close by and easily deployed, and capable of throwing a large quantity of water an appreciable distance into areas adjacent to the ranges, should a fire occur. 

The Regional Director-Defence Support-Northern NSW, make contact with Deputy Commissioner ~~~~~ Director of Operational Services Rural Fire Service, to arrange a headquarters driven bipartite review of the events of 16 October 2013 with a review to mitigation of future fire events generally, and with specific reference to: 
a. hazard reduction programming and site works on Marrangaroo Training Area;
b. bushfire response within Marrangaroo Training Area, with specific reference to equipment to be kept on or present on site and operated by Defence personnel and the circumstances in which the Rural Fire Service will respond to a report of bushfire within Marrangaroo Training Area; and
c. the development and implementation of a Memorandum of Understanding between Defence and the Rural Fire Service in relation to these matters.

A Stryker unit, or an upgraded firefighting unit, be present at the range sentry point, remain manned and ready to deploy during range activites, with its driver in direct radio contact with the Range Safety Officer. Upon the range being declared clear by the Safety Officer inspecting the range after a demolition serial, the firefighting unit must proceed forward to the range wile the periphery of the range continues to be inspected by the Safety Officer, and remain on the range until the Safety officer declares that the area is clear of fire or that it is otherwise appropriate for the fireghting unit to leave the range area. 

Defence undertake a review of its ability to respond to a fire within Marrangaroo Training Area, whether bushfire or structural. The underlying assumption should be that the only response available to fight a fire within Marrangaroo Training Area will be provided by Defence. Further, such response must occur while a fire is in its initial stages. A review must either acknowledge the risk of fire occurring in th future, or upgrade Defence's firefighting capability at Marrangaroo Training Area. 

Defence Security Authority conduct an investigation into the whereabouts of items of anaccounted explosive ordnance issued to Defence Explosive Ordnance Training School Exercise Marrangaroo.

State and territory governments should prioritise and accelerate implementation of the Enhancing Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment Roadmap, including reviewing the regulatory components of vendor disclosure statements. The Land Use Planning and Building Codes Taskforce should be tasked to identify and consider options for regular, low-cost dissemination of hazard information to households by governments and insurers.

State and territory governments should develop benchmark prices for the reconstruction of essential public assets and submit these to the Australian Government for approval within one year. In developing these prices, they should consult with local governments and relevant experts, and draw on asset management plans. The prices should be reviewed and updated over time.

State and territory governments should be required to report on the following accountability requirements:
• published risk assessments in accordance with the National Emergency Risk Assessment Guidelines
• transparent natural disaster liabilities in state and territory government budgets
• asset registers and asset management plans at the state, territory and local government level that incorporate natural disaster risk
• implementation of the Enhancing Disaster Resilience in the Built Environment Roadmap
• effective mechanisms to identify and prioritise mitigation spending based on cost–benefit analysis and transparent decision making.
Specifically, effective mechanisms to identify and prioritise mitigation spending should include:
• project proposals that are supported by robust and transparent evaluations (including cost–benefit analysis, public consultation and assessment of non-quantifiable impacts), and that are consistent with state risk assessments
• considering alternative or complementary mitigation options (including structural and non-structural measures)
• using private funding sources where it is feasible and efficient to do so (including charging beneficiaries)
• transparent ex-post evaluation of mitigation projects.
The Australian Government should continue with the three-yearly reviews of state and territory governments’ insurance arrangements. The reviews, and government responses to their recommendations, should be published.

The Australian Government should schedule an independent and public review of the progress of reforms to natural disaster funding arrangements five years after implementation has commenced. This review should examine the operation and efficacy of the arrangements, including the:
• use of assessed damages and benchmark prices for the reconstruction of essential public assets
• use of upfront grants for community recovery
• feasibility of moving away from a cumulative trigger for recovery funding and towards an event-based model
• quantum and impacts of mitigation funding, and the institutional arrangements used by states and territories to allocate the mitigation funding they receive
• accountability arrangements for each level of government, including those that relate to Australian Government budgeting for natural disasters, insurance of state and territory government assets, and use of asset management planning by state, territory and local governments
• progress implementing the Commissions’ recommendations in relation to land use planning, information provision and insurance.
In developing terms of reference for this review, the Australian Government should consult with state and territory governments.

State and territory taxes and levies on general insurance should be phased out and replaced with less distortionary taxes.

State governments, where they have not already done so, should provide local governments with statutory protection from liability for releasing natural hazard information and making changes to local planning schemes where such actions have been taken ‘in good faith’ and in accordance with state planning policy and legislation.

State and territory governments should:
• clearly articulate the statewide natural hazard risk appetite in land use planning policy frameworks by identifying the risks posed by natural hazards and specifying appropriate planning controls for each given level of risk
• provide local governments with guidance on how to prioritise competing objectives within land use planning
• provide local governments with guidance on how to integrate land use planning and building standards. Consideration should be given to Victoria’s Integrated Planning and Building Framework for Bushfire in this regard.
State and territory governments should regularly review their published risk appetite and guidance documentation to ensure it is up-to-date, accessible and incorporates relevant hazard information.
Local governments should record the reasoning behind development assessment decisions, where they do not do so already, and (at a minimum) provide this information to the public upon request.

Within three years, the Australian Government should develop and implement a framework for untied grants for community recovery assistance to state and territory governments. This framework should take into account factors such as the type, location and scale of a disaster, and the number of people affected.

The ANAO recommends that the Department of Defence take steps to strengthen the priority afforded by Defence units to meeting these reporting requirements.

As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields.

Western Australia Health should carry out targeted clinical audits in volunteer country sub-centres until longer term solutions are in place

Western Australia Health should carry out targeted clinical audits in volunteer country sub-centres until longer term solutions are in place

Western Australia Health should require service providers to report more comprehensive performance data using additional cost and clinical indicators

Western Australia Health should include in contracts minimum standards for emergency and secondary ambulance services and effective mechanisms to monitor these

St John Ambulance should develop quantitative performance targets for community paramedics and report these to Western Australia Health

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

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.

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

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

That the role of Red Cross in emergency management plans and procedures for the activation of Red Cross be reviewed.

That bushfire agencies evaluate the use and effectiveness of fixed wing water bombing aircraft.

That the Government take into account demographic change in its assessment of the consequences of climate change on emergency events.

That an independent means of monitoring and reporting on the implementation of approved recommendations is established.

That the police and other emergency service organisations discuss their resource issues for emergency operations with the Government.

That emergency management plans specifically include processes for effectively engaging with local communities and using community resources, including volunteers.

That a structure and facilities be established for the State Controller or other person managing multi-agency response and recovery operations.

That an accountability process be established for managing improvement in the emergency management arrangements, including annual State of Readiness Reports by relevant departments and agencies and on the overall emergency management arrangements.

That further options to appropriately supplement the resources available for emergency management operations be examined.

That the State Emergency Management Committee develops and coordinates a whole-of-government community resilience strategy for emergencies in a form that can be practically implemented, as a priority.

If it is considered more information is required on action to suppress the fires in Dunalley and why fire operations did not continue, the Department of Justice should conduct an independent examination of this matter.

That membership of the State Emergency Management Committee, and other processes to link in appropriate agencies and organisations to emergency management, be included in the recommended review of the emergency management arrangements.

That a review be conducted of the resource capacity and capability to provide effective and efficient emergency operations, including approved improvements.

That a bushfire community education and information strategy be professionally developed and coordinated across the fire authorities by Tasmania Fire Service.

That a process be established for the timely implementation of approved recommendations from the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission.

That bushfire agencies develop, implement and maintain air operations procedures.

That the Strategic Fuel Management Plan includes measurable targets and they are actively monitored and reported on to the community.

That the plans for social recovery be reviewed, and plans and procedures are established ready for implementation.

That bushfire agencies develop procedures for the automatic activation of aircraft to fires at pre-determined trigger points on high fire risk days.

That the legislation and enforcement arrangements are reviewed to ensure there are suitable offences and penalties, investigation and enforcement capabilities, and a rigorous approach is taken to breaches of the law.

TFS seek to address the following outstanding items from the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. § 45 out of 53 Community Bushfire Response Plans for “at risk” communities have been finalized. The remaining eight should be completed as a priority action. § That TFS progress the development of Community Bushfire Mitigation Plans for the 53 at risk communities, possibly as an action for reactivated Fire Management Area Committees. § TFS, together with other ESOs and local government, should develop a common comprehensive approach to the option of planned evacuation from dangerous or potentially dangerous areas to safer areas and eventual return. § TFS should include factors for consideration for evacuation during a bushfire into their training doctrine for Incident Controllers. § The IAP Template and its application be reinforced as an important operational requirement for IMT’s during the 2013-14 pre-season briefing program. 10 § That TFS review their use of IRMS to ascertain if either its full potential is not being realized through a lack of operator training or it is in fact not providing the required functionality and there is a need to research an improved resource management system which enhances interoperability. § The TFS Publication: Guidelines for Development in Bushfire Prone Areas of Tasmania http://www.fire.tas.gov.au/userfiles/stuartp/file/Publications/BushDeve… s2012.pdf requires an update to reflect the provisions of Planning Directive #5 Bushfire-Prone Areas Code.

TFS make their community education and safety material available to the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Tasmania.

Recommendation 9 TFS should review the capacity of its Fire Information Line to handle very large scale events, and explore additional options for a surge capability for the Fire Information Line.

That until the outcome of the Whole of Government project is complete (and interoperability is achieved), emergency services should investigate and implement methods for further improving interoperability.

That the project team become independent from any of the entities involved in the Whole of Government network.

That stakeholders involved with the Whole of Government radio project re-engage positively to ensure a solution to the current impasse is achieved in the best interests of the stakeholders and the State as a whole.

That government considers the establishment of a separate unit to implement and operate a Whole of Government network if existing stakeholders fail to make significant progress toward an agreed Whole of Government solution.

That the network managers produce business cases for all major upgrades.

That the Whole of Government project’s objectives should include meeting entity requirements and the consultant be asked to reevaluate the revised set of objectives.

That network managers develop and document strategic plans for the management of their radio networks.

The Act be amended to require the mandatory appointment of Authorised Officers by each rural council or council that has within its area a Designated Urban Bushfire Risk Area(s) with an option for the CFS Chief Officer to exempt council from this requirement (similar to Section 105B). 

A thorough consultative process be developed and implemented between the CFS and local government. This will determine how bushfire management planning can enable improved process and practice to mitigate bushfire risk, and ensure that fire permits are issued and complied with.

That an independent review of the operational and geographic boundaries of the ESOs be conducted recognising the limitations of the current governance structures to adequately address such issues. Such a review needs to be performed periodically, but not less than every 8 years.

An external audit of shared services performed by SAFECOM and services now provided by the three ESOs which have the potential to be shared, be undertaken to determine the most efficient and cost effective way such services can be delivered to the sector. The three ESO Chiefs need to have input into this process.

Review Section 134 to ensure that it is not a deterrent to a group of farm fire units operating at an incident.

Review employment conditions under the F&ES Act to align with those under the Public Sector Act unless there is a compelling reason to the contrary.

When judging major incidents in the future, consideration be given to Eburn and Dover’s proposal to establish processes with a statutory basis that sufficiently balance the community’s interests in ensuring that true lessons, including lessons of error or neglect, are identified, whilst also protecting members of the emergency services. Processes need to be developed for emergency services such as those used in aviation and medicine, to facilitate open and honest disclosure of errors.

That the Government resume funding for the helicopter surveillance service rather than by fixed-wing aircraft along Adelaide, South Coast and other high-risk coastlines during summer recreational periods for monitoring shark and other rescue situations, to bring the State back into line with interstate best practice.

That Government agencies work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and radio stations that broadcast emergency service announcements, to ensure the earliest possible determination of, and communications about, dangerous bushfire conditions.

That the Government adequately fund Community Safety and Emergency Services budgets so that fire-bombing aircraft are available on call for rapid deployment throughout Autumn and Spring at short notice to bomb fires at the earliest and safest possible opportunity.

That the Government explore as a matter of priority the transitioning to St John Ambulance SA Ltd providing non-emergency ambulance carriage services in South Australia, and be appropriately funded for doing so.

That the Government’s Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (SAMFS Firefighters) Amendment Bill be amended to include Country Fire Service firefighters alongside Metropolitan Fire Service firefighters.

That the Government explore as a matter of priority the transitioning to St John Ambulance SA Ltd providing non-emergency ambulance carriage services in South Australia, and be appropriately funded for doing so.

That the State Government give high priority to liaising with interstate and Federal processes, and offer to take a lead, on changing the climatic and fire rating arrangements to ensure these match the conditions that can create dangerous bushfire conditions at short notice.

That the Government consult broadly upon and review impediments to volunteering in the community and establish a taskforce to assist in removing barriers to volunteering, particularly with respect to:
i harmonising the regime for reimbursement to community safety and emergency services volunteers for their out-of-pocket expenses; and
ii reviewing the impact of work health and safety laws on the community safety and emergency service sector, particularly on the volunteer organisation.

That an ‘Options Paper’ be developed by District Inspectors on the suitability and supply of PPE and equipment to volunteers for their district.

That each District Inspector prepare a report on vehicles required over the next ten years based on current age of fleet.

That Rural Fire Brigades only be required to conduct an audit of finances if the Brigades income exceeds $5,000 for a financial year. RFSQ District offices should investigate options for savings on the costs of auditing Brigades in their district through either an in-house or external provider. Legal Status of Brigades

That the Rural Fire Service Queensland revoke its current 20 year maximum age policy on volunteer Brigade vehicles to allow Brigades wanting to retain their vehicle to do so, providing the vehicle has an annual mechanical certificate. A 30 year maximum age policy for vehicles will replace the 20 year policy.

That a policy be developed around the ownership, insurance and safe use and operation of All Terrain Vehicle 4WD vehicles by brigades for fire fighting purposes.

That the extent of forest and plantation fuel load fire risk in South East Queensland requires a designated government resources fire team to manage this risk and proactively conduct fuel mitigation burning; and provide a wildfire response to government land.

Use of private aircraft to be at the discretion of District Inspector or Incident Control and reimbursement of fuel to be authorised accordingly.

That vehicles are fit for the purpose and the Brigade locality for which they are intended. A group of two volunteers, in conjunction with the Rural Fire Brigades Association Queensland, should be charged with reviewing current models and providing Recommendations on vehicle suitability.

That on all land where fuel load creates a fire risk, the owner shall be responsible for the construction and maintenance of effective firebreaks. Failure to provide effective and accessible firebreaks will result in the cost of firebreak construction to control a wildfire on this land being debited to the land owner

That the reflective livery on Rural Fire Service Queensland staff vehicles be kept to a minimum of a light bar and affixed Rural Fire Service Queensland logo. These vehicles are to be appropriate to the task and location.

That Rural Fire Service Queensland, in consultation with Primary Producer Brigade volunteers, redesign and reconfigure slip-on units to bring the total cost below the level required for asset registration. The redesign should allow for the foam system to be optional.

The issue of red and blue lights for RFSQ and SES vehicles be further pursued by the Department of Community Safety

That the Queensland Government liaise with the Federal Government with a view to securing incentives for employers that recognise loss of income and employee time for emergency operations.

That all land on which rural fire brigade sheds are located be re-evaluated to formalise enforceable lease agreements.

That the Rural Fire Service Queensland catalogue accurately reflects the range of equipment available.

That the State Government supply and logistics for Personal Protective Equipment and other equipment be urgently reviewed with a focus on timely and cost effective delivery to volunteer members.

That a Ministerial Advisory Council be established to inform the Minister of matters relating to Rural Fire Service and SES volunteers.

That RFSQ retain responsibility for Air Operations and re-evaluate avenues for cost recovery when aircraft are used by other agencies. The coordination of incendiary tasking to support mitigation should sit with the RFSQ in coordination with other agencies

That the Department of Health publicly reports a comprehensive suite of performance information, including:
- response performance across all priority codes, including Code 2 (urgent) incidents and against response targets
- results of clinical audits and reviews

That the Department of Health enhances management reporting processes over complaints by recording the number and nature of complaints, following up outstanding complaints formally and reporting complaints data to executive management.

That Queensland Corrective Service, in consultation with key partners in the criminal justice and social services sectors, develops specific performance indicators focused on efficiencies and customer/stakeholder outcomes across the criminal justice system.

That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service undertake a review of all standing orders, incident directives and guidelines regarding response protocols with a view to reducing risk to staff and other road users associated with urgent duty driving.

That the proposed efficiency review of the Queensland Police Service examine whether:
- the Queensland Police Service is losing money from indirect costs associated with extraneous activities through sick leave or additional overtime shifts allocated to cover officers undertaking ‘special services’ activities
- there is a degree of transfer of risk to the Queensland Police Service when their services are ‘bought’ for commercial activities such as crowd control for private events.

The Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business establishes a set of performance indicators to provide a transparent process for government to monitor its performance.

That the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business leads an efficiency review of portfolio agencies beginning with the Queensland Police Service.

That Queensland Corrective Service should increase the use of technology as an alternative to court appearances and ensure the provision of appropriate number and level of facilities under its control.

That the Queensland Ambulance Service is transferred to Queensland Health by a machinery-of-Government change as soon as is practicable and that the Commissioner report directly to the Director General Queensland Health.

That the Minister establish a public sector office to be headed by an Inspector General of Emergency Management. The Inspector General of Emergency Management will be responsible for most of the functions listed under part 16A of the current Disaster Management Act 2003.

Recommendation: That:
- as a priority, the Queensland Police Service expand its development of a police portal to receive and post information to the public to make it interactive; and
- the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business develops portfolio wide interactive opportunities for the community to directly deal with portfolio agencies.

That responsibility for prisoner transport and non-managerial roles within the larger watch-houses is transferred to Queensland Corrective Service.

That the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business collaborate with the two portfolio Commissioners to:
- develop an analytical tool is to identify the most appropriate level of service
- identify the need for new or enhanced services
- reduce the level of resources where appropriate
- identify current anomalies regarding service delivery and therefore opportunities for rationalisation of stations
- consider collocation with other services as a first principle before committing to new capital projects.

That should the Mobile Strategy in its current form be approved by government the CEO Portfolio Business and the Deputy Commissioner Operations:
- monitor the success of the mobility strategy
- report on a quarterly basis to government on the achievement of the identified saving presented as part of the mobility strategy business plan (1414 FTE $174 million)
- report on the achievement of the increased frontline police numbers from this initiative of 1,587 FTE on a quarterly basis.

To remove the Queensland Ambulance Service and Queensland Corrective Services from the Department of Community Safety—we recommend that it be renamed the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and be led by a Commissioner.

That the Prostitution Licensing Authority be moved to the Department of Justice and Attorney General Office of Fair Trading.

Those final determinations of disaster management districts include consultation with the Local Government Association Queensland, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service and other Government departments.

That in establishing new disaster districts, the first guiding principle must be to align with local government boundaries and that divergence should only occur when there is a need to address a unique local circumstance.

Recommendation: That the CEO Portfolio Business collaborates with the two portfolio Commissioners to:
- develop an analytical tool to identify the most appropriate level of service
- identify the need for new or enhanced services
- reduce the level of resources where appropriate
- identify current anomalies regarding service delivery and therefore opportunities for rationalisation of stations
- consider collocation with other services as a first principle before committing to new capital projects.

That as the Queensland Police Service moves to a digital platform the strategy around effective targeting and alternative ANPR models should form part of the design architecture considerations.

That Queensland Corrective Service remains a separate program within the Department of Justice and Attorney-General so that while opportunities for improved services and efficacy can be realised, there is a clear separation from the youth justice services.

That Emergency Management Queensland be integrated with the current Queensland Fire and Rescue to become the Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

That the roll-out of the mobile service program business case mentioned earlier
- Be specific about gateways and milestones; and
- If the new technology enables improved data, the Queensland Police Service revisit previous statistical reporting and identify any major anomalies.

That probation and parole should continue to work together with the Queensland Police Service to reduce the risk of reoffending and reduce crime.

There be a formation of an Office of Portfolio Business, providing support and governance across a range of corporate functions, which are essential to the delivery of frontline services. The Review team considers that the functions of the Operations Business and Strategy Directorate should become part of that Office and that any exception should be carefully considered by those charged with implementation of approved recommendations.

That the Inspector General Emergency Management be empowered to provide an assurance to Government that the disaster management system is both appropriate and capable of dealing with complex events.

That funding, staffing and responsibility associated with administration of the NDRP be transferred from Emergency Management Queensland to the Department of Local Government, Community Recovery and Resilience.

That the proposed efficiency review consider whether special service functions are core business, whether this practice is sustainable, and other options such as the use of casual employees.

That efforts by the courts, the Director of Public Prosecutions, the legal profession, Queensland Corrective Services and the Queensland Police Service to adopt technology for court processes should be supported through Government funding in so far as they create efficiencies, result in lower costs and produce better human rights outcomes.

That Queensland Corrective Services be transferred to the Department of Justice and Attorney-General by a machinery-of-Government change as soon as is practicable.

That the role of the Inspector General Emergency Management not extend to conducting reviews on behalf of agencies and that the role consider the effectiveness of all agencies and how their work contributes to a whole of Government response.

That the Queensland Police Service Commissioner addresses the situation regarding statistical reporting. The Commissioner, in collaboration with the Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service Commissioner should also examine the opportunity to acquire the services of a qualified and experienced Chief Information Officer or Chief Digital Officer in line with other Queensland and Australian government agencies.

That social benefit bonds and other opportunities with the business and not-for-profit sectors be developed to reduce reoffending and to provide rehabilitation programs. Such an instrument should be available to the market within two years.

That as part of its efficiency review, the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service instigate an independent review of commercial operations in terms of statutory obligations and current ‘full cost pricing’ methodology to ensure:
a. compliance with all necessary obligations
b. that if current understanding of profitability is not valid, then Training and Emergency Management Unit operations should be wound up.

That transparency of the Ministerial direction be achieved through publishing and monitoring for effectiveness.

That the Queensland Police Service Disaster Management Unit is to be permanently located at the State Disaster Coordination Centre to work on a day to day basis with the proposed new Department of Fire and Emergency Services.

That primacy of control should rest with the State Disaster Coordinator. This position should, by default, be the Deputy Commissioner, Regional Operations, Queensland Police Service.

That the proposed efficiency review includes a focus on the rank structure of both the Queensland Police Service and the proposed Fire and Emergency Services.

That Queensland Health continues to recognise and foster the important contributions of Local Ambulance Committees to supporting effective community focused ambulance services across the State.

That the Inspector General Emergency Management provide continuing advice to Government on the level of interoperability in disaster management arrangements, as well as the level of interoperability being achieved within the new portfolio.

That the efficiency review of the Queensland Police Service develop options for better management of community expectations and divesting the organisation of historical practices.

That Queensland Corrective Service continues to develop its proposed recidivism index as a priority, including place and program based measures.

That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service community safety operations be joined in the efficiency review of the Queensland Police Service focussing on both the community safety outcomes achieved and the extent to which they support the Government’s economic priorities.

That the review of this Queensland Fire and Rescue Services business unit be done in conjunction with the efficiency review proposed for the Queensland Police Service.

That the Commissioners of Police and the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service review the current district disaster boundaries as a matter of urgency in-line with the findings and recommendations of the Auditor–General’s report into the Queensland disaster management system.

That primacy of control for disaster operations remains with the Queensland Police Service and be reinforced.

That the new Chief Executive Officer Portfolio Business be accountable for delivering the reformed Communications Centre arrangement by the 2017–18 financial year in time for the Commonwealth Games of 2018.

That the information and communication technology solution being developed to provide situational awareness, decision support, event management and that logs critical decisions receives urgent attention to ensure timely completion.

That negotiation takes place between Queensland Health and the Queensland Ambulance Service to determine the broad governance requirements of any such arrangements.

That the position of Inspector General Emergency Management (in addition to some of the responsibilities of the chief executive officer under the current Disaster Management Act 2003) will:
- Ensure interoperability of systems across portfolio agencies and those who support Queensland Disaster Management Arrangements (QDMA).
- Ensure compliance by Queensland Government agencies with their emergency or disaster management responsibilities.
- Establish and implement a performance standards and assurance framework to direct, guide and focus work of all agencies across all tiers of Government to desired outcomes of QDMA.
- Conduct regular benchmarking and quality assurance exercises with public safety agencies to ensure standards remain contemporary.
- Provide independent advice and leadership to government on any matter in relation to emergency management or interoperability between agencies within the public safety portfolio.
- Work with emergency services, government departments and the community to identify and continuously improve community resilience, volunteer capacity and disaster and emergency management arrangements.
- Identify areas for cooperative partnerships, alliances and research opportunities to improve community outcomes, ensuring appropriate Queensland input into the Bushfire and Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre.

That the Chief Executive Officer portfolio business and Commissioner of Police in line with the government’s open data policy consider introducing an improved social media style forum for interaction with the community and stakeholders across the portfolio.

Ensure the SES has the long-term capacity to plan and exercise for the full range of flood events in the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley

Review the NSW state-wide governance arrangements for flood risk management so that broader issues identified by this Review can be most effectively addressed.

Develop mechanisms and arrangements to promote and provide greater access to flood risk information.

Monitor, investigate and address community response to flood warnings

Undertake, coordinate and evaluate community education programs on flood risk and response.

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

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

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

The committee recommends that a short inquiry be conducted by the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport into the current status of aviation regulatory reform to assess the direction, progress and resources expended to date to ensure greater visibility of the processes.

The committee recommends that the relevant agencies investigate appropriate methods to ensure that information about the incidence of, and variable weather conditions at, Norfolk Island is available to assist flight crews and operators managing risk that may result from unforseen weather events.

The committee recommends that CASA processes in relation to matters highlighted by this investigation be reviewed. This could involve an evaluation benchmarked against a credible peer (such as FAA or CAA) of regulation and audits with respect to: non-RPT passenger carrying operations; approach to audits; and training and standardisation of FOI across regional offices.

The committee recommends that the relevant agencies review whether any equipment or other changes can be made to improve the weather forecasting at Norfolk Island. The review would include whether the Unicom operator should be an approved meteorological observer.

The committee recommends that the investigation be re-opened by the ATSB with a focus on organisational, oversight and broader systemic issues.

The committee recommends that the ATSB review its process to track the implementation of recommendations or safety actions to ensure it is an effective closed loop system. This should be made public, and provided to the Senate Regional and Rural Affairs and Transport Committee prior to each Budget Estimates.

The committee recommends that where a safety action has not been completed before a report being issued that a recommendation should be made. If it has been completed the report should include details of the action, who was involved and how it was resolved.

The committee recommends that the ATSB prepare and release publicly a list of all its identified safety issues and the actions which are being taken or have been taken to address them. The ATSB should indicate its progress in monitoring the actions every 6 months and report every 12 months to Parliament.

The committee recommends that in relation to mandatory and confidential reporting, the default position should be that no identifying details should be provided or disclosed. However, if there is a clear risk to safety then the ATSB, CASA and industry representatives should develop a process that contains appropriate checks and balances.

To strengthen its oversight of Queensland reconstruction progress, the Australian National Audit Office (ANAO)  recommends that the National Disaster Recovery Taskforce:
(a) monitor revisions to scheduled project completion dates, and raise with the Queensland Reconstruction Authority any issues and anomalies, as appropriate; and
(b) adopt a more pro‐active approach to requesting timely progress and completion reporting documentation from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority according to planned and reported actual completion dates.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recommends that the Australian Government Reconstruction Inspectorate and the National Disaster Recovery Taskforce seek to maximise the benefits from their value for money review activities by obtaining more timely and comprehensive information on project progress and completion from the Queensland Reconstruction Authority, to enable the preliminary value for money assessments to be finalised based on the scope and cost of works that were actually delivered (rather than estimates).

When businesses review their business continuity plans they should take into account the prospect of a major telecommunications outage that affects both mobile and fixed voice and data services.

Providers of personal alert devices consider telecommunications outages in their service continuity plans and provide clear advice to their customers regarding their options during a telecommunications service outage.

Telstra and other service providers to consider improving processes to assist customers with setting up temporary call diversions during future outages.

Community service providers consider developing information and advice regarding telecommunications outages for clients managed remotely using telecommunication services, including personal alert devices.

While noting the importance of voice communications, telecommunications providers should consider as part of their mass outage business continuity planning, options for the provision of interim mobile broadband services for the community e.g. local wireless broadband access hubs (i.e. Wi-Fi).

Community service providers consider updating their business continuity plans to take into account the possibility of a major telecommunications outage involving both fixed and mobile voice and data services.

Individuals without a mobile phone who are concerned about access to Triple Zero during a prolonged telecommunications outage could consider purchasing a low cost mobile phone with a charger to keep at home for use during such outages. Since mobile phones do not require SIM cards to make emergency calls (‘000’ and ‘112’), there will be no ongoing costs.

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy seek regular updates from Telstra on the implementation of the recommendations of its inquiry into the Warrnambool exchange fire.

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to review the content of the Government’s digital business website at www.digitalbusiness.gov.au and liaise with the Department of Industry, Innovation, Climate Change, Science, Research and Tertiary Education, which manages the www.business.gov.au, to ensure these business advice sites provide appropriate information regarding business continuity planning in the event of telecommunications outages.

Community service providers consider in their business continuity planning how they could assist with facilitating access to telecommunications services for the public during mass outages.

Department of Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy to work with the Trusted Information Sharing Network’s Communications Sector Group to develop general telecommunications continuity advice for businesses and individuals to assist in developing continuity plans.

Community service providers consider, in consultation with relevant government authorities, reviewing their current privacy practices concerning personal information about vulnerable persons to ensure they are able to appropriately share information during major disruptive incidents.

The Australian Government, coordinated by the Department of Health and Ageing and in consultation with the wider Australian community, develop a national public awareness campaign to better inform and engage the travelling public about infectious disease issues. This campaign should cover the risks associated with travelling overseas, preventative measures that can be undertaken to minimise these risks, and screening measures used at the border to prevent the importation of infectious disease.
Subject to consumer input and feedback, this campaign could include a range of materials and platforms, including:
- videos, which could be published via YouTube, Smartraveller, international flights and/or other relevant access points;
- reading material such as brochures which can be provided at travel agencies, passport offices, on international flights and other relevant access points; and
- targeted ongoing engagement with consumers via social media and on travel websites.

The Australian Government, in consultation with state and territory governments, commission an independent review to assess the case for establishing a national centre for communicable disease control in Australia. The review should outline the role of a national centre and how it might be structured to build on and enhance existing systems. It should examine different models, considering a range of options for location, governance and staffing. The review should incorporate a cost-benefit analysis for each of the models presented.
The outcomes of the review should be made publically available.

The Australian Government work with the state and territory governments to assess the viability of providing a centralised refugee and migrant health service in each state and territory, which would automatically refer people who move from immigration detention into the wider Australian community.

The Australian Government, in consultation with state and territory governments, conduct a comprehensive national audit and mapping exercise to:
- identify all of the agencies (not limited to those within the health portfolio) and expert committees/working groups involved in managing infectious disease risks;
- clarify roles, responsibilities and map hierarchies and lines of communication;
- identify all relevant infectious disease policies and plans, explain how these operate in relation to one another;
- identify any duplication and present options for streamlining; and
- identify any policy or response gaps that need to be addressed.
The outcomes of the audit and mapping exercise should be made publically available.

The Department of Health and Ageing review the existing evidence base to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of its policy to use heat scanners at ports of entry as a measure to mitigate the risk of infectious disease importation.

The Australian Government coordinate the development of a highly skilled workforce which can respond effectively to a sustained pandemic in Australia.

The Commonwealth Government support the growth of vaccine development and production capacity for vaccines in Australia, to enhance Australia’s preparedness to respond to outbreaks of infectious disease in Australia, and in particular, pandemic influenza.

Having regard to the terms of the Torres Strait Treaty, the Department of Health and Ageing, Queensland Health, AusAID and the Papua New Guinea Government:
- establish a set of protocols and procedures for the identification and treatment of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases in Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands; and
- consider what clinical services should be available in both Papua New Guinea and Australia for the identification and treatment of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

The Australian National Audit Office (ANAO) recommends that the Department of Regional Australia, Local Government, Arts and Sport improve its monitoring of the delivery of the Natural Disaster Recovery Work Plans for Queensland and Victoria by:
(a) seeking from each state the project level data that is required to report to Ministers on reconstruction progress in the manner required by each National Partnership Agreement (or as may otherwise be agreed); and
(b) undertaking analysis of relevant data that has been reported by each state over time to identify significant trends and other matters of importance, and updating this analysis as and when further data is reported.

The committee recommends relevant authorities work with community service organisations in both planning responses to and responding to extreme weather events, in particular those organisations that provide vital services to vulnerable groups.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government works with state and territory governments to continue to implement the recommendations of the Productivity Commission report, where possible, to improve coordination in relation to climate change adaptation.

The Emergency Services Agency should undertake audits to meet the requirements in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan for the preparation, sharing and publication of annual progress reports. Annual progress reports should be made available to the ACT Bushfire Council.

The Emergency Services Agency, in consultation with the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, should review the Farm FireWise Program, including:
a) its purpose;
b) to whom it applies;
c) the relationship between this Program and Land Management Agreements; and
d) planning and implementation processes.

The Justice and Community Safety Directorate should continue to review its strategic and accountability indicators and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should commence a review of its strategic and accountability indicators. The directorates should consult to develop complementary measures which better assess their bushfire management activities.

The Emergency Services Agency, the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should strengthen across-Government delivery of major projects in the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan and Regional Fire Management Plans by collectively:
a) monitoring the effect of the 2011 amendments to Planning and Development Act 2007 and identifying additional changes, if appropriate;
b) improving information sharing;
c) finalising the pre-appraisal procedure; and
d) holding an annual forward planning session for capital works.

The Territory and Municipal Services Directorate, as part of its Bushfire Operations Plan monitoring and reporting, should assess and publicly report on cumulative progress against broader outcomes identified in the Regional Fire Management Plans and the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan.

The Emergency Services Agency, in consultation with the ACT Bushfire Council, should conduct a review of the ACT Bushfire Council against its recently developed terms of reference (July 2013) within two years.

The Emergency Services Agency should annually review fire management zones and the Territory and Municipal Services Directorate should subsequently update the Regional Fire Management Plans.

I recommend that consideration should be given to acquiring two personal water craft for deployment by appropriately trained and equipped staff of the AFP or the VMRS or both on Christmas Island. 

I recommend that the issue of RHIB jet intake protection be allocated a high priority and that there be ongoing investigation of possible solutions to reduce the problem.

I recommend that the Commonwealth ensure that there is a mooring buoy which will enable the mooring of SIEVs to take place and free up the Christmas Island response vessel for ongoing surveillance duties. 

I recommend that the AFP be provided with a search and rescue vessel which is suitable to the specific conditions of Christmas Island. I further recommend that steps be taken to ensure that if for any reason the search and rescue vessel is not available, there is a replacement vessel on Christmas Island capable of providing an emergency response in difficult sea conditions. 

I recommend that the Commonwealth liaise closely with representatives of the Christmas Island VMRS prior to purchasing or replacing any vessels for the VMRS in the future. 

I recommend that the AFP take steps to determine whether access can be obtained to the National Search and Rescue Council endorsed SARMAP program covering the Australian Search and Rescue Region as well as adjoining tiles for Indonesia. Steps should be taken to ensure that if possible coverage would include high traffic areas where SIEVs enter the Australian Search and Rescue region allowing timely search and rescue plans to be drawn up for any potential incidents. 

I recommend that the Commonwealth and the Shire of Christmas Island take steps to ensure that the Ethel Beach boat ramp is significantly upgraded, that it should be provided with shelter in the form of a rock groyne or similar buffer and that provision should be made so that a person can walk beside the ramp on a stable footing; or If this is not considered likely to be effective in providing an appropriate means of deploying a rescue vessel in adverse conditions, such other action be taken as is necessary to ensure that there is a means of deploying a rescue vessel in adverse conditions. 

I recommend that Border Protection Command continues to examine ways of improving its surveillance capability around Christmas Island so that the risk of SIEVs arriving undetected is reduced. 

State-wide all agency reporting should be established to facilitate the interactions of emergency management agencies, support agencies and governments.

The state should converge on a single communications platform for all emergency management and support agencies.

Early contact with the LG A is critical.

Given the prominent role played by the Shire in the management of welfare aspects in this emergency, there may be a need for state sponsored training for shire staff who are involved in implementing state emergency management policies and plans including how to deal with traumatised individuals.

The state should progressively align on a shared platform, such as WebEOC, to establish a COP [Common Operating Picture or Platform?].

Good Local Government planning and management facilitates community resilience.

Increased acceptance of mutual obligations will be fundamental to the management of fire risk across the state

A review of the manner in which resourcing is conducted across all agencies needs to occur with a review identifying the best manner to ensure all agencies adapt to the same process.

: In due course, acts of bravery are considered and recommendations for awards are submitted, including commendations for the delivery of First Aid.

As a minimum requirement, all vehicles entering the fireground must be fitted with an accessible fire blanket – one per person in each vehicle plus roll down, in-cab, radiant heat shields.

The Minister for Emergency Services must ensure that future post-incident analyses are completed and made public within eight weeks of a natural disaster.

The State Government prepare a strategy before the 2013-14 bushfire season on how the main firefighting agencies should deal with a drier South West region where fewer prescribed burns can be completed each year.

The Government consider enacting legislation to facilitate the review of all future major incidents, including but not limited to fire, earthquake, storm and marine inundation, and the emergency response to them.

The response operation to the Margaret River bushfire in November 2011 be the subject of a review with independent oversight.

The Department of Environment and Conservation develop and implement a strategy to better inform the community about the complexities and decisions surrounding prescribed burns when they are undertaken in the rural urban area.

The Department of Environment and Conservation review its implementation of the findings of the Ferguson Review conducted in 2010.

The Minister for Emergency Services request the State Emergency Management Committee to review by June 2013 the sharing of data between the State’s emergency response agencies using the WebEOC software and any further enhancements that can be made to this process.

Local government authorities incorporate into their Local Emergency Management Plans their procedures for dealing with any trauma experienced by bushfire brigade volunteers, having regard to best practice in managing trauma.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments include in their annual reports the expenditure they have incurred on preparing their staff for critical incidents, and for managing their response to these incidents.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments undertake a formal review by 30 June 2013 of the welfare services addressing stress and trauma provided to both their career and volunteer members.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments include provisions for regular external audits of invoices for payment in their next round of Employee Assistance Program contract negotiations.

Housing should use risk based analysis of its tenant and property information, job order data and quality assurance results to better inform target setting for KPIs, job order controls, and the sampling used for completed work inspections before and after payment. This analysis should synthesise information from all sources and include a risk assessment of tenants and properties, as well as consideration of the various types of maintenance work being done (emergency, priority and routine, and planned maintenance).

Housing should further develop its Head Contractor key performance indicators to include quality, cost and tenant satisfaction. Currently performance reporting is focused entirely on timeliness indicators.

Housing should ensure it has sound systems, processes and controls in place that minimise the opportunity for fraud and gives it the best chance of detecting it by:
- conducting structured fraud risk analysis to identify areas of its maintenance processes or systems where the risk of fraud is highest
- putting in place a fraud policy to assist staff to detect fraud and respond appropriately to instances of suspected fraud
- making greater use of its maintenance information to identify patterns of activity that may indicate fraud.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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 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 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.

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.

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

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

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

Management of community expectations: continued community education.

Landfill operators must be encouraged to achieve greater compliance with the required outcomes relating to fire that are set out in the BPEM guidelines, particularly with regard to water supplies

Regulators can help to achieve improved outcomes by involving fire services in the planning and licensing processes

Regulators can help to achieve improved outcomes by considering the issues identified by this review

Regulators can help to achieve improved outcomes by auditing compliance with the BPEM guidelines on a regular basis

Fire services can improve outcomes by initiating discussions with landfill operators about fire management planning and emphasising the critical importance of water supplies and early intervention

By reference to the order of priority determined in accordance with recommendation 2.5, the Queensland Government and councils should together ensure that the council responsible for each urban area in Queensland has access to current flood study information. This will include determining: a. a process or processes by which the flood studies will be completed, including the involvement of the Queensland Government and relevant councils b. how, and from whom, the necessary technical and financial resources will be obtained c. a reasonable timeframe by which all flood studies required will be completed.

When approving applications for development which involve the manufacture or storage of hazardous materials, councils should not restrict the conditions imposed to ones which are solely reliant on human intervention to remove the materials in the event of flood.

Councils should consider implementing a property buy-back program in areas that are particularly vulnerable to regular flooding, as part of a broader floodplain management strategy, where possible obtaining funding from the Natural Disaster Resilience Program for this purpose.

Unless the Department of Environment and Resource Management has decided not to permit discharges, it should assist each mine operator in its application for an environmental authority to ensure, as far as possible, that each authority includes provisions for discharges during times of heavy rainfall and flood.

The Queensland Government should continue to assess and review the adequacy of work procedures DS 5.1 and 5.3, having regard to the need for flood mitigation manuals to reflect the will of the executive.

Councils and the Queensland Government should display on their websites all flood mapping they have commissioned or adopted.

Councils should review their assessment processes to ensure that: • the person with primary responsibility for the assessment of the development application considers what expert input is required • where a development application is subject to comment by a number of professionals, the responsibilities and accountability of each contributor are clear • where flood-related information is referred to an expert for advice, the expert is required to comment on the extent of compliance by reference to each relevant assessment criteria and identify and explain any inability to comment.

The Queensland Government should determine which of its agencies should take responsibility for the management of all existing and new abandoned mine sites in Queensland.

The Department of Transport and Main Roads, in conjunction with Brisbane City Council and Somerset Regional Council, should investigate options for the upgrade of Brisbane River crossings between Wivenhoe Dam and Colleges Crossing and undertake a cost-benefit analysis of these to determine the outcome which best serves the public interest.

If the Queensland Government does not include a requirement for such an overlay map in the model flood planning controls, councils should include a flood overlay map in their planning schemes. The map should identify the areas of a council region: • that are known not to be affected by flood • that are affected by flood and on which councils impose planning controls (there may be subsets in each area to which different planning controls attach) • for which there is no flood information available to council.

Queensland Urban Utilities, and other distributor-retailers and councils, that have identified a practice of stormwater drains being connected to sewerage infrastructure, should conduct a program of education to raise public awareness that this practice is illegal and impedes the operation of the sewerage infrastructure.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should ensure that an independent and appropriately qualified person immediately starts the task of reviewing the March flood event report to ensure that the review is completed before the start of the 2012/2013 wet season.

Prior to each wet season, the Department of Environment and Resource Management should audit the compliance of each owner of a referable dam with the obligation to have an emergency action plan approved by the Queensland Government.

The Queensland Government, in consultation with councils, should determine which urban areas in Queensland do not have access to flood information from a current flood study. The Queensland Government should rank those areas in order of priority in accordance with their need for updated flood information by reference to factors including: a. population b. sophistication of land use planning and emergency management measures already in place in those areas c. currency of any flood risk information available to the council d. approximate frequency of damaging floods in the area according to the historical record

If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require that: a. the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) take place above a certain flood level, determined following an appropriate risk based assessment, or b. structures on land susceptible to flooding and used for the manufacture or storage of bulk hazardous materials (as defined in State Planning Policy 1/03) be designed to prevent the intrusion of floodwaters

Carriers, councils and the Australian Communications and Media Authority should take into account the risk of flooding when considering the placement of telecommunications facilities.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should assist mine operators in their applications for amended environmental authorities to ensure, as far as possible, that each environmental authority contains a tailored version of Table 4 of the model conditions. The Department of Environment and Resource Management should provide to mining companies its monitoring data and its suggested values for Table 4 on the basis of an assessment of the catchment which takes into account the cumulative effect of different operators’ releases.

The Queensland Government should consider whether North Pine Dam should be operated as a flood mitigation dam when it considers possible operating strategies and full supply levels as part of the longer term review of the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at North Pine Dam.

Councils in floodplain areas should, resources allowing, develop comprehensive floodplain management plans that accord as closely as practicable with best practice principles.

If the Queensland Government does not include such a policy in the model flood planning controls, councils should include a planning scheme policy in their planning schemes that sets out the information to be provided in development applications in relation to stormwater and flooding. The policy should specify: • the type of models and maps to be provided • the substantive information required to be shown in the development application • how the assumptions and methodologies used in preparing the models and maps should be presented • the form in which the information on stormwater and flooding is to be presented in the application.

The Queensland Government should make public the procedural guide used by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers to decide whether to grant an emergency direction.

Seqwater should ensure that the Somerset Dam gallery is not susceptible to flooding during overtopping events.

The Queensland Government should determine whether existing guidelines are sufficient for councils to understand best practice in the performance of flood studies and the production of flood maps. If a lack of current guidelines is identified, the government should create and circulate guidance material for councils.

If the Queensland Development Code is amended to include provisions requiring homeowners to install sewage reflux valves, the Queensland Government should develop and make available to homeowners appropriate guidance material to assist them in meeting their responsibilities to maintain reflux valves.

Seqwater should ensure that proper support and oversight mechanisms are put in place around both the substantive and procedural aspects of drafting flood event reports. Seqwater should consider engaging consultants with expertise in the production of reports following significant events to advise on these mechanisms. Measures to be considered should include: • ensuring appropriate systems are in place to ensure the recollections of flood engineers and other parties are recorded immediately after the event, perhaps by engaging an external party to interview the flood engineers and other parties • ensuring that a methodology for writing the report is set out clearly in advance, in writing, and that the final report includes a statement of that methodology • putting in place systems to ensure that members of senior management have sufficient understanding of both the methodology and process by which the report is prepared to allow themselves to be satisfied that these are appropriate.

The Queensland Government should, in consultation with the Department of Environment and Resource Management and Emergency Management Queensland, determine which agency is appropriate to review and approve emergency action plans for referable dams.

Councils should ensure that, when applications for environmentally relevant activities are approved by a council, the details of those activities, including their nature and location, are provided to the Department of Environment and Resource Management.

Councils should conduct education campaigns directed to ensuring that all residents and property owners in areas identified as being at risk of backflow flooding are aware of the circumstances in which backflow flooding can occur, the hazard it presents and what should be done if it occurs.

The Queensland Government should work collaboratively with the Commonwealth Government and mine operators to ensure co-ordinated and effective monitoring of salts, metals and other contaminants in marine environments that may be affected by mine discharges.

The Queensland Government should ensure that all flood mitigation manuals include the requirement that those operating the dam during flood events hold current registrations as professional engineers.

Elected representatives from all agencies involved in a flood study should be informed of recommendations made for future work, and determine, on a risk basis, whether that further work is to be completed.

If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should consider including assessment criteria in their planning schemes that address: • the prospect of isolation or hindered evacuation • the impact of isolation or hindered evacuation.

The Queensland Government should make public the procedural guide used by Department of Environment and Resource Management officers to decide whether to grant a transitional environmental program.

Seqwater should consider commissioning an investigation into the extent of cracking below the level of the upper gallery of Somerset Dam and the impact of any such cracking on the dam’s stability and, in turn, its operation.

In the event that the review does not adequately account for Queensland conditions, the Queensland Government should produce a document that provides appropriate guidelines for floodplain management in the Queensland context.

Councils should consider providing advice to development applicants during pre-lodgement meetings, and at the time of receiving a development application, about the way in which the development will be assessed for flood risk and what flood information council will be relying on to make this assessment.

The Queensland Fire and Rescue Service should require that each region records in writing the results of its risk assessment undertaken as part of its annual review of its special operations functional plan.

Toowoomba Regional Council and the Department of Environment and Resource Management should continue to co-operate to assess the referable dam status of existing detention basins and any future detention basins constructed in the West Creek and East Creek catchment areas.

If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require the impact of flood on commercial property to be minimised.

All councils should periodically conduct risk assessments to identify areas at risk of backflow flooding. In respect of such areas, councils should consider how such risks can be lessened, including in that process consideration of the installation of backflow prevention devices. Backflow devices should not, however, be installed unless and until a full risk based assessment has been undertaken.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should conduct risk assessments in time for site inspections, and the implementation of solutions to problems identified at inspections, to take place before 1 November of each year.

Seqwater should, in creating the new Wivenhoe and North Pine flood mitigation manuals, comprehensively consider: • the amount of discretion that is able to be exercised by the flood engineers and the senior flood engineers, and the description of the circumstances in which such discretion may be exercised • the circumstances in which it might be appropriate to release water in advance of an impending flood on the basis of forecasts from the Bureau of Meteorology • if strategies of the form of strategy W2 and W3 in Revision 7 are included in the revised manual, or any strategy defined as a ‘transition strategy’, when and how those strategies should be implemented • if the concept of ‘urban inundation’ is relevant to the operation of the dam, how it should be defined, and if the definition involves diverse concepts, how those concepts can be related back to the strategies, so that flood engineers can reach a clear understanding of their objectives and primary considerations • if the concept of ‘natural peak flow’ is relevant, how it should be defined.

Elected representatives from councils should be informed of the results of each flood study relevant to the council’s region, and consider the ramifications of the study for land planning and emergency management.

If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in the model flood planning controls, councils should consider including assessment criteria in their planning schemes which require that works in a floodplain: • do not reduce on-site flood storage capacity • counteract any changes the works will cause to flood behaviour of all floods up to and including the acceptable defined flood event by measures taken within the subject site (for example, use of compensatory works, detention basins or other engineering mechanisms), and • do not change the flood characteristics outside the subject site in ways that result in: – loss of flood storage – loss of/changes to flow paths – acceleration or retardation of flows, or – any reduction in flood warning times elsewhere on the floodplain.

The Queensland Government should prepare a procedural guide for officers deciding whether to grant a relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, with guidance as to: • the meaning of each criterion • examples of the types of things that may be relevant to each criterion • the priority, if any, to be afforded to different criteria.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prepare formal work procedures for the review of flood event reports created under emergency action plans and flood mitigation manuals. These should include procedures for: • making enquiries with the owners of referable dams that have catchments that have been subject to heavy rainfall (or where there is other reason to believe the emergency action plan has been triggered) as to whether the emergency action plans have been triggered • reminding owners of referable dams that have had emergency action plans triggered of their obligation to submit a flood event report • upon receipt of a flood event report, reviewing it, identifying any dam safety or other issues or areas where insufficient detail has been provided, raising those matters with the dam owner or other affected party and identifying appropriate remedial steps 28 Queensland Floods Commission of Inquiry | Final Report Complete list of Final Report recommendations • raising any issues identified in the report that are beyond the expertise of the Department of Environment and Resource Management, or are likely to be of particular interest to another body, with the appropriate body • keeping a record of the process and results of the review of the flood event report • fixing an appropriate timeline for the completion of each of the above steps: the time required may depend on specific circumstances, but must allow for any potential safety issues to be identified and remedied efficiently.

The Queensland Government should endeavour to ensure that Queensland conditions are appropriately considered in the National Flood Risk Advisory Group’s review of best practice principles.

Councils should not rely on a condition requiring an evacuation plan as the sole basis for approving a development susceptible to flooding.

Councils should consider making available to business owners locality specific information that would assist them to develop evacuation plans for commercial premises, for example, any evacuation sub-plan created under Emergency Management Queensland’s disaster evacuation guidelines.

Toowoomba Regional Council should engage external consultants to carry out failure impact assessments on the detention basins along East Creek.

If the Queensland Government does not include such assessment criteria in model flood planning controls, councils should include assessment criteria in their planning schemes that require community infrastructure (including the types of community infrastructure which are identified in the Sustainable Planning Regulation 2009 and which the community needs to continue functioning, notwithstanding flood) to be located and designed to function effectively during and immediately after a flood of a specified level of risk.

The Bundaberg Regional Council should investigate the adequacy of the drain and take reasonable steps to ensure the Moore Park area is effectively served.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prepare a list of relevant considerations to be taken into account in performing a risk assessment to decide which sites to inspect. Bureau of Meteorology forecasts should be one consideration.

The Queensland Government should ensure that, when it considers options for the operational strategies to
be employed at Wivenhoe and Somerset dams, and North Pine Dam, it is presented with a wide range of
options which prioritise differing objectives. The Queensland Government should determine the operational
strategies by considering the implications of each option over a range of flood events for at least:
• inundation of urban and rural areas
• water supply security
• dam safety
• submerging of bridges
• bank slumping and erosion
• riparian fauna and flora.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management and Emergency Management Queensland should ensure that each has copies of current emergency action plans for all dams in Queensland.

As far as is practicable, councils should maintain up-to-date flood information

Councils (particularly Brisbane City Council) should consider including in their planning schemes more stringent standards for the design and construction of prescribed tidal work than those in the code for development applications for prescribed tidal work in the Coastal Protection and Management Regulation 2003.

The Queensland Government should refine the criteria which must be considered in assessment of applications for relaxation of environmental authority conditions, by transitional environmental program or otherwise, in response to flood.

Prior to approving a flood mitigation manual, the Queensland Government should be satisfied that its terms are expressed in a manner that allows a determination of compliance with it to be made by reference to objective standards.

Flood maps, and property specific flooding information intended for use by the general public, should be readily interpretable and should, where necessary, be accompanied by a comprehensible explanatory note.

Councils should take care when imposing conditions to ensure that each condition has purpose; standardised conditions should not be included where they have no application to the development in question.

Councils should support and encourage business owners to develop private flood evacuation plans by providing the following to business owners in areas known to be affected by flood: • information about the benefits of evacuation plans • contact details of relevant council and emergency service personnel for inclusion in evacuation plans.

As part of the longer term review of the Manual of Operational Procedures for Flood Mitigation at Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam, the Queensland Government should consider the impact of possible upgrades of bridges downstream of Wivenhoe Dam on different operating strategies for the dam.

If the Queensland Government does not include such a code in the model flood planning controls, councils should include in their planning schemes a flood overlay code that consolidates assessment criteria relating to flood.

Councils and distributor-retailers should agree to protocols for the exchange of information about suspected illegal connections, the steps being taken to investigate them or the basis for concluding that no investigation is required, and the results of any investigations or enforcement actions.

Seqwater should ensure that any future peer review process: • is co-ordinated by someone independent of those who wrote the report • entails the provision of all relevant information to the peer reviewers • permits sufficient time for the review • documents all contact between those whose actions are under review and the reviewers.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should prioritise dam safety audits according to risk. The risk assessment should be informed by criteria including: • structure and materials used in construction • age of the dam • time since last inspection • occurrence of a flood event since last audit and the size of that flood event • population at risk if the dam were to fail • experience and capability of dam owner • dam owner compliance history • time since last audit.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that the ability to:
- measure and map fuel loads
- maintain fuel load databases
- draw up prescriptions for, and oversee controlled burns
are included as key competencies in any future recruitment of Chief Bushfire Control Officers and Community and Emergency Services Managers.

Develop a continuing education program for new members of the Bushfires Council, the Regional Committees and stakeholders’ representatives, to ensure that all stakeholders clearly understand the role and processes involved in the Bushfires Council advisory function.

Better alignment between divisions within DNRETAS be achieved through the development of an integrated strategy that addresses the combined objectives of weed management, land management, carbon farming and biodiversity management using fire across the Territory.

Investigate the application and cost of the creation of District Coordination Officers to key high demand brigade districts.

A comprehensive pre bushfire season communications strategy, that supplements and extends the information provided on the DNRETAS website, be implemented to inform and educate landholders.

Information for all landholders, in appropriate cultural and language formats be developed and distributed through events and multiple media.

Spreading the message of enforcement of landholder’s obligations and responsibilities through active consultation and ultimately the issuing of infringement notices be adopted as a planned strategic intervention to promote the importance of compliance with the Bushfires Act.

Ensure educational material is available prior to the commencement of each fire season in each region.

PowerWater Corporation be consulted with the intention of establishing a Memorandum Of Understanding for the maintenance of PowerWater land for the purpose of coordinated fire reduction.

An evaluation be conducted into the integration of the appropriate elements of the South Australian Country Fire Service “Crimson” networking system into Bushfires NT ICT.

Professional communications and educational resources be contracted to develop an integrated communications and engagement strategy and program for implementation by Bushfires NT.

Increase the emphasis on the issuing of infringement notices to reinforce the responsibilities of landholder’s in the management of bushfires in the Territory.

That the concession holder of the rail corridor be approached to formalise a Memorandum of Understanding for the maintenance of the railway corridor for the purposes of fuel load reduction.

That the Director Bushfires NT NOT be appointed as a member of Council.

Arrange a forum that includes all stakeholders in large scale fire management for the purposes of aligning the various stakeholder strategies across the Territory.

Prepare a formal proposal for the creation of pastoral/Indigenous Lands Fire Management Teams.

That the Office of Environment and Heritage require Orica to engage and fund appropriate independent experts to oversee any modifications to the plant in the next major maintenance overhaul of the plant in 2016 and in any upgrades to the plant prior to that date.

That OEH’s testing procedures for determining the impact of pollution incidents incorporate additional requirements for the checking and verification of results before those results are released.

Additional frontline meteorologists and specialised centres and systems:
(a) Enhanced severe weather units
(b) National extreme weather centres
(c) Integrated all-hazards decision system
(d) Enhanced observation network

Boost the Bureau’s flood warning capacity by:
(a) Increasing the number of frontline hydrologists
(b) Upgrading the flood monitoring system

Foster private sector service providers who can offer tailored services or broadcast high quality presentation of general purpose weather information

Lower yield options identified by the Bureau:
(a) Reduce staffing at remote observing stations
(b) Close the training facility at Broadmeadows, Victoria
(c) Consolidate forecasting functions for Northern Queensland
(d) Outsource the Bureau’s library

Boost the number of frontline meteorologists to build response capacity in regional forecasting centres.

Centralise media services and establish protocols for media activity.

Lower yield options identified by the Bureau:
(a) Reduce staffing at remote observing stations
(b) Close the training facility at Broadmeadows, Victoria
(c) Consolidate forecasting functions for Northern Queensland
(d) Outsource the Bureau’s library

Explore use of social media to enhance data gathering from authorised and informal sources and to disseminate weather information

Explore options to limit forecaster intervention in site-specific web forecasts.

Fund delivery of improved seasonal forecasting services by:
(c) Identifying potential offsets from government beneficiaries of any additional investment in seasonal forecasting services
(d) Undertaking market research to establish industry willingness to pay for enhanced seasonal forecasting services

Improved seasonal forecasting capabilities: 
(a) Improved presentation of existing products
(b) Enhanced capability – keeping pace with international standards

Complete workforce planning project and succession plans as a matter of urgency.

Phase out seasonal prediction development and modelling and rely on products generated elsewhere

Upgrade to the Bureau’s supercomputing capacity:
(a) Status quo
(b) Step change
(c) Further enhancements

Extend ICT governance arrangements to all applications and subject in-house development to rigorous approval processes.

Focus the Bureau’s evolving environmental information role on natural hazards in the first instance.

Review disaster recovery and business continuity plans.

Cease or reduce the Ionospheric Prediction Service or offer it as a commercial service.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislative changes required to remove the exemption for general insurers to unfair contract terms laws, and ensure its enactment by the end of 2012.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Parliament pass the Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2011 and ensure its enactment by 1 July 2012. The Committee further recommends that the standard definition of ‘flood’ be included in the definition of Standard Cover in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985.

The Committee recommends that the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation immediately establish a joint industry-Government action group to address evidence of the rising costs and market failure of insurance premiums across Australia.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate ways to reduce the cost of calling 1300 numbers from mobile telephones in areas of natural disasters.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government empower the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to regulate claims handling and settlement of financial service providers. This can be achieved by the Treasurer introducing legislation by 1 July 2012 to give effect to the measures contained in Schedule 1, Part 1 of the lapsed Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2010, so that breaches of the duty of utmost good faith in relation to claims handling constitute a breach of the Insurance Contracts Act.
This would enable the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to:
- monitor and regulate claims handling and settlement processes;
- impose sanctions on insurance companies, under Australian Financial Services Licence remedies, on behalf of consumers; and
- negate the current exemption of claims handling and settlement from the definition of financial services for the purpose of the Corporations Act 2001.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with the Insurance Council of Australia to make the following amendments to the General Insurance Code of Practice by 1 July 2012:
- remove the clauses that set aside the Code standards in times of disasters;
- require insurers to refrain from advising policyholders against making a claim under their insurance policy, and incorporate a ‘right to claim’ so that policyholders who contact their insurer about their eligibility to make a claim are offered the opportunity to lodge a claim and have it assessed fully;
- ensure that a full explanation of the claims-handling process, including the right to escalate decisions to internal dispute and external dispute resolution systems, is given when policyholders lodge a claim;
- ensure that an acknowledgement of the claims lodgement, contact details of the claims officer, and expected timeframes for the claims-handling process are provided to policyholders in writing;
- require that copies of external expert reports used in the determination of a claim to be provided to claimants within 10 days of request; and
- introduce the following minimum standards for claims handling in times of exceptional circumstances such as declared disasters:
⇒ a timeframe for informing claimants of the progress of the claim;
⇒ a timeframe for advising claimants if an external expert has been appointed;
⇒ assurance that external experts are fully qualified to undertake assessments;
⇒ an undertaking to provide claimants with information about the qualifications, employer, and role of external experts that are appointed to assist with their claim;
⇒ a maximum timeframe of 12 weeks for external experts to provide reports;
⇒ a maximum timeframe for accepting or denying a claim;
⇒ a timeframe for responding to requests for information;
⇒ an undertaking to communicate all decisions about insurance claims to the claimant in writing with clear and explicit reasons relating to their particular claim; and
⇒ a timeframe for informing claimants of the progress of their complaint or dispute.

Australian governments should implement policies that help the community deal with the current climate by improving the flexibility of the economy. This would also build adaptive capacity to deal with future climate change. This includes reforms to:
• taxes that influence the way resources are used, such as land tax exemptions and conveyancing duty, which could inhibit the mobility of labour or capital
• government transfers that reduce incentives to adjust to changing circumstances, such as reforms to drought support as outlined in the Productivity Commission’s 2009 inquiry
• regulations that impose unnecessary costs or inhibit competition or flexibility and could impede climate change adaptation by reducing the ability of businesses, households or other entities to respond to changing circumstances, such as restrictions to water trading.

The Australian Government should commission an independent public review of disaster prevention and recovery arrangements. This should be broader than the review currently being conducted by the Attorney-General’s Department. The review should cover the Natural Disaster Relief and Recovery Arrangements, as well as the funding mechanisms for disaster mitigation, including the National Partnership Agreement on Natural Disaster Resilience. This review should:
• consider whether arrangements lead to inadequate disaster-mitigation infrastructure investments or insurance decisions, or reduce the incentives of state and territory governments to appropriately manage their risks
• clearly outline the process for the identification of disaster-mitigation infrastructure needs, the provision and appropriate funding of this infrastructure, and the allocation of operational responsibilities
• evaluate the adequacy of current arrangements for the provision of post-disaster assistance, including guidelines and processes for project evaluation and the criteria for approving and funding the betterment of essential public assets
• consider the balance of resources devoted to prevention and preparedness relative to response and recovery through a cost–benefit analysis of reform options
• involve extensive consultation with the community and all levels of government.

The Council of Australian Governments should commission an independent public inquiry to develop an appropriate response to managing the risks of climate change to existing settlements. The inquiry should:
• explore, via extensive consultation with all levels of government and the community, in a variety of locations, the community’s acceptable levels of risk for public and private assets
• identify the options available to manage climate change risks to these assets
• assess the benefits and costs of each option
• establish policy frameworks that can be applied by state, territory and local governments.
State and territory governments should draw on the findings of the inquiry to:
• manage risks to their own assets
• clarify roles and responsibilities for managing climate change risks for each level of government and the community
• provide appropriate support to local governments that face capacity constraints.

Local governments’ uncertainty about their legal liability is a barrier to effective climate change adaptation. State governments should clarify the legal liability of councils with respect to climate change adaptation matters and the processes required to manage that liability.

To help clarify roles and responsibilities of local government for climate change adaptation, the state and Northern Territory governments should publish and maintain a comprehensive list of laws that delegate regulatory roles to local governments. This would assist both state and local governments to assess whether local governments have the capacity to discharge their roles effectively.

The Australian Government initiative to improve the coordination and dissemination of flood-risk information should proceed in the most cost-effective way, be regularly updated and be expanded over time to encompass other natural hazards. Guidelines to improve the quality and consistency of risk information should also be regularly updated and take climate change into account where feasible.

State and territory taxes and levies on general insurance constitute a barrier to effective adaptation to climate change. State and territory governments should phase out these taxes and replace them with less distortionary taxes.

Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) processes should be reviewed to ensure that:
- Local government authorities, emergency service organisations, other government agencies and event organisers are made aware of the requirements of a LEMC, and that
- Consideration is given to extending LEMC abilities to review and advise on proposals for higher risk and adventure spoting events.

The Department of Regional Development and Lands should ensure that event organisers and government agencies responsible for sponsoring and approving events have a greater level of awareness about the requirements of section 91 licences under the Land Administration Act 1977 (WA).

As part of the current revision of its contract template for sponsorship agreements, Tourism WA should ensure that:
- Risk management plans are submitted for approval with all relevant agencies and local and state authorities no later than two months prior to a sponsored event being staged.
- Milestone payments should be linked to the strict adherence of this deadline 
- Evidence of approval of the risk management plans by all relevant local and state authorities is provided to Tourism WA by the event organiser.

As part of the review of its due diligence processes, Tourism WA should ensure that:
- A minimum standard of due diligence is established that addresses the deficiencies noted in this Report.
- Sponsorship agreements include a provision requiring event organisers to complete disclosure questionnaires. If an organiser is found at any time not to have complied, or to have withheld material information, the penalty regime should extend to the nulling of the contract.
- Consideration is given on a case‐by‐case basis to stipulating the engagement of local event management companies to assist organisers in regards to event planning and risk management.

The Department of the Attorney General consider conducting a review of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (WA) in light of the 2011 Kimberley Ultramarathon. Such a review should consider issues such as the effectiveness given to competitor waivers under the Act and the potential difficulties of establishing proceedings and enforcing a judgement against foreign‐based providers of recreational activities.

Eventscorp should ensure that organisers of events its sponsors are directed to all appropriate authorities and stakeholders to ensure the responsible, safe and efficient planning and conduct of the event.

The Board of Tourism WA should take action to ensure that it reviews the quality of Board papers that are submitted to it by the executive of Tourism WA.

The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on the best practices in other jurisdictions to increase the rate of residents likely to be effected by a bushfire who properly prepare their properties before the bushfire season.

At the conclusion to the 2011-12 bushfire season, the Minister for Emergency Services institute a thorough review of the operations of FESA, the Police and DEC in protecting the State from bushfires and other natural disasters, with a primary focus on: · staffing levels; · equipment levels and coordination; and · training needs. The Minister report to Parliament by June 2012 on any changes that need to be made to the current departmental structures to optimise the State’s preparedness for the 2012-13 bushfire season.

The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government provide additional resources to FESA, DEC and WALGA in the 2012-13 Budget to improve the Western Australian community’s knowledge of bushfire safety and to allow these agencies to involve the public in their exercises.

The Minister for Emergency Services report to Parliament every six months on the progress made in completing all of the outstanding Recommendations of the Keelty Report.

The Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for the Environment report to Parliament by December each year as to the state of readiness of the main State Government agencies tasked with fighting bushfires.

In implementing the Keelty Report’s Recommendation 42, the Ministers for Emergency Services and Environment jointly report to Parliament by May 2012 on the likely impacts on, and implications for, the future bushfire operations of the State Government of the drying climate in the State’s South West region.

The Minister for Planning report to Parliament by May 2012 on the urgent actions undertaken by the Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas to the WAPC.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that FESA has the funds to implement the installation and use of WebEOC for use during the 2011-12 bushfire season and immediately put in place common protocols with the Police and DEC to record significant events during a bushfire.

The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on an assessment of the success of FESA’s Total Fire Ban community education campaign in improving the community’s knowledge on this issue.

The Minister for Local Government have urgent discussions with the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) as to why they are not supporting the full Recommendations addressed to local government in the Keelty Report. The Minister ensure that by May 2012 WALGA and its member councils have the resources to fully implement theimplementation of the Recommendations.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that a whole-of-government equipment register of the firefighting equipment held by FESA, DEC and local government authorities is in place for the 2012-13 bushfire season.

FRS fire appliance allocation and training needs to be reviewed to enhance offensive bushfire capability within the metropolitan area.

Noting existing legislative and policy arrangements, there is merit in considering options for the future management of Level 3 fires in Local Government areas.

Local residents must take a degree of shared responsibility to prepare their properties by reducing the risk of bushfire around their properties and planning for a bushfire emergency.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises:
- Water supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire
- Power supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire
- Saving life will be a priority over saving property so expect to be evacuated
- Once evacuated, access to affected areas may not be possible for several days
- Water „bombing‟ by aircraft cannot be guaranteed in bushfire
- SMS warnings are advice only and may not be timely.

The State Government transfer responsibility for the installation, removal, maintenance of fire hydrants to the Water Corporation, in accordance with the recommendations of the 2006 CDJSC Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation.

The State Government give its full support to the Western Australian Local Government Association’s Send to Solve initiative.

The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog.

The State Government recognise the projected changes in climate and potential impact on future fire events.

Local governments institute a comprehensive program to assess fuel loads and bushfire preparedness on private properties. The program should give reference to the creation and maintenance of a Building Protection Zone, in line with FESA guidelines.
This program should be implemented and managed under the Bush Fires Act 1954 in a manner similar to the fire break inspection program.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, in partnership with local governments, conduct more focused pre-season bushfire education, which emphasises: Water supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Power supply is not guaranteed during a bushfire Saving life will be a priority over saving property so expect to be evacuated Once evacuated, access to affected areas may not be possible for several days Water ‘bombing’ by aircraft cannot be guaranteed in bushfire SMS warnings are advice only and may not be timely.

Local Government recognise the work of the Gas Technical Regulatory Council and ensure any amendments to the Australian Standard are enforced.
Local Government provide information to residents on any changes to the Australian Standard relating to tethering gas tanks and encourage property owners to take action to comply with the Standard.

The State Government restructure the Fire and Emergency Services Authority as a Department. As part of this restructure, Emergency Management Western Australia should either
be:
1. clearly separated from the fire and emergency services response function; or
2. moved to the Department of the Premier and Cabinet or
3. moved to the Attorney-General‟s department.

Emergency Management Western Australia and the State Emergency Management Committee amend WESTPLAN-BUSHFIRE to require State Emergency Coordination Group meetings to be held at the State Coordination Centre in West Leederville.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with Main Roads Western Australia and local governments to develop and implement a comprehensive strategy for the use of mobile variable message boards to alert the community to the declaration of a total fire ban and what it means.

The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum.

The State Government transfer responsibility for the installation, removal, maintenance of fire hydrants to the Water Corporation, in accordance with the Recommendations of the 2006 CDJSC Inquiry into Fire and Emergency Services Legislation.

Local governments institute a comprehensive program to assess fuel loads and bushfire preparedness on private properties. The program should give reference to the creation and maintenance of a Building Protection Zone, in line with FESA guidelines. This program should be implemented and managed under the Bush Fires Act 1954 in a manner similar to the fire break inspection program.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority convene a facilitated debriefing session between the families who remained behind to protect their properties, and the incident controllers.
This session should include open discussion and explain the decisions of all parties – including how the incident controllers determined priorities, and why residents chose not follow their advice to evacuate.
The learning outcomes should be promulgated across all agencies and incorporated in future level 3 incident controller training programs.

Local Government recognise the work of the Gas Technical Regulatory Council and ensure any amendments to the Australian Standard are enforced. Local Government provide information to residents on any changes to the Australian Standard relating to tethering gas tanks and encourage property owners to take action to comply with the Standard.

The State Government give legislative effect to the Planning for Bush Fire Protection Guidelines.

The State Government recognise the projected changes in climate and potential impact on future fire events.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments jointly develop a single, integrated system for fuel load assessment and management.
The system should enable public access to allow members of the community to access information about the fuel load in a given locality.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority consider alternative wording to Total Fire Ban that ensures people gain a more complete understanding of what actions are prohibited.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority work in partnership with the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia to develop a package of information for new residents moving into bushfire prone areas, and a process to ensure this information is provided through real estate agents.

The State Government review implementation of the Special Inquiry's recommendations in two years.

Western Power and the Water Corporation continue to work collaboratively to assess options to better protect the power supply to water pumping stations in bushfire prone areas.

Main Roads Western Australia undertake more frequent examinations of its bridges located in areas prone to bushfire and ensure that the risk posed to loss of infrastructure in a fire is understood by local authorities.

The State Government ensure that the continued development of the Fire and Emergency Service Authority's Integrated Bushfire Risk Management System is dependent on an independent comparative assessment of its functionality and cost-effectiveness against the Spatial Support System used by the Department of Environment and Conservation.

The State Government transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas from local government to the Western Australian Planning Commission. The Western Australian Planning Commission should urgently assess those areas that should be declared bushfire prone.

Western Power and the Water Corporation continue to work collaboratively to assess options to better protect the power supply to water pumping stations in bushfire prone areas.

The Department of Education oversee the provision of bushfire education in schools that are located in bushfire prone areas, ensuring that all schools in these areas incorporate key bushfire messages in their curriculum.

Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and local governments ensure that Community Emergency Service Managers are physically based in local government.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its program to decommission vehicles and ensure that when such vehicles are offered during an incident that FESA staff adhere to FESA’s own policy of ‘Use of Private Vehicles in Fires’.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority convene a facilitated debriefing session between the families who remained behind to protect their properties, and the incident controllers. This session should include open discussion and explain the decisions of all parties – including how the incident controllers determined priorities, and why residents chose not follow their advice to evacuate. The learning outcomes should be promulgated across all agencies and incorporated in future level 3 incident controller training programs.

The Western Australian Local Government Association explore the feasibility of local governments utilising aerial and satellite imagery to monitor firebreaks and fuel loads on private property.

The State Government review implementation of the Special Inquiry’s Recommendations in two years.

The State Government mandate that the title deeds for relevant properties be amended to indicate if the property is in a declared bushfire prone area.

Local governments continue to include information on bushfire risk and preparedness with rates notices.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments.

The Water Corporation immediately review the outstanding orders for hydrant repairs and develop strategies to reduce the backlog.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority review its use of the Australian Interagency Incident Management System to ensure that the most appropriate resources (including aerial resources) are used to respond to an incident. If resources are rejected during an incident either through the decision making process or other grounds, the reason for the decision should be documented.

Local governments consider increasing the number of green waste collections carried out each year to encourage a more proactive approach to property (and vegetation) maintenance by residents.

The State Government give its full support to the Western Australian Local Government Association's Send to Solve initiative.

Emergency Management Western Australia develop mechanisms to calculate the estimated total cost of a fire to the community.

State and locals governments:
a) recognise that regardless of future declarations of bushfire prone areas, the existing planning and building problems in the Perth Hills related to bushfire risk will persist;
b) urge residents in these areas to retrofit their homes and evaporative air conditioners in compliance with AS 3959 - 2009;
c) examine options to retrospectively bring these areas into compliance with Planning for Bushfire Protection Guidelines.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority (FESA) review its distribution of information material, including Prepare. Act. Survive. FESA should also consider including the community in pre-season exercising, in consultation with the Department for Child Protection and local governments.

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

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 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.

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