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

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

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

DEECA work with distribution businesses, emergency service agencies, and peak bodies to integrate prolonged power outage preparedness into existing business and household emergency preparedness plan templates by June 2025.

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

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

The Committee recommends the Australian Government work with the Insurance Council of Australia to develop and publish advice on the mitigation measures households could undertake to improve the flood resilience of their property.

The Committee recommends that insurers amend their home insurance policies to provide fully paid temporary accommodation until the insurer has closed the claim, unless the extension of the time required can be demonstrated to be a result of behaviour on the part of the policyholder that is unreasonably causing delay; That final cash settlements include a provision for temporary accommodation that takes account of the Scope of Works; progress on the project to date; and a reasonable uplift; and That the cost of covering temporary accommodation should be a separate entitlement and not be funded out of the sum insured amount.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool be utilised by the Australian Climate Service to examine projected impacts on strategic road network routes.

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

Australian, state and territory governments should produce downscaled climate
projections:
(1) to inform the assessment of future natural disaster risk by relevant decision makers, including state and territory government agencies with planning and emergency management responsibilities
(2) underpinned by an agreed common core set of climate trajectories and timelines, and
(3) subject to regular review. 

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.

A measure of safety may be found in the use of high explosives combined with wet tamping, or, still better, water cartridges, instead of powder under any of its modifications. Encouragement ought also to be given to the use of patent multiple wedges and applicances of a like nature, for supplanting the use of explosives. Under all circumstances and conditions some provision should be adopted for compelling workmen to thoroughly undercut, shear, or nick, and generally to work the coal as directed by the Manager. 

Where safety-lamps are used the lock should be of such a character as to prevent any workman opening it. If the "Protector" type of lamp be employed the necessity for a lock is the less necessary, as the unscrewing of this type of lamp extinguishes the light. 

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 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.

Review temporary bridge stockpile for adequacy (DSG).

Personal protective equipment (masks, gowns, gloves, goggles) – review supply/distribution arrangements.

Personal protective equipment (masks, gowns, gloves, goggles) – enhance stocktake methods.

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.

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 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

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.

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.

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.

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.

The Assets and Equipment Register be reviewed prior to each fire season.

Implement maintenance schedules for all common assets and shared equipment.

Update the Asset and Equipment Register for all assets and equipment.

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.

Conduct a stocktake of all assets and equipment in all regions for Bushfires NT and Volunteer Brigades.

Conduct a stocktake of all PPE and implement a top up program to bring all PPE to a fully operational standard.

An equipment replacement schedule for all Bushfires NT equipment be developed.

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.

All Victorians should:
• make sure that they have a plan for severe storms which includes:
- an emergency kit (batteries, torch, radio with batteries, spare medication etc)
- actions to protect their family, property and pets
• ensure that vegetation surrounding power lines on private property is appropriately managed
• know where and how to access emergency information and advice.

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government cause local council plant and equipment that is suitable for use in bushfire fighting be fitted with radios connected to the Government Radio Network.

That the Emergency Services Agency give priority to ensuring it has guaranteed access to an adequate number and type of bulldozers, as well as experienced operators, during the fire season, for immediate deployment as required

RailCorp should continue its system of voluntary self-identification and rehabilitation of employees with alcohol or drug related problems.

That after each fire season, measures of the effectiveness of aerial firefighting be collated, analysed and used for the assessment of the State Aircraft Fleet composition and the adequacy of Training and Accreditation programs.

To arrange for uniform water facilities, where possible, by having large taps attached to elevated tanks, suitable approaches made to dams for filling carts, and convienient gates to approach same.

To recommend to shire councils the purchase of fire carts and necessary equipment for fire fighting.

The Commission recommends that buckets of sand or other apparatus for extinguishing fire be kept in any chamber where high powered electricity is used.

That suitable metal receptacles be fitted under the spittoons of all smoking compartments of country trains, to receive pipe ashes, lighted tobacco, cigars, cigarettes, matches, or other inflammable matter used by smokers.