Roads: That, to improve the planning and protection of road infrastructure and to ensure communities, freight movers, combat agencies and emergency services have appropriate access and egress during and following a flood event, Government, through TfNSW and NSWRA and working with combat agencies and local and federal governments as needed, should:
• develop a state-wide road evacuation plan to establish a coordinated view of evacuation routes to ensure they are well-maintained and, particularly working with the Commonwealth Government, ensure that funding is coordinated and prioritised to target upgrades where it is most needed to increase flood resilience. This plan should be informed by catchment-wide flood risk modelling
• identify and prioritise communities at high risk of flooding where access and egress will be affected (for example rural communities connected by a single road affected by landslips) to coordinate logistics options to sustain communities isolated as a result of flooding.

Compound mental helath studies: That, to inform Government policies and programs for mental health and disasters, Government commission a longitudinal study on the effect of consecutive disasters on community mental health.

Climate and weather research: That, to enable effective mitigation and adaptation measures in response to changing climate risks, Government establish NSW as a world centre of disaster research and technology development. This should include:
• maintaining and enhancing climate and weather research capability in NSW through establishing a long-term research funding network/partnership (the NSW Climate Extremes Network – NCEN –modelled on other successful research networks such as NSSN) with the state’s universities, coordinated and led through the ARC Centre of Excellence in Climate Extremes (with funding renewed based on performance every 5 years) to ensure leading-edge climate change research and modelling capabilities are available to government agencies and NSW businesses and communities. The funding will enable NCEN to hire researchers and build training programs for students and researchers to enrich the research environment, and the impact of the research in decision making within NSW
• commissioning further research and technology development (through NCEN working as appropriate with the Bureau of Meteorology, Natural Hazards Research Australia, CSIRO and research organisations worldwide, as well as the ARC Centre of Excellence in Climate Extremes) to understand the weather patterns conducive to extreme rainfall (including more detailed rainfall event attribution studies) with a view to increasing rainfall forecasting accuracy in time and location.

That the NSW Government embed into its emergency plans the appointment of a senior police officer with combat experience to lead recovery efforts following natural disasters.

That the NSW Government ensure that the current review of evacuation centres considers the role, accreditation and support of community evacuation centres, with the outcomes of this review to be made public and incorporated into the update of state emergency plans.

That the NSW Government accelerate its caravan program and ensure it is made available as an option to all displaced residents from the February-March 2022 floods. 

That the NSW Government establish a standing workforce from within the public service to staff evacuation and recovery centres, with this workforce to be trained ahead of time and mobilised as soon as a natural disaster occurs. 

The Inspector-General Emergency Management recommends the Maryborough District Disaster Management Group works with the Fraser Coast Local Disaster Management Group to plan for the evacuation of K’gari due to bushfire. Once developed, the plan should be exercised and regularly reviewed.

We recommend that DELWP in partnership with Parks Victoria, Country Fire Authority, Fire Rescue Victoria and councils as appropriate, collect empirical evidence after bushfire events to assess the effectiveness of different fuel management treatments, including planned burning, mulching, slashing and mineral earth breaks, and build an evidence base to the effectiveness of these treatments.

Humanitarian relief: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Jobs, Precincts and Regions work with the Municipal Association of Victoria and councils to build contingencies into emergency relief centre planning to ensure places of shelter are inclusive, recognise diversity and are better placed to support all displaced people in circumstances of: 
(a) community isolation 
(b) prolonged emergencies 
(c) community-led activation of centres.

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) lead the development and distribution of evidence-based land and fuel management tools for use by all legislated fuel management organisations to ensure a common approach to fuel management. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that the State support the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (or the single entity referenced in Recommendation 4) and its partners to expand the Safer Together program to:
a) increase program uptake and adoption by legislated fuel management organisations including local government, the Department of Transport and VicTrack
b) implement a consistent risk-based approach to fuel management program planning from strategic through to operational and tactical levels supported by appropriate risk assessment tools, monitoring and evaluation, and reporting mechanisms
c) develop common spatial datasets for use by all road managers, standardising road and roadside fuel maintenance levels based on bushfire risk and sharing resources to maintain continuous roadsides managed by multiple parties. 

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Victoria Police – in collaboration with the community and the emergency management sector – reflect on events of the 2019–20 fire season to review and enhance evacuation plans and processes with consideration of:
a) high risk areas (including remote locations)
b) early evacuation triggers
c) the potential for isolated communities
d) the presence of tourists and non-residents
e) individual decisions to not evacuate
f) the inability to evacuate
g) consequence management and compounding events such as the loss of essential services or health impacts. 

State and territory governments should ensure those responsible for evacuation planning periodically review those plans, and update where appropriate, to provide for coordination between states and territories in cross border areas and to provide cross-border access to evacuation centres. 

Australian, state and territory governments should support ongoing research and evaluation into aerial firefighting. This research and evaluation should include:
(1) assessing the specific capability needs of states and territories, and
(2) exploring the most effective aerial firefighting strategies. 

State and territory governments should ensure that those responsible for evacuation planning periodically review those plans, and update them where appropriate, including in relation to:
(1) roles and responsibilities of state and territory governments, local governments and local communities
(2) education and signage about evacuations and evacuation routes, including education of seasonal populations
(3) the adequacy of evacuation routes; including contingencies if evacuation routes or centres are assessed as not being able to cope, and
(4) the potential inability to evacuate, either by reason of circumstances or personal characteristics. 

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. 

State and territory governments should ensure those responsible for evacuation planning periodically review these plans, and update them where appropriate, to account for the existence and standard of any evacuation centres and safer places (however described) in the community, including:
(1) the capacity of a centre to handle seasonal population variation
(2) the suitability of facilities to cater for diverse groups, including vulnerable people, and those evacuating with animals, and
(3) the existence of communications facilities and alternate power sources.

State and territory governments should provide further community education on the function and limitations of different sheltering facilities, including evacuation centres, Neighbourhood Safer Places, places of last resort and natural disaster shelters. This education should be nationally consistent. 

State and territory governments should, as a priority, adopt nationally consistent terminology and functions for the different sheltering facilities, including evacuation centres, Neighbourhood Safer Places, places of last resort and natural disaster shelters. 

The material published as part of this Royal Commission should remain available and accessible on a long-term basis for the benefit of individuals, communities, organisations, businesses and all levels of government. 

State and territory governments should ensure that those responsible for evacuation planning periodically review those plans, and update them where appropriate, including in relation to:
(1) key risks that essential service outages have on communities during a severe or catastrophic natural disaster (particularly communications an
power)
(2) availability of essential supplies, including food and water, and
(3) consequence management and compounding events such as the loss of essential services or health impacts. 

A Relocation and Evacuation working group be established from stakeholder organisations to consider and develop an Evacuation and Relocations Sub- Plan. The Sub-Plan should consider the lessons learned this year and address principles, lead agency, WHoG coordination, trigger points etc. This could be the same working group formed for reviewing the Emergencies Act, Plan and sub-plans.

That, in order to improve understanding of optimal hazard reduction techniques and their application in the landscape:
a) Government extend the recently introduced program of mitigation crews so that hazard reduction activities can be undertaken when conditions are optimal (throughout the week and potentially at night)
b) all fire authorities review prescribed burning techniques and their implementation, and
commission further research into optimal prescribed burning regimes and techniques. This should include research to understand critical thresholds that, when breached, may render fuel treatment ineffective (i.e. fuel moisture thresholds), and the short, medium and long-term outcomes of hazard reduction burning regimes
c) Government commission research into a range of other hazard reduction techniques to understand better the cost versus benefit and effectiveness of different practices in various circumstances, including grazing.

That, in order to ensure the safety and wellbeing of vulnerable people during an evacuation, Resilience NSW:
a) identify aged care facilities in fire and flood prone areas, and ensure that emergency plans are in place and comply with the Evacuation Decision Guidelines for Private Health and Residential Care Facilities
b) develop/refresh evacuation centre protocols to specifically address the needs of vulnerable people.

That Government establish NSW as a major world centre of bush fire research, and technology development and commercialisation. This should include:
a) establishing a Bush Fire Technology Fund, modelled on the Medical Devices Fund, to assist with the rapid development of technologies and services to sense, fight, mop up after and protect from bush fires
b) commissioning further research into extreme fire behaviour and building up the research and research training capacity in this field. This will improve our ability to understand, model and predict the likelihood of extreme fire behaviour in the landscape and enable targeting of fire fighting resources to areas where fires are likely to become most damaging.

That, in order to ensure evacuation centres are fit-for-purpose, Resilience NSW work with Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) to:                                                                                                                                       a) update the guidelines for LEMCs identifying evacuation centres to require a risk assessment of potential locations, which should include identifying alternate sources of power for use by evacuation centres and recording these appropriately
b) review existing evacuation centre locations to assess compliance with updated LEMC guidelines and report to the State Emergency Management Committee on their suitability.

That, in order to ensure evacuation arrangements can be scaled up when needed, Resilience NSW:
a) ensure staff who are willing to be deployed to evacuation centres are trained as soon as possible to bolster evacuation centre staff surge capacity
b) train council and NSW government regional staff in evacuation centre establishment and management, supported by a one-page ‘start up sheet’ for opening an evacuation centre
c) enable interested community members to be trained to assist in evacuation centre establishment and management and provide an avenue for skilled volunteers to register their interest
d) develop an exercise for the management of multiple evacuation centres dealing with large numbers of people for a protracted period over a widespread area.

That Government commission further research on the potential risks and benefits of backburning during severe, extreme and catastrophic conditions and/or in particular terrain, and that the NSW RFS use this research to inform future backburning protocols and training.

That the NSW RFS identifies remote bush fire prone areas that do not already have an indoor Neighbourhood Safer Place (NSP) and upgrades the relevant NSW RFS Stations to meet NSP guidelines. These stations would require adequate Asset Protection Zones and active/passive protection systems to provide short-term protection.

That, in order to improve support for people evacuating with animals, the Department of Primary Industries:
a) work with Resilience NSW to develop evacuation protocols and procedures to ensure appropriate supports are provided for both people and animals (informed by the findings from Project Ohana), including a process for animal registration at evacuation centres and mutually agreed naming conventions, and provide this information to Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs)
b) work with LEMCs to identify overflow sites that can be used for evacuated animals when preferred sites are full
c) further develop the domestic pets evacuation protocol.

That, in order to capture and understand the impacts of bush fire smoke better, Government invest in operational air quality forecasting and alert systems, and public health research and policy development. This would involve investment to:
- develop a comprehensive system of forecasting and alerts for air quality incidents and all pollutants of concern, including but not limited to bush fire smoke, ozone and dust, and which is ideally nationally consistent
- investigate further the health impacts of bush fire smoke, based on improved data collection and including research on the long-term health impacts of poor air quality as a result of sustained exposure to severe bush fire smoke, particularly for vulnerable and at- risk segments of the community (children, elderly, firefighters, etc).

That, in order to ensure equitable access to evacuation centres and associated support services for people in border communities, Resilience NSW ensure cross-border access arrangements are reflected in evacuation centre management guidelines.

Collate data and research the impact of bushfires upon communities, firefighters and animals (both native and domestic) to identify appropriate medium and long-term welfare and support requirements.

Energy Queensland and local groups consider establishing formal arrangements that embed measures that assist evacuation plans to increase levels of safety. 

Evacuation centre plans be revised to better manage vulnerable persons, including the safe storage of medications and providing alternate arrangements for evacuees with additional needs. (e.g. evacuation centre for aged persons). 

Relevant authorities should work with the tourism sector to clarify future arrangements for evacuation. In particular they should look closely at differentiating voluntary and directed evacuations in their messaging,
ensure the differences are explained to the community in pre-season campaigns, and that necessary information is passed on to tourists. 

The Queensland Chief Health Officer should work with the Office of the Inspector-General Emergency Management to raise, with the Commonwealth, the need for all aged care providers to plan and exercise for evacuation to a similar safe establishment.

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.

DELWP and its partner agencies, in conjunction with the Department of Health and Human Services, should undertake research into the specific effects on health of people affected by planned burns and the information should be made public. The study should include the direct impact of smoke on affected populations and impacts on water, food supplies and livestock.

That any such pilot program ought to be managed by the relevant indigenous organisations, with support provided by DELWP and its partner agencies and the development and the evaluation of any pilot program should be overseen by an independent and reputable academic or research institution.

That Government provide support in the form of funding for the Return to the Firestick project, and that a formal pilot scheme be established where data can be collected, collated and analysed and the effectiveness of this approach be compared against current burning practices.

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 SA Police develop an evacuation plan for the Adelaide Central Business District (CBD) which includes:
a) a Traffic Management Plan to assist in the movement of persons and vehicles away from the CBD
b) protocols for the early placement of a SA Police liaison officer within the Traffic Management Centre.

That, as with earthquake, SA Police be designated the Control Agency under the State Emergency Management Plan for black system events or other major power outages.

That SA Police, as the control agency for search and rescue, and State Emergency Service who have the responsibility for providing search and rescue services under the State Emergency Management Plan, develop a swiftwater rescue capability plan that describes key swiftwater risk locations, roles and responsibilities of emergency services, State swiftwater resources and dispatch arrangements.

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.

I recommend that the New South Wales Police Force evaluate whether the use of noise-attenuation devices should be mandated when explosive distraction devices are used.

The Department of Fire and Emergency Services to work with the Department of Planning and Local Governments to adopt a policy which enables Local Governments to identify, register and communicate, ‘Places of Bushfire Last Resort’ in settlements and townsites where the life risk from bushfire is very high or greater.

Improve knowledge and understanding of the effect heatwaves coinciding with other hazard events have on the effectiveness and capability of response and recovery capabilities

Increase understanding of the Puysegur Trench dynamics to improve certainty around the likelihood and magnitude of future Tsunamis.

Develop capacity to utilise the new high-resolution satellite products now available.

Identify facilities that can be used as cool spaces during heatwaves and establish linkages between operators and emergency management organisations

Deliver Flood Studies.

Conduct research into changes of owners’ and occupiers stated and revealed risk tolerance and preference for treatment measures before and after natural hazard events.

Improve understanding of how coastal inundation events interact with riverine flood events.

Investigate the potential effectiveness of economic and financial mechanisms to manage the risk appetites of land owners.

Develop flood evacuation plans for at risk communities.

Improve understanding of the weather systems that cause storm surge events to improve predictability and warnings.

Quantify the effect of heatwaves on vulnerable people.

Review coastal inundation evacuation and response plans.

Investigate usefulness of satellite data for PPRR (prevention, preparedness, response, recovery) planning.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government, in cooperation with the Tasmanian Government: • recognise the need to identify the ecological and biodiversity impacts of fire on fire sensitive vegetation communities, organic soils and endemic fauna species in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area; and • allocate long-teerm funding to the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and/or the Tasmanian Government to assist with the development of fire assessment and modelling specifically suited to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

That Victoria Police assesses and where practical addresses limitations to available data and trials the use of response times for internal performance measurement.

Banana Shire Council investigate means to prioritise the commissioning of a fit-for-purpose flood study for high-risk areas across the Banana Shire to better inform flood risk management, including improved town planning. The outcomes of such a study should be available to the public and inform flood awareness campaigns, flood warnings, and building approvals.

The Department of Energy and Water Supply and SunWater, undertake the necessary studies to determine whether or not it is feasible to operate Callide Dam as a flood mitigation dam. Such studies should include matters in relation to, but not limited to:
• The effect on the Callide Valley water supply
• Dam safety issues
• Actual mitigation outcomes
• Cost-benefit analysis of alternative strategies
• Alternative means of effecting improved community outcomes.
The results of this work should be made public to enhance public knowledge and provide confidence regarding dam operations.

Formal research is commissioned or meta-analysis is undertaken to provide a better understanding of the effectiveness of warnings and other relevant message testing. The outcomes are disseminated to all disaster management entities and learnings used to inform practice.

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.

The State should continue the long-term health study, and: • extend the study to at least 20 years; • appoint an independent board, which includes Latrobe Valley community representatives, to govern the study; and • direct that the independent board publish regular progress reports

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 qualifying the evacuation authority in section 47 of the Fire Service Act 1979 be considered — by exempting those people with a pecuniary interest in a property from a directed evacuation where it is reasonable for them to remain.

That Tasmania Police develops and implements a program for examining emergency management arrangements and facilities in Australia.

That a state-level policy on evacuations be developed in the emergency management plans, including specific requirements for vulnerable people and guidelines for its implementation.

That Tasmania Fire Service promotes a structured approach to research across Australia, to provide a shared understanding and the capacity to benchmark and judge performance.

That evacuation centres and other centres have plans and arrangements for electrical power redundancy.

That Tasmania Police establishes a section within its structure with responsibility for developing and maintaining contemporary expertise in emergency management, progressing innovation, assisting organisational change initiatives and supporting its responsibilities in state emergency management arrangements.

That fire agencies continue to develop their predictive modelling capability for use in actively managing fires.

That decisions to open Community Fire Refuges and evacuation centres be coordinated with Tasmania Police.

That Tasmania Police conducts a review to ensure emergency management is treated as a priority and a core function throughout the organisation, including the development of contemporary capabilities, and is supported by an appropriate culture.

That Tasmania Fire Service supports the relevant authorities to continue developing methodologies to forecast and simulate fire risk.

That Tasmania Police be identified as the lead agency on evacuations.

That arrangements are made and appropriate pre-planning occurs to effectively implement the policy on evacuation.

That a Rural Fire Research and Investigation Team be established to coordinate and communicate fire research knowledge, including fire behaviour as well as coordinate fire investigations and complaints for the state.

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 Department of Health determines the underlying causes for the rapid growth in demand for Queensland Ambulance Service emergency responses and implements strategies to address these causes and reduce the cost per head of population to service this demand.

That the Queensland Fire and Rescue Service enters into discussion with the Queensland Police Service regarding the possibility for the Queensland Police Service to assist with prosecutions that may arise out of fire safety matters.

That the Queensland Police Service executive team reassesses its preparedness to collaborate with other agencies to deliver a whole of Government approach to delivering community safety.

That, where appropriate, the Commissioner of Police appoints appropriately trained and experienced public service officers to appropriate roles in the disaster management system to support District Disaster Coordinators in their vital roles.

That the roll-out of the Queensland Police Service digital technology should take into consideration adopting and facilitating new processes including the police response to domestic violence.

That the Queensland Police Service:
- identify policing matters that only a sworn officer can manage, or
- identify matters that can be handled more efficiently through the use of emerging technologies such as biometrics and scanners.

That the Queensland Police Service considers adopting the broader use of ANPR in line with other Australian jurisdictions in consultation with the Privacy Commissioner.

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

Develop a comprehensive road evacuation network model for floods in the Hawkesbury-Nepean floodplain to inform evacuation capacity assessments and strategic transport and land use planning, and to assist with the real-time operational management of evacuation during floods.

Clarify roles, responsibilities and consider funding options for post-event collection of data and flood intelligence.

Develop and maintain a comprehensive flood model and flood modelling framework for the Hawkesbury-Nepean Valley.

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.

The National Health and Medical Research Council, in conjunction with key stakeholders, work collaboratively to provide more support for initiatives to increase international infectious disease research collaborations and build research capacity, particularly with neighbouring countries in the Asia-Pacific region.

The committee notes the linkage between climate change and extreme weather events and recommends that the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO conduct further research to increase understanding in the areas of:
• the interaction between large-scale natural variations, climate change and extreme weather events;
• the impacts of climate change on rainfall patterns and tropical cyclones; and
• that Australia cooperatively engage, where appropriate, with international research initiatives in these areas.

The committee recommends that the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO continue to improve projections and forecasts of extreme weather events at a more local level.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government, through the Bureau of Meteorology and CSIRO, continues to support data collection and research to improve forecasting of extreme weather events, especially early warning capabilities.

I recommend that the AFP takes steps to ensure that there are on Christmas Island at all times appropriately trained AFP officers who have completed the National Police Search and Rescue Manager’s Course and that upskilling should be ongoing to establish a cadre of trained search and rescue personnel. 

Improved understanding of fire behaviour in coastal heathlands would support sound risk management through the southwest of W

Decisions on evacuations need to be made early enough for people to be fully informed, prepared and to move to a place of greater safety. Failure to conduct good planning can create situations where loss of life can occur

The Department of Environment and Conservation be supported to conduct further research into the fuel management of coastal heath in the south west of Western Australia exploring alternatives to burning as well as best practice for burning.

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

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.

Mine operators should obtain all public seasonal forecasts issued by the Bureau of Meteorology relevant to the regions in which their operations are located.

Ipswich City Council should determine whether the results, models and maps produced by the Brisbane River flood study are sufficient for its floodplain management. If they are not, Ipswich City Council should ensure appropriate work is done by way of data collection and creation and hydrologic and hydraulic modelling for use in its floodplain management.

The Queensland Government should resolve the discrepancy in recorded peak river height for the January 2011 flood of the Brisbane River between the Brisbane City and Port Office gauges.

Brisbane City Council, Ipswich City Council and Somerset Regional Council and the Queensland Government should ensure that, as soon as practicable, a flood study of the Brisbane River catchment is completed in accordance with the process determined by them under recommendation 2.5 and 2.6. The study should:

The Queensland Government should seek information about the size, features and condition of abandoned mines, including whether the mine or its surrounding environment were adversely affected by flood, from private landholders who have abandoned mines on their properties.

Queensland Urban Utilities should make the results of its trials on the use of caps for overflow relief gully grates available to other authorities responsible for sewerage infrastructure. Consideration should be given by those authorities as to how the results can be used to improve the flood resilience of their sewerage networks.

The Department of Environment and Resource Management should require Wide Bay Water, in advance of every wet season, to provide details of its expectation as to the operability of the crest gates if a flood occurs, until such time as all gates have been demonstrated to work as designed.

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 steering committee of the Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam Optimisation Study should consider whether it would be more effective for the floodplain management investigation to be removed from the Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam Optimisation Study.

The Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation should assemble all information currently available to the abandoned mine land program into a single database. The Queensland Government should ensure, using whatever information is available, that the list of abandoned mines is as complete as possible. This should at least include a review of all information held by the Department of Environment and Resource Management and the Department of Employment, Economic Development and Innovation.

The Queensland Government and Commonwealth Government should ensure the existence and maintenance of a repository of data of the type used in flood studies. The database should include the types of data which the expert panel specified as needed for a comprehensive flood study. Councils, Queensland and Commonwealth Government agencies and dam operators should be able to deposit and obtain access to data.

The conditions for the use of a particular strategy in all flood mitigation manuals should reflect objective standards.

The Queensland Government should determine, as far as possible, the impact of mine discharges during the 2010/2011 wet season on freshwater and marine water quality and fauna and flora.

When commissioning a flood study, the body conducting the study should: • check whether others, such as surrounding councils which are not involved in the study, dam operators, the Department of Environment and Resource Management, and the Bureau of Meteorology, are doing work that may assist the flood study or whether any significant scientific developments are expected in the near future, and decide whether to delay the study • discuss the scope of work with the persons to perform the flood study as well as surrounding councils which are not involved in the study, dam operators, the Department of Environment and Resource Management, and the Bureau of Meteorology

The steering committee of the North Pine Dam Optimisation Study should consider whether it would be beneficial for the floodplain management investigation to be removed from the North Pine Dam Optimisation Study.

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.

Any mine operator of a site at high risk of flood should obtain the best forecast information available (seasonal and short term) for the region in which the mine is located.

A recent flood study should be available for use in floodplain management for every urban area in Queensland. Where no recent study exists, one should be initiated.

The steering committees of the Wivenhoe Dam and Somerset Dam Optimisation Study and the North Pine Dam Optimisation Study should consider removing the water supply security investigation from each study.

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.

When people are being moved away from their homes it’s important that they move to a place of greater safety and that their movement is relatively assured.

FESA seek legal and policing advice regarding the policy to leave residents who chose not to evacuate in a declared ‗dangerous area‘ after a bushfire.

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, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments closely monitor the research and development of alternative fuel reduction techniques to ensure that the most efficient and effective programs are adopted.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Western Australian Police ensure they receive all necessary legal clarification in relation to Bushfire Responsibilities of Police Officers – Powers Used in Assisting Fire Authorities in Responding to Bushfires, to be promulgated across FESA and WAPOL.

Hazard Management Agencies overseeing the response to incidents on the urban fringe select evacuation centres that are well within the urban environment and unlikely to be impacted by the incident.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, the Department of Environment and Conservation and local governments closely monitor the research and development of alternative fuel reduction techniques to ensure that the most efficient and effective programs are adopted.

Hazard Management Agencies overseeing the response to incidents on the urban fringe select evacuation centres that are well within the urban environment and unlikely to be impacted by the incident.

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

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

Victoria Police, under the auspice of the Regional Emergency Response Plan, lead a task force to ensure that the Princes Highway is treated as an asset of significance and an appropriate risk-based approach is adopted to minimise the impact of fire. This approach is to be integrated into regional and municipal fire management plan

The State clarify whether, during major fires, Victoria Police should discharge its coordination functions from the State Emergency Response Coordination Centre or from the State Control Centre.

The State revise its bushfire safety policy. While adopting the national Prepare. Act. Survive. framework in Victoria, the policy should do the following: ■ enhance the role of warnings—including providing for timely and informative advice about the predicted passage of a fire and the actions to be taken by people in areas potentially in its path; ■ emphasise that all fires are different in ways that require an awareness of fire conditions, local circumstances and personal capacity; ■ recognise that the heightened risk on the worst days demands a different response; ■ retain those elements of the existing bushfire policy that have proved effective; ■ strengthen the range of options available in the face of fire, including community refuges, bushfire shelters and evacuation; ■ ensure that local solutions are tailored and known to communities through local bushfire planning; ■ improve advice on the nature of fire and house defendability, taking account of broader landscape risks.

The Commonwealth establish a national centre for bushfire research in collaboration with other Australian jurisdictions to support pure, applied and long-term research in the physical, biological and social sciences relevant to bushfires and to promote continuing research and scholarship in related disciplines.

The State introduce a comprehensive approach to shelter options that includes the following: ■ developing standards for community refuges as a matter of priority and replacing the 2005 Fire Refuges in Victoria: Policy and Practice; ■ designating community refuges—particularly in areas of very high risk—where other bushfire safety options are limited; ■ working with municipal councils to ensure that appropriate criteria are used for bushfire shelters, so that people are not discouraged from using a bushfire shelter if there is no better option available; ■ acknowledging personal shelters around their homes as a fallback option for individuals.

Victoria Police continue to pursue a coordinated statewide approach to arson prevention and regularly review its approach to ensure that it contains the following elements: ■ high-level commitment from senior police; ■ a research program aimed at refining arson prevention and detection strategies; ■ centralised coordination that includes comprehensive training, periodic evaluation of arson prevention strategies and programs, and promotion of best-practice prevention approaches; ■ a requirement that all fire-prone police service areas have arson prevention plans and programs, according to their level of risk.

The State introduce a comprehensive approach to evacuation, so that this option is planned, considered and implemented when it is likely to offer a higher level of protection than other contingency options. The approach should: ■ encourage individuals—especially vulnerable people—to relocate early; ■ include consideration of plans for assisted evacuation of vulnerable people; ■ include consideration of plans for assisted evacuation of vulnerable people.

It is recommended that industry, regulators, and training/research institutions liaise with one another with a view to developing better techniques for testing and verifying the integrity of cemented casing shoes as barriers (particularly in atypical situations such as where the casing shoe is located within a reservoir in a horizontal or high angle position at great depth).

The Productivity Commission be tasked to assess the economic effects of recent major bushfires on the Australian economy to determine the cost effectiveness of prescribed burning as a mitigation strategy.

At the conclusion of the current Bushfire CRC funding agreement the Commonwealth establish a new permanent bushfire research institute.

That the recommendations contained in the Police Operational Debrief Report of 22 October 2007 to 7 November 2007, submitted to the Coroner, be further considered by the Tasmania Police for adoption where considered appropriate by Tasmania Police.

The Commissioner of Police, through a dedicated Assistant Commissioner (supported by a cohort of Assistant Commissioners to ensure adequate coverage), be assigned responsibility for overall control of each natural Disaster Management event in Queensland as the preferred arrangement.

Planning and consultation be undertaken by EMQ with all levels of the Disaster Management system to ensure that necessary risk-based disaster evacuation plans are prepared at Local, District and State levels, supported by necessary community education and preparedness programs.

The Office of the Emergency Services Commissioner facilitate further research into technologies that will reduce the need for the public to speak to an operator during an emergency as a component of the proposed emergency warning and alert system and Victorian Emergency Information Line.

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 Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies conduct or commission research, and a possible trial study, to determine the potential of thinning and other silvicultural practices – whether alone or in combination with prescribed burning – as a means of reducing fuel loads and as a bushfire management strategy in Victoria’s forests.

That the Minister for Emergency Services cause independent scientific or other research to be undertaken to establish means by which risk of bushfires, as created by continuous cropping, minimum tillage, direct drilling seeding practices and the retention of cropping stubble across the landscape, can be minimised.

That the Minister for Emergency Services cause independent scientific or other research to be undertaken to identify the effects of continuous cropping, minimum tillage, direct drilling seeding practices and of the retention of cropping stubble, in respect of bushfire risk and prevention. 

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government take urgent action to protect Australians from the threats of dengue fever and chikungunya virus. The knowledge gaps identified by the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility research plan with regards to the relationship between climate variation and vector-borne disease should be urgently addressed. The Australian Government should:
- undertake research into the relationship between climate change and vector-borne disease
- produce modelling to allow for advanced early warning of impending threats from vector-borne disease
- continue to work towards producing a structured national framework for dealing with mosquito outbreaks in Australia
- increase biosecurity measures to better protect against chikungunya virus entering Australia

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a coastal zone research network within the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and that it complete a coastal zone research plan.

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change continue to fund research to:
- establish the wave climate around the coast so as to identify those locations most at risk from wave erosion
- examine how the wave climate nationally interacts with varying landform types

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government urgently commission further research on socioeconomic vulnerability to climate change impacts, particularly in coastal communities.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government increase its investment in coastal based climate change research on:
- sea level rise projections and the dynamics of polar ice sheets, particularly in the Antarctic
- extreme sea level events, including as a result of storm surge and tropical cyclones
- regional variations in sea level rise
- ocean acidification, particularly impacts on Australia’s coral reefs, higher ocean temperatures and changing ocean currents

Noting the gap in research on legal issues and climate change impacts on the coastal zone, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government request that the Australian Law Reform Commission undertake an urgent inquiry into this area, with particular focus on:
- clarification of liability issues with regard to public authorities acting or not acting in terms of climate change adaptation and possible coastal hazards (eg legal basis to implement adaptation strategies of protect, redesign, rebuild, elevate, relocate and retreat)
- clarification of liability issues with regard to private property holders acting to protect their properties from the impacts of climate change
- legal issues associated with the impacts of climate change on existing developments, as opposed to planned new developments
- mechanisms to ensure mandatory risk disclosure to the public about climate change risks and coastal hazards (eg legislation harmonised across all states requiring mandatory disclosure of all known and predicted risk data by state and local governments to property purchasers during property conveyance and title search processes)
- whether there should be broader indemnification of local government authorities

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government commission a study on international coastal zone governance arrangements, policies and programs for addressing coastal climate change impacts, and adaptation strategies. The completed study should be made public.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give the five recommendations calling for information, studies and data, as proposed by the Torres Strait Regional Authority, early and urgent consideration with a view to their implementation.

Analysing information from the joint CFA/DSE Post 2006 Wildfire Community Survey about public perceptions of information provision during January bushfires. Note implications for the VBIL and other information provision methods

The location of the command post for site control at the scene of any rail accident should be identified by NSW Police by a distinctive flashing light.

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

Establish a Regional Centre of Excellence for Tsunamis to focus Australian and international science/research and collaboration on the challenge of understanding tsunamis and mitigating their consequences.

The Working Group recommends support for ongoing research into natural hazard risks and an improved understanding of emergency management capability.
The research program should include:
• The development of an improved national picture of local risks to more clearly identify communities and regions at severe risk. Where possible, this activity should draw on existing complementary programs such as the Disaster Mitigation Australia Package being facilitated by DOTARS.
• The development of scenarios for a wider range of hazards and probabilities in which casualty and infrastructure damage consequences are predicted, and the development of standardised capability measures for emergency response and recovery, to allow assessments of adequacy.
• The development of cost/benefit methodologies for evaluation of projected capability enhancement, alsoallowing comparison with alternative strategies, e.g., mitigation.
• The longer term development of consequence prediction tools for tactical use by emergency managers to obtain assessments of impact to guide initial resource deployment. 

That DSE undertake a formal study of the level of prescribed burning in south western Australia for its possible application in Victoria by comparing respective fuel arrays, terrain, weather, ground access, staff, prescribed burning days, areas conducive to prescribed burning and fire response systems.

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.

That Victoria Police ensure all police members understand the Victorian legislation in relation to evacuation, and that any decision to recommend evacuation remains with the Incident Controller.

That CFA further develops the information supporting the decision to stay or go, to incorporate a better understanding of both the likely consequences of leaving home at inappropriate times, and the conditions and
emotional impacts likely to be experienced during the passage of the fire front.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish a minimum national standard that is common across all tenures of land for water access and availability for bushfire fighting.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre conduct further research on the impact of weeds on the flammability of land and the most economically and environmentally appropriate way to remove weeds after fire events.

The Committee recommends that the Australasian Fire Authorities Council’s suggested evacuation protocol be adopted by all of the Australian States and Territories.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre determine a minimum national standard, taking into account topography and vegetation type, for adequate access to all public lands
including wilderness areas of national parks for the purpose of effective fire prevention and suppression.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre conduct further research into the long term effects and effectiveness of grazing as a fire mitigation practice.

The Committee recommends that Program E of the Bushfire Cooperative Centre, which is tasked with the development of the next generation of fire researchers and dissemination of the Centre’s work, be tasked further to collect and respond to feedback, particularly from the on ground volunteer levels of fire brigades, on the practicality of its outputs and their future requirements.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish, as part of its program to implement a single fuel classification system, standards which take into account local conditions including topography and vegetation type, for determining appropriate dimensions for asset protection zones.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre monitor the effect of grazing on mitigating the return of woody weeds to recently fire effected areas across various landscapes including
alpine and subalpine.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre’s research and recommend property protection products and programs under Program D.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish, as part of its program to implement a single fuel classification system, a national database that provides information on current levels and rates of accumulation of fuel loads that takes into account vegetation type and climate across all tenures of land, including private land where data is available.

The Committee acknowledges community concerns about smoke pollution as a result of prescribed burning and recommends that the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre pursue its proposed study into smoke modelling.

The Committee recommends that (under Programs C and E) the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre considers the following items as part of a national education program.
- Introducing bushfire skills training to schools and libraries.
- Training various categories of emergency services personnel on their specific role in the event of a bushfire.
- Ensuring that those in the fields of building, engineering, urban planning, forestry and science have a clear understanding of bushfire risk management including current related regulatory codes and legislation.
- Counselling prospective land developers in bushfire prone areas on the risks and necessary protective planning.
- Running adult education courses on protective planning (including insurance, building design and maintenance and defence techniques) in the context of bushfires.
- Broadcasting protective planning issues through the media, television, Internet, radio and publications.
- Structuring the community into groups and providing them with guidelines for launching an initial attack on a bushfire.
- Enclosing brochures about bushfire protection with rates notices.
- Having a Bushfire Awareness and Preparedness Day (similar to Clean Up Australia Day) where the community is encouraged to undertake risk reduction with local governments coordinating the disposal of hazardous material.

The Committee recommends that, as part of its study into improving the effectiveness of prescribed burning, the Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre establish a national database that includes areas targeted for fuel reduction, the area of fuel reduction achieved based on a specified standard of on ground verification and the season in which the reduction was achieved. The Committee also recommends that in developing this database the Cooperative Research Centre develop a national standard of fire mapping, which accurately maps the extent, intensity, spread and overall pattern of prescribed and wildfires in Australia.

The Committee recommends that Program D of the Commonwealth Bushfire Cooperative Research Centre examines the (pending) outcome of the ABCB’s review of the existing Building Code of Australia bushfire
provisions (including Standard AS3959–1999) to determine their adequacy and the ways in which compliance can be better managed. This should include extending its scope to cover existing buildings and those
that are not in areas declared as bushfire prone, yet still on the urbanrural interface and therefore, potentially at risk.

A fire control research advisory committee be formed to co-operate with the Forests Department in carrying out scientific research into fire control.

The Forests Department carry out more research into both the technical and practical side of fire control as a necessary accompaniment to the expenditure of money on other forest works and that forest fire control officers be sent overseas at intervals to gain information regarding the latest developments in this work.