The Victorian Government to work with the Commonwealth Government and telecommunications carriers to ensure that there are appropriate arrangements, via existing services or alternatives, for communities to stay connected for 72 hours without network power supply.

The Victorian Government advocates for stronger telecommunications service reliability outcomes from the Australian Government, and associated telecommunications reviews.

Distribution businesses annually attest to the Minister for Energy and Resources. The attestation should include specific reference to, but not limited to: Review of emergency management practices including but not limited to review of risks and risk controls and testing of revised controls following all major events and exercises.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That fire managers responsible for planned burns be
indemnified against any and all actions in the event of damage caused by an escape of the planned burn, on the basis of a ‘good faith’ test.

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.

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

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

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

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

That the Victorian Government establish a clear and consistent Bushfire Fencing Policy for damage caused by all future bushfires and prescribed burns. The Bushfire Fencing Policy should include the following provisions:
- the Government contribute half the cost of replacing or repairing for fencing on the boundary between public and private land that is destroyed or damaged by a fire which has emerged from public land, but only where the cost of replacement or repair was not otherwise recoverable;
- the Government pay a contribution, of up to 100 per cent, of the cost of restoring fences or other assets destroyed or damaged by backburning conducted during fire suppression operations;
- the Government will pay the full cost of fences or other assets destroyed or damaged if prescribed burns on public land escape onto private land;
- the Government will pay the full cost of rehabilitation of fire control lines on private property established by the Country Fire Authority or the Department of Sustainability and Environment during wildfire suppression activity for fire originating on public land ; and
- the Government will pay the full cost of repairing or replacing fences on private land that are damaged or destroyed by machinery used in controlling bushfires that originate on public land.

That the Victorian Government replace or compensate for water taken from domestic, stock and irrigation dams, or water needed for essential use, in the event of a fire, regardless of where the bushfire starts.

That PSB and PIRVIC review their service agreement to ensure that PIRVIC is compensated for its costs in providing PSB with the specified level of service.

That CFA, DSE and MFESB continue to develop the partnership approach for fire safety with Local Government, industry and communities. 

That DSE, with adequate resourcing, moves to a 12-month cycle of fire management to establish and maintain a more appropriate and balanced work program of prevention/mitigation and suppression.

That DSE commences discussion with the Victorian WorkCover Authority in respect to employer liability for those staff being released to, and directed, by another agency in fire prevention and suppression activities.

That DSE and CFA as part of their long term planning, and in conjunction with the Commonwealth Bureau of Meteorology, consider ways in which evidence for climate change and El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycle impacts on the likelihood of unplanned fire, can be better incorporated into preparedness and response planning.

That Government work with the insurance industry to explore options for incentives such as a reduction in premiums for those who take appropriate self-protection measures on their properties, similar to incentives for anti-theft home security

That CFA, in their education and information packages, encourage appropriate insurance cover, and ensure that insurance becomes a part of the householder’s annual checklist.