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.

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.

That the Victorian Government work with the Commonwealth Government to ensure the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements are not unduly burdensome.

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

That the Victorian Government evaluate the criteria and funding arrangements for financial assistance post-disaster with a view to:
a. better aligning support with costs of recovery
b. proposing options for quickly deploying support mechanisms according to the scale and complexity of the event.

That the Victorian Government ensure regional catchment management authorities, with local councils, are funded and resourced to conduct and implement up to date flood studies on a regular basis.

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 the Victorian Government simplify the application process for disaster recovery funding. This could include reducing paperwork, providing hands-on assistance and investigating technology to streamline processes.

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 increase funding for training of volunteers to boost the capacity of State Emergency Service units and Shepparton and Echuca and Moama Search and Rescue squads to respond during emergencies.

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.

That the Victorian Government adapt policies and funding models to prioritise betterment initiatives, including ensuring that financial resources are allocated effectively to meet long-term needs of at-risk communities, and in doing so work with the Commonwealth Government to achieve this goal.

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 Victorian Government prioritise investment in betterment projects to improve the resilience of mitigation infrastructure, and in doing so work with the Commonwealth Government to achieve this goal.

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 pay its bills on time, especially following natural disasters.

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

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).

That the Department of Justice & Regulation broadens Budget Paper 3 response time measures to more comprehensively cover emergency responses to fires, rescues and other emergencies.

The state government review the current funding approach used for the operation, maintenance and upgrade of river gauges, with a view to improving the river gauge network.

The funding model for works on levees and their ongoing maintenance be revised, to be primarily based on the beneficiary pays principle. The state government should give consideration to wholly funding, or contributing to, the initial upgrade of high priority levees to an agreed standard. The construction of any new public levees will be the subject of a cost‐benefit analysis to be undertaken by DSE and the public authority, and be supported by a floodplain management study. Levees deemed low priority will be wholly the responsibility of the beneficiaries.

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 should provide core, ongoing funding to the responsible authority for the FloodSafe community education program. Funding should be provided for education about prevention, response and recovery phases and include information on rates notices about the height of particular floods.

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 State replace the Fire Services Levy with a property-based levy and introduce concessions for low-income earners.

That port/channel managers should be able, within the general context of the pricing/cost recovery arrangements established under the Port Services Act 1995 and pricing determinations made by the Essential Services Commission, to recover the reasonable costs of meeting their statutory obligations (as per recommendation 26) through charges for prescribed service applied to port users. 

That emergency services are responsible for funding the development of the emergency services marine emergency response capacity/capability to meet their statutory obligations. 

That port/channel managers are responsible for funding the preparation of marine emergency risk assessments and marine emergency response arrangements and ensuring the availability of identified marine resources in support of response to a marine emergency, to meet their statutory obligations. 

That the Victorian Government provide recurring funding for a significant increase in regionally-based, permanent, or long-tenured, fire management personnel dedicated to the prescribed burning program. The increase in personnel should be consistent with the level required to achieve an annual prescribed burning target of 385,000 hectares.
The pool of available personnel should be suitably diverse and possess a wide variety of disciplines and skill sets, including practical skills. The Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies should also increase the proportion of personnel with specialist tertiary qualifications, including fire behaviour specialists, forest scientists, landscape ecologists and conservation biologists.
The Department of Environment and Sustainability and its partner agencies should also prioritise the development of programs to reduce the level of staff turnover and the problem of the ageing workforce, through more effective succession planning.

That the Victorian Government establish a five year rolling fund which allows unused prescribed burning monies to be rolled over into future financial years for the purpose of subsequent prescribed burning activities.

That DPI prepares guidelines, both internally and externally with Treasury, about funding arrangements for an outbreak.

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 assesses the environmental and monetary cost of establishment and rehabilitation of temporary tracks, per 100 km, constructed during firefighting operations, and compare this with the recurrent costs of a program of maintaining existing tracks.

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 reviews the funding for DSE for the 2004-2005 fire season to ensure that appropriate resources are available for fire prevention planning and preparedness.

That the financial arrangements incorporate full cost recovery for prescribed burning to be undertaken over a number of weekends utilising Project Firefighters, CFA volunteers and MFESB members.

When the research into prescribed burning and optimum fire protection described in Chapter 11, and the financial analysis of appropriate funding levels for prevention and suppression recommended in Chapter 15, are completed, DSE should develop a business case with Department of Treasury and Finance for assured funding to an agreed level over a three-year rolling cycle.

That the financial models incorporate changes in public land use, particularly ‘Our Forests Our Future’, and the subsequent changes in fire management priorities.

That Government funding for Community Development Officers engaged in community support and rebuilding incorporates flexible resources to enable the purchase of services from a range of providers to ensure choice for those requiring support.

That Government supports the immediate development of financial models to analyse and determine the appropriate level of investment in fire management planning, preparedness and suppression on public land.

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

That DSE includes the cost of tracks, as above, in the development of financial models to analyse and determine the appropriate level of investment in fire management planning, preparedness and suppression on public land.

The Committee recommends that the Government act urgently to make the existing system of funding the fire services fair and equitable to all Victorians.

The Committee recommends that an equitable funding system be implemented which relates premiums to:
• Risk covered; and
• Standard of Fire Cover.

That the cost of a Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications centre be recovered through user charges.

The Committee recommends that the Government act urgently to make the existing system of funding the fire services fair and equitable to all Victorians.

That the cost of a Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications centre be recovered through user charges.

The Committee recommends that any change to the funding system reflect in a reduction of the total price charged to consumers through premiums by the insurance industry.

The Committee recommends that an equitable funding system be implemented which relates premiums to:
• Risk covered; and
• Standard of Fire Cover.

The Committee recommends that any change to the funding system reflect in a reduction of the total price charged to consumers through premiums by the insurance industry.

It is recommended that an annual grant be made to the Association for distribution among the brigades for the purposes of purchase of equipment of which the brigades are in urgent need.