Emergency Service Organisations work with government departments, local governments and private industry to identify and implement a model for communication flow during an emergency incident.

The Department of Primary Industries responsibility for emergency management within the energy sector needs to be reinforced consistent with Recommendation 5.

A comprehensive review of the effectiveness of the increased prescribed burning target in meeting ecological and bushfire suppression needs should be conducted every three years.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment should report its performance against the increased prescribed burning target in its annual report, which should also include the following details:
- the total area treated within each fuel management zone for each region;

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment, Department of Primary Industries, Parks Victoria & VicForests separately cost, and report, annual expenditure on fuel reduction burning, ecological burning and regeneration burning in their Annual Reports.

That finalised Fire Operations Plans be made publicly available in their entirety (with the exception of any private information) on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website and in hard-copy, and that this requirement be clearly stated in future Codes of Practice.

That the Victorian Government expedite the implementation of its 2006 election commitment to provide four wheel drive clubs with access to management vehicle only tracks.

That the details of any variation or amendment of a Fire Operations Plan, including: the carrying forward or postponement of burns within the three-year period covered by a Fire Operations Plan; the carry over, removal or rescheduling of burns between past, present and future Fire Operations Plan

That in relation to Fire Operations Plans, the Department Sustainability and Environment extends the number of community meetings during the public consultation period to a minimum of one meeting for each Fire District, with the possibility of repeat visits to particular areas.

That the Victorian Government consider all available means, consistent with conservation values, for substantially increasing the access of apiarists to the public land estate.

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 fu

That all information pertaining to current and planned prescribed burns be published more prominently on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website, with a single prominent link to this material on the website homepage.

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment and its partner agencies continue to develop a proactive approach to engagement with the local and wider media to achieve continuous improvement in the standard of community information and education.

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 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 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.

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:

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment implement remote sensing imagery as a routine part of its pre-burn and post-burn assessment process for prescribed burning.

That a process of year round community engagement in the preparation of Fire Operations Plans be established. In addition a record of year round community engagement, as contained in the Gippsland Fire Operations Plan, should be a requirement of all Fire Operations Plans.

That the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework establish zones in the interface between public and private land in which bushfire risk management is the shared responsibility of the Victorian Government and private landholders.

That in order to enhance the protection of community and ecological assets, the Department of Sustainability and Environment increase its annual prescribed burning target from 130,000 hectares to 385,000 hectares.

That the Victorian Government, and responsible agencies, expedite the implementation of the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework.

To improve response preparedness, DPI should clearly link the selection of simulation exercises to the risk management framework to target coverage of high risks.

DPI should develop an Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Department of Human Services that capitalises on and strengthens the current good working relationship to support joint forward planning and risk management and mitigates against relationship failure in the event of leadership chang

DPI should formalise the approach and framework for evaluating simulation exercises and response to Emergency Animal Disease incidents with guidelines to define the nature of the review process. This should include:

Biosecurity Victoria should enhance controls to provide assurance regarding data integrity. This process should include:
• working with local government to provide accurate and complete property data across the state

Department of Primary Industries (DPI) should broaden the focus of its planning for biosecurity to include a longer term horizon and demonstrate closer alignment with national planning frameworks. To support this DPI should:

DPI should more closely align planning and risk management processes to support its decision-making and response to changing priorities, capacity, capability and investment.

DPI should develop a strategy to deliver an integrated and coordinated approach to prevention and early detection across the livestock value chain. As part of the strategy DPI should:
• target high risk groups

DPI should develop a surveillance strategy with agreed goals and a comprehensive, integrated approach to surveillance across the livestock value chain. The surveillance strategy should:

To support increased effectiveness in EAD (Emergency Animal Disease) response management DPI should:
• develop a strategy to improve capacity and capability

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service reinforce in the minds of all Incident Management Team members, in particular but not limited to the Incident Controller and Planning Officer, of the need to conduct a full risk assessment

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident

That the Minister for Local Government cause rural councils to appoint an Officer whose duties consist entirely of bushfire prevention, such Officer being required to become a trained, operative member of the South Australian Country Fire Service during the currency of his or her appointment.

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service consider the creation of a position within an Incident Management Team of a Landowner Liaison Officer the duties and responsibilities of whom is to establish contact with and liaise with th

That South Australian Country Fire Service create and develop the role of a Regional Public Warnings Officer as a member of the paid staff of the SACFS whose role it would be to identify the need for, and to deliver, timely bushfire warnings to the public during the course of a bushfire incident.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service develop as part of competency for inclusion on a Level 2 or Level 3 Incident Management Team a minimum requirement of demonstrated skill and competency in risk assessment.

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident

That the President of the South Australian Farmers’ Federation of South Australia draws these recommendations and findings to the attention of its members and constituents

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 South Australian Country Fire Service establish preplanned Level 2 Incident Management Teams in each Region for deployment to Level 2 incidents.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service utilise wherever possible the skills of paid, professional staff to perform the roles of Incident Controller and/or Planning Officer in Level 2 Incident Management Teams.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service design tuition courses aimed specifically at developing among its members skill and competency in risk assessment.

That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Minister for Environment, the Chief Officer of the CFS and the Native Vegetation Council, together develop a Code of Practice relating to the management of native vegetation as it affects bushfire prevention.

That the Minister for Emergency Services in conjunction with the South Australian Country Fire Service conduct tuition courses to be made available to the general public to enable members of the public to acquire the necessary knowledge and skills to implement their preparation and planning for b

That the Chief Officer and the Editors of all newspapers and other media outlets develop a Memorandum of Understanding that ensures that all CFS press releases concerning total fire ban days and ongoing bushfire incidents are published in full.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service identify and impart minimum skills and competencies to members who fulfil the roles of the four core AIIMS functionaries of a Level 2 Incident Management Team.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service develop as part of competency for inclusion on a Level 2 or Level 3 Incident Management Team a minimum requirement of demonstrated skill and competency in identifying and implementing feasible and appropriate containment measures designed to bring co

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the South Australian Country Fire Service implement programs to develop in the minds of citizens a heightened awareness of bushfire risk, and in particular to encourage citizens to listen for radio announcements relating to the progression of a fire du

That the South Australian Country Fire Service create as part of a Level 2 and 3 Incident Management Team Logistics Division an Officer whose function it is to seek out, locate and identify sources of water, be they on land or provided by carrier.

That the South Australian Country Fire Service design tuition courses aimed specifically at developing among its members skill and competency in identifying and implementing feasible and appropriate containment measures designed to bring control to a fire incident so as to minimise the risk posed

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government consider the enactment of legislation that would empower Local Government to require the owners or occupiers of rural land to create fire breaks on the land of a kind that Local Government may determine and/or to requi

That the Minister for Emergency Services give further consideration to acquiring a firefighting helicopter to be permanently or primarily stationed in South Australia.

That the South Australian Farmers’ Federation encourage its members and constituents to keep and maintain on rural land in proper working order machinery that is capable of removing, modifying or reducing cropping stubble at short notice in order to minimise or mitigate bushfire risk. 

That the Minister for Emergency Services in conjunction with the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Services and the Commissioner of South Australia Police develop policies and practices regarding the issuing of pu

That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the Chief Officer of the South Australian State Emergency Services and the Commissioner of Police establish a panel to develop policies and practices to ensure that at the time bushfire warni

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. 

That the South Australian Country Fire Service empower the Regional Public Warnings Officer to create and deliver public warnings on that Officer’s initiative without the necessity of seeking the approval of personnel at State Headquarters.

That the Minister for Emergency Services, the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service, the President of the Farmers’ Federation of South Australia and the Minister for Local Government, with a view to developing a Code of Practice, establish a body to investigate the impact of

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,

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service reinforce in the minds of those Officers who perform the role of Regional Duty Officer the duties and responsibilities attaching to that position insofar as they apply to an ongoing fire in

That the Minister for Emergency Services, the South Australian Country Fire Service, the South Australia Police and the South Australian Farmers’ Federation together continue to develop strategies to reduce the risk of harm to private firefighters and in particular:

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service reinforce in the minds of those Officers who perform the role of Regional Duty Officer the need to deliver to the Deputy State Coordinator timely, accurate and relevant information pertaini

That the Minister for Emergency Services and the Chief Officer of the South Australian Country Fire Service cause to be included among the SACFS’ Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) a requirement that Incident

The streamlining correspondence to Emergency Service Agencies

Paid administrative support at the Brigade/Local level

The development of a more efficient, user-friendly website

Clarity of Role with regard to legislative and policy requirements

Reduce the number of hours per month attending meetings

Engendering strong working relationships between volunteers and paid staff within the Emergency Services Sector

The Regulations be amended to include appropriate references to the Unit Managers Advisory Group (SASES) consistent with those of the Group Committee (SACFS). 

Regulations 22 and 62 be reviewed to ensure reports regarding conduct must be relevant to the enquiry. 

Section 79(1) – provisions relating to lighting or maintaining a fire in the open air during the fire danger season be retained in the principal FES Act; Section 79(2) be amended to provide that a fire may be lit or maintained in accordance with the Regulations; provisions specifying the conditio

Provisions be included in the Regulations for mediation in appropriate circumstances.

With the implementation of the Ministerial Review of Bushfire Management in South Australia, consideration should be given to provisions within Part 4, Division 7 of the principal FES Act which would be more appropriately placed in the Regulations. 

SAFECOM in consultation with SAMFS consider the merits of amending Sections 49- 51 to replace the right to appeal from the District Court to the South Australian Industrial Relations Commission. 

Section 88 – requirement to carry fire extinguishers in a caravan be removed from the principal FES Act and placed in the Regulations. 

With the implementation of the Ministerial Review of Bushfire Management in South Australia, the provisions in Sections 84 and 85 be reviewed in terms of enforcing hazard reduction on council or Crown land. 

The preamble of the Fire and Emergency Services (FES) Act be amended to include a stronger emphasis on the strategic and policy purposes of the Commission, highlighting its key role in the governance of the emergency services sector.

Section 90 – provisions relating to smoking, and throwing burning material be removed from the principal FES Act and placed in the Regulations. 

A schedule for revocation of permits be included in the Regulations. 

Crown Law opinion be obtained to determine whether the FES Act gives the Minister power to direct and control individual Chief Officers and if that provision does not exist then the FES Act be amended to include that power. 

Accountability for matters of policy, strategy and resource allocation for the emergency services sector, currently the province of the Board, be given to the position created in Recommendation 3 above. 

The FES Act be amended to include a definition of ‘operations’ and/or ‘operational’. 

Sections 68 and 116 – provisions relating to the establishment/dissolution of SACFS Brigades and SASES Units be amended so as to retain the head of power in the principal FES Act and that the procedural provisions within each of these sections be placed in the Regulations. 

Further to Recommendations 11 and 12 above concerning the joining of Sections 56 and 83 of the FES Act, that these existing provisions be examined to determine whether they provide sufficient authority to address Recommendation 29.9(4) of the Wangary Coronial Inquest so as to require the owners o

Immunity be prescribed for persons (including volunteers) using force in the exercise of a power or function under the FES Act or carrying out any direction or requirement given or imposed at the scene of a fire or other emergency.

Fresh consideration be given to the title of Commissioner of Fire and Emergencies so as to ensure it does not give the impression that it is operationally superior to the Chief Officers of the emergency service agencies. 

The FES Act be amended to create the position which currently has the working title of ‘Commissioner of Fire and Emergencies’ to replace the position of CE and that the FES Act be amended in places where this position is mentioned. 

The definition of ‘officer’ in Section 3 be amended to include reference to the designation being made by the Chief Officer. 

Crown law opinion be obtained as to what amendments, if necessary or appropriate, are required to satisfy Recommendation 29.9(7) of the Wangary Coronial Inquest, that a dedicated bushfire prevention officer be appointed.

The presiding member of the Advisory Board appointed under Section 18(4) be also appointed as a member of the SAFECOM Board. 

The FES Act be amended so as to allow the Chief Executive (CE) to manage the Commission (SAFECOM) Office by removing provisions relative to the SAFECOM Board’s managerial and administrative oversight of the Commission. 

Following the amendment to Section 79 as proposed above in Recommendation 22, a definition of, ‘properly constructed fire place’ and ‘properly constructed incinerator’ be included in the new Regulation. 

All members of the proposed reconstituted SAFECOM Board be given full voting rights. 

Consistent with the requirement for Emergency Service Organisations, the FES Act be amended to require South Australian Fire and Emergency Commission (SAFECOM) to submit a workforce plan to the Board. 

Regulation 48 regarding prescribed offences be amended to include Section 79(2)(e) or its equivalent under the amendment proposed in Recommendation 22 above. 

The United Firefighters Union of Australia – SA Branch (UFU) be given full voting rights on the Advisory Board. 

Crown law opinion be obtained to determine whether additional functions now undertaken by the Commission following the devolvement of the functions of the Security and Emergency Management Office (SEMO) require an amendment to the FES Act. 

Where in the FES Act reference is made to, ‘an officer of the National Parks and Wildlife Service’ this be removed and replaced with, ‘an officer of the Department for Environment and Heritage’.