FSIP1 Action 16.6

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

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Report name

Inquiry into the 2019-20 Victorian Fire Season - Phase 1

Lead agency

EMV - Emergency Management Victoria

Status

In Progress

Due date

Ongoing

Finding

IGEM considers that this action is progressing satisfactorily

Recommendation theme

Recommendation 16: Cross-border interoperability

Recommendation details

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria works with the emergency management sector and relevant emergency management entities in New South Wales and South Australia to identify and address key cross border operational and resource management issues.

This engagement should aim to enhance interoperability and maximise the capability and capacity of agencies to work together during emergencies along Victoria's borders.

Action

EMV and the sector will identify cross-border risks and opportunities through the Regional and Municipal Emergency Management Planning processes.

Summary of progress

Regional-level planning

In November 2020 the then Minister for Police and Emergency Services issued the Guidelines for Preparing State, Regional and Municipal Emergency Management Plans.

The guidelines state that REMPs are designed to provide a clear set of arrangements to contextualise the SEMP and the other plans within the region. Among other requirements, REMPs:

establish arrangements to manage emergency events that may cross regional boundaries or state borders
identify and plan for cross-agency/cross-boundary/cross border training and exercising opportunities
identify and plan for cross-agency/cross-boundary/cross border community engagement and education opportunities.

IGEM’s 2021 progress report noted that all REMPs included a section on cross border considerations. The inaugural REMPs were published in November 2020 and IGEM considers that there is potential for future REMP versions to develop and expand these sections, taking into account any relevant findings from the Regional Emergency Risk Assessment (RERA) project led by EMV (refer to 10YOR Action 2.6).

All Regional Emergency Management Planning Committees are due to complete reviews of their REMPs by November 2023.

Municipal-level planning
The Guidelines for Preparing State, Regional and Municipal Emergency Management Plans state that MEMPs will contain similar considerations and arrangements as those outlined for REMPS, however they will be specific to the municipal district. The guidelines also highlight that MEMPs are likely to be more operational and tactical in nature than REMPs.

Existing MEMPs are being progressively updated in accordance with their three-year review cycles, with all MEMPs due to be reviewed by 1 December 2023 under the new arrangements (refer to 10YOR Action 2.5). IGEM will provide an update on this action in its next progress report and assess how cross border risks and opportunities are being considered though municipal emergency management planning processes.

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