That the NSW Government consider implementing a system for when the Minister for Planning may request the Independent Planning Commission to conduct a public hearing for any development.

That the NSW Government seek to amend provisions of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 relating to historical developments to:
- increase the threshold required for developers to have undertaken action in commencing physical works in order to prevent their development consent from lapsing after 5 years
- consider a mechanism with appropriate thresholds for consent authorities to assess whether a historical development consent should be reassessed, and
- consider giving power to consent authorities to revoke or modify historical development consents, where it can be demonstrated that the development will have significant social, environmental or cultural impact not previously identified or that has been changed from the time of approval.

That the NSW Government consider amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 to make the powers to consent authorities to modify or revoke development consents in the public interest, and that if a consent authority exercises the power to revoke a development consent, that no compensation is to be paid by the consent authority to the aggrieved person.

That the NSW Government consider implementing:
- all of the recommendations of the statutory review of the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016
- planning instruments that provide for the retention and creation of deep soil, native tree cover and habitat in urban areas
- guidelines for a clear and transparent process for when the Minister for Planning will refer a development to the Federal Minister for the Environment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

That the NSW Government review the need for legislation amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 or a state environmental planning policy to consider climate change within the planning system alongside the need to deliver development outcomes, including housing diversity, supply of industrial land and critical infrastructure.

That the NSW Government consider ways to improve the independence of the assessment of planning proposals and development applications, without increasing the time taken to assess such proposals.

That the NSW Government investigate the establishment of a centralised source for all government held planning data accessible to all councils across New South Wales, including:
- flood, coastal inundation and fire
- biodiversity
- climate modelling
- any other relevant data.

That the NSW Government continue to support councils to undertake their functions in respect of addressing climate change where necessary, such as:
- assessing the need for additional funding
- making sure councils have appropriate skills to assess large and complex proposals.

That the NSW Government implement enforceable measures and progress legislative change to ensure planning authorities:
- better reach communities using ongoing access to modern tools and a central database to inform them about development proposals in their local areas and
- provide increased, meaningful and impactful opportunities for community participation in the planning process.

That the NSW Government review deemed refusal appeals under section 8.17 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 and consider the impacts that deemed refusal appeals have on local councils, particularly in relation to the costs incurred in defending these appeals and the strain that this has on council resources.

That the NSW Government look into strengthening Development Control Plans so that provisions within Development Control Plans bear greater weight when considered in the Land and Environment Court and so that they can be enforced.

That the NSW Government introduce a formalised governance structure at the State level to provide leadership and better assist local coastal councils with the management of catchments, funding and administrative constraints in relation to their Coastal Management Plans.

That the NSW Government:
- implement statutory planning controls to mitigate the urban heat island effect, either through legislation, changes to the Sustainable Buildings SEPP, and/or any other relevant instruments
- advocate for changes to the National Construction Code, through the Australian Building Codes Board, to help ensure that infrastructure is resilient to climate change impacts.

That the NSW Government develop a more comprehensive and coordinated climate adaptation framework which can be implemented at local scale which:
- integrates climate resilience and preparedness measures into all aspects of planning and development
- identifies climate risks and prioritises specific actions being taken to reduce those risks.

That the NSW Government enhance land use planning processes to take into account climate change risks, including the development of clear guidelines about where homes and infrastructure should and should not be located.

That the NSW Government continue to work through the NSW Reconstruction Authority to develop a state policy for managed relocation in situations where this may be a viable solution for communities or specific sites.

That the NSW Government give effect to the right of First Nations people to self-determination and the principle of free, prior, informed and ongoing consent in the New South Wales planning system, including in relation to:
- development applications and planning proposals
- culturally appropriate consultation and
- protection of cultural heritage and connection to Country.

That the NSW Government in partnership with local Aboriginal land councils and other Aboriginal land holders, in land claims processes to identify and activate land suitable for development and progress any necessary rezonings to enable that development and where parties agree, consider land swaps where lands are not suitable for development due to biodiversity and climate change constraints.

That the NSW Government consider amending the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to introduce a legislative requirement for exercising the state recovery arrangements as necessary. This should replicate a statewide event, include emergency services, and test the arrangements between the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 and the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022, including the transition from response to recovery.

That the NSW Government amend the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to require a further review of the Act be undertaken once five years have passed from assent of the Act.

That section 93 of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 be amended to:
- replace the words 'the disaster to which the review relates' in subsection 93(5)(b) with the words 'the date on which the review commenced',
- replace all references to 'Joint Select Committee' with 'Joint Committee', and
include that the Committee may review the operations of the NSW Reconstruction Authority regarding the Authority's functions relating to disaster prevention, preparedness and adaptation.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority continue to work with the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure, NSW Treasury, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water and the emergency services organisations under the State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 to minimise any duplication and improve efficiency between the work of the Authority and these agencies, particularly with respect to disaster preparedness and mitigation activities, data, modelling and information sharing.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority consider issuing guidelines which clarify the scope of its powers to make planning decisions under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 and how the Authority will consider existing planning controls, environmental standards, and Aboriginal cultural heritage protections under the state's existing planning framework.

That the NSW Government review the functions of the NSW Reconstruction Authority under the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 to ensure alignment with and prevent conflicts between the statutory functions and responsibilities of the state's emergency services agencies.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority, in consultation with the Office of Local Government, consider issuing guidance on the role and responsibilities of local government with regards to the functions of the Authority.

That the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 be amended to include a requirement that the NSW Reconstruction Authority provide a report to Parliament annually, which lists all instances where the Authority has exercised its functions and powers under Parts 5 to 7 of the Act.

That the NSW Government ensure that any future review of the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 also consider whether the Act should include explicit references to the following principles:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander self-determination and culturally appropriate emergency management,
- the cumulative impacts of disasters,
- psychological wellbeing and trauma-informed approaches,
- community-centred/place-based approaches,
- social infrastructure or capital,
- ecologically sustainable development, social justice and intergenerational equity.

That the NSW Government consider whether the NSW Reconstruction Authority Act 2022 and/or its regulations should explicitly:
- provide for the betterment of physical infrastructure and other assets,
- set out guidelines for data sharing and consultation from the NSW Reconstruction Authority with other government agencies, local councils and community stakeholders, and/or
- recognise the role of and relationship between community service providers and the NSW Reconstruction Authority.

The committee recommends that the Australian Climate Service and the National Emergency Management Agency work with all levels of government and industry to establish and maintain a national disaster risk map and database, covering all types of natural disasters in Australia, which is accessible to the public.

The committee recommends that insurance companies in Australia be required to provide policyholders with a sufficient breakdown and explanation of insurance premium costs, including details of price changes in response to resilience and disaster mitigation measures undertaken by the policyholder.

The committee recommends that the Treasurer issue a Ministerial Direction to require the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor premium prices across Australia and to publish its monitoring reports on a quarterly basis on its website.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government pursue the abolition of general taxes on insurance through the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council and other relevant ministerial council arrangements.

The committee recommends that Treasury expand the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool to cover all natural disasters. The expansion should:
- take account of lessons learned from the operationalisation of the current pool; and
- incorporate incentives for participating insurance companies to invest in disaster mitigation and resilience measures

The committee recommends that the Australian Government increase the Disaster Ready Fund to $400 million per annum for investment in disaster mitigation and resilience measures.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government pursue the matter of land use and planning laws, including the feasibility of prohibiting future development in high-risk areas, through the Housing and Homelessness Ministerial Council and other relevant ministerial council arrangements.

The committee recommends that Treasury develop options for a levy on coal and gas extraction companies, based on the annual energy content they have extracted, from which the funds raised would be invested in disaster mitigation and resilience measures, and the cost of rising insurance.

That, following a significant natural disaster such as the 2022 flood, the Inspector-General for Emergency Management conduct a review at an appropriate time to provide feedback for continuous improvement.

That the Victorian Government confirm the powers of the Inspector-General for Emergency Management to undertake reviews on a self-referral basis or, if such powers do not exist, to legislate to provide these powers.

That the Victorian Government consider all the evidence, findings and recommendations from this Report when developing a new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy.

That the new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy detail the coordination responsibility of the Victorian Government to ensure all flood studies for all local government areas are fully funded and completed.

That the Victorian Government make public the internal, de-identified after-action review conducted by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

That the Victorian Government clearly state the operational role and responsibilities of each emergency service in preparation for a flood emergency, outlining the appropriate chain of command, communication protocols, and engagement with the local community.

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 require peer review of publicly funded flood modelling as part of the next Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy.

That Melbourne Water and other floodplain management authorities review flood models every five years and update the models at least every 10 years and after the occurrence of a major flood.

That the Victorian Government provide Victorians with access to appropriate data contained within the FloodZoom platform

That the Victorian Government introduce amendments to the Sale of Land Act 1962 (Vic) to require vendor disclosure statements to include a simple statement on flood risk. In addition, houses or dwellings previously flooded must be included in any vendor declaration statement.

That Emergency Management Victoria work with local government authorities and local State Emergency Service units to provide access to local flood guides to all residents in a flood zone, that identify the likely flood impacts on individual properties.

That the Victorian Government improve individual and community awareness about their own roles and responsibilities in emergency management, and make available information resources for preparing for flood and other emergencies.

That the Victorian Government require the emergency management sector to ensure that the needs of vulnerable communities including people with disability are included in all disaster preparation and response plans and ensure that sufficient funding is available to make all disaster emergency responses inclusive for people with disability.

That the Victorian Government provide flood risk and planning information in a way that is appropriately accessible to people with additional needs, including people with disability.

That the Victorian Government ensure early warning systems include consideration of a voluntary register of people in need of additional support to receive early warning and support during natural disasters.

That the Victorian Government fast-track the implementation of flood studies into planning schemes. This should be done cooperatively with local councils and relevant stakeholders, group together flood studies into regional amendments, and use the Minister for Planning’s powers as required, within two years of completion.

That the Victorian Government introduce amendments to the Planning and Environment Act 1987 (Vic) and Victoria Planning Provisions so that planning and other authorities must address climate change at all levels of the planning process.

That the Victorian Government work with floodplain management authorities and climate scientists to understand how flood modelling can be used to better predict the impact of climate change on flooding and update its flood management policies in line with this understanding.

That regional local councils work closely with their regional catchment management authorities to better understand, manage, and mitigate the risk of building on floodplains in regional Victoria.

That Victoria’s strategic land use planning limit inappropriate new housing and business developments inside 1% AEP floodplains.

That the Victorian Government support residents within 1% AEP floodplains, including with funded programs, to manage the risk facing their existing properties and make their properties more flood resilient.

That the Victorian Government fund a resilient homes program to raise or retrofit residential properties at risk of flood inundation, and which prioritises homeowners affected by the 2022 flood event.

That the Victorian Government require planning authorities, floodplain management authorities and other relevant actors to take account of the change in land use and especially projected changes to land use when setting flood levels for planning and development and the application of the land subject to inundation overlay.

As part of the development of the new Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy, that the Victorian Government review the operation of the last Strategy, in consultation with local councils, community representatives, expert advisory groups and other relevant stakeholders

That the Victorian Government’s review of the last Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy (and development of the new Strategy) examine levee funding and management arrangements to determine if they are still fit for purpose based on new information and insights from the October 2022 flood event.

That the Victorian Government fund floodplain managers to develop maps modelling scenarios demonstrating the impact on landholders of specified levee breeches.

That the Victorian Government review the Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy to examine issues around rural levee management. This should include the roles and responsibilities of local councils and private landowners and consider the adequacy of taxpayer support for maintaining these systems.

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 ensure that future flood mitigation efforts include updated and rigorous hydraulic modelling before implementation, ensuring the effectiveness of compensatory measures. Additionally, these strategies should undergo independent peer review to validate their expected performance.

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

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 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 ensure that, for future events that are expected to replicate high storage and high rainfall conditions, new temporary operating rules for water storage and release are developed. These new rules must take account of the interest of those who are affected by Eildon and Eppalock’s storages including downstream landholders and water entitlement holders.

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 audit transport links in and out of disaster-prone areas.

That the Victorian Government clarify responsibility for flood mitigation infrastructure, with clear accountability and transparency for who is responsible for each asset.

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

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 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.

The transfer of ownership and responsibility for public gauges to the Bureau of Meteorology should be completed as a priority, and the Victorian Government should request the Commonwealth Government provide a public update by the end of 2024 on these transfer timelines.

That the Victorian Government identify and fill critical gaps in the state’s gauge network. New gauges should be installed in priority locations as soon as possible, and existing gauges should be upgraded with telemetry services. Information from flood gauges and telemetry services should be easily accessible by the public.

That the Victorian Government use the experience of warnings transmitted during the 2022 flood event to identify and adopt best practice for community warning frequency.

That the Victorian Government improve the accuracy, timeliness, and relevance of the VicEmergency service during an emergency. In doing so, the Government should actively seek input from non-government and government stakeholders to ensure that the service can meet the diverse needs of different communities during a crisis.

That the Victorian Government improve the flood warning system so that warnings are:
- accurate with the most up-to-date information
- delivered in a timely way
- clear and easily understood
- consistently disseminated across different communities
- accessible in relevant formats and languages, where appropriate.

That the Victorian Government ensure the emergency warning system is inclusive and able to be used by all Victorians, and should:
- include real-time translation of warnings into multiple languages during a crisis event
- deliver information in easier to understand ways which meet the needs of people with a disability.

Given the essential role of digital connectivity in emergency management and response, that the Victorian Government, working with the Commonwealth Government as necessary, address connectivity limitations, focusing on rural and remote areas. Potential options to consider are the need for:
- enhanced infrastructure investment
- geographically based coverage
- rapid deployment of temporary satellite vans.

That the Victorian Government establish long-term community awareness initiatives to ensure the public understand flood risk and actions. Successful bushfire awareness campaigns could be used as a basis for such initiatives.

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.

To improve the management and distribution of sandbags during a flood event, that the Victorian Government:
- ensure that there is sufficient supply quantity of sandbags available for preparation for floods in a wet year.
- assess the benefits of a coordinated sandbag management system in Victoria. This system could include capacity for scalable sandbagging stations and address resource gaps in high-risk flood areas.
- ensure that emergency management plans are regularly updated to reflect current resource and logistical capabilities.
- explore options for supplementing reliance on sandbags with innovative new products such as floodgates or water inflated barriers.

That the Victorian Government develop a strategic rescue plan in areas at high risk of flooding, so that they have appropriate resources and expertise for rescues during a crisis event. This plan should include consideration of procurement, expansion of reserve caches and processes for rapid deployment of resources.

That the Victorian Government, in collaboration with the Victoria State Emergency Service, review its approach to evacuation warnings to identify opportunities for improvement and increased community responsiveness.

That the Victorian Government and the Victoria State Emergency Service work with:
a. New South Wales to finalise the MOU that has been initiated, and to make it publicly available
b. South Australian counterparts to initiate and establish a MOU or other mechanisms for cross-border cooperation in relation to shared emergency events, and to make this publicly available.

That the Victoria State Emergency Service undertake a strategic review of its resources, leadership and personnel allocation. This review should focus on enhancing communication systems, ensuring adequate availability of essential resources like rescue equipment, and implementing robust volunteer recruitment processes, support and training programs.

That the Victorian Government increase funding and support for the Victoria State Emergency Service to enable a comprehensive upgrade of emergency communication technologies, ensure a steady supply of critical response resources, and expand volunteer recruitment and retention programs, thereby bolstering the agency’s capability to manage and respond to emergencies effectively.

That the Victorian Government ensure that incident control centres include a mechanism for local expertise to be included in their operations and help inform processes to assist managing localised warnings and response.

That the Victorian Government increase funding to Shepparton and Echuca and Moama Search and Rescue squads to ensure optimal response capabilities in future emergencies.

That the Victorian Government, working with local councils, establish statewide operating guidelines for Emergency Relief Centres. These guidelines should include protocols on rapid activation, streamlined communication and resource mobilisation. Local councils should remain empowered to tailor protocols to meet local needs.

In line with Recommendation 58, that the Victorian Government, working with local councils, investigate options for emergency funding arrangements to assist operating Emergency Relief Centres and include these arrangements in statewide operating guidelines.

That the Victorian Government plan and resource recovery hubs (including online access) sufficiently to fulfil their role in long-term community recovery and resilience building.

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 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 review its framework for providing housing support following an environmental disaster. In particular, the Government should assess the application system to ensure that genuinely affected households are provided support in a timelier manner and to mitigate the risk of fraudulent claims.

That the Victorian Government recognise caravan parks as essential businesses in disaster-prone areas as providers of housing and emergency support and ensure support is available (including grants) under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to caravan park operators, including those operating on Crown Land.

That the Victorian Government, noting that repair of natural environment is often overlooked in disaster recovery, assess and make funding available for natural environment and restoration.

To assist with ongoing clean-up of flood-affected areas following disasters, that the Victorian Government establish a dedicated financial support program for local businesses involved in debris removal and restoration efforts. This should include reimbursement mechanisms for businesses, such as earthmoving companies, that contributed equipment and personnel to the clean-up but suffered significant financial losses doing so.

That the Victorian Government pay its bills on time, especially following natural disasters.

That the Victorian Government work to support better collaboration between local communities, contractors, and government agencies, ensuring swift deployment of additional human resources for efficient post-disaster clean-up efforts.

That the Victorian Government collaborate with local authorities and community groups to develop and implement a debris management strategy and ensure that it aligns with broader disaster management plans as part of future-proofing for environmental events.

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 provide long-term funding contracts for mental health services in flood-affected regions, with a focus to securing dedicated mental health professionals and effective service delivery in communities impacted by natural disasters.

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’s response to this Inquiry identifies the responsible authorities for each recommendation and provides a timeframe for action and reports back to Parliament on progress made implementing the recommendations.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government define the following terms in the Insurance Contracts Act 1984:
- All major forms of water damage, including “rainfall runoff”, “storm surge”, “tidal surge” and “riverine flood”.
- Key terms relating to exclusions relating to the maintenance of the property including “wear and tear” and “lack of maintenance”. The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia accelerate its work with the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission in developing and approving the standardising of these terms and that consumers be provided with greater clarity in relation to the meaning of “pre-existing defect and/or damage”.

The Committee recommends that:
- the Australian Government legislate a requirement for general insurers to provide policyholders with information regarding insurers’ expectations of policyholders conducting “reasonable maintenance” to their property and the potential consequences for claim outcomes if a reasonable level of maintenance is not undertaken, and
- the Insurance Council of Australia in conjunction with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and key consumer group representatives develop clear guidance regarding ‘reasonable maintenance’ across insurers, including for roofs, gutters, fences and stumps.

The Committee recommends that a distinction be made in the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) between aspects of properties where maintenance is:
- Observable (for example, roofs and gutters) versus where it is not observable (for example, typically, stumps).
- Where regular upkeep is reasonably within the remit of the householder or business versus where maintenance is infrequent, costly and highly irregular (for example, stumps).
- Where maintenance is not observable and infrequent maintenance is required, there should be a presumption of coverage by insurers unless exceptional circumstances can be established. It should be noted that this may have an impact on premiums for some policies (for example, for older houses) but that the trade-off is that it will reduce the likelihood of dramatically different outcomes for households with the same experience from the natural disaster while making no difference to the observed risk or behaviour of policyholders. This presumption should be reflected in the industry-wide guidance issued under Recommendation 2.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amending Sections 46 and 54 of the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 so as to better give effect to the original intent of the provisions. This could reduce unintended, arbitrary divergences in claims outcomes based on wear and tear and maintenance exclusions at odds with reasonable consumer understanding of their coverage.

The Committee recommends that Engineers Australia in conjunction with the Insurance Council of Australia develop guidelines for hydrologists that are providing insurers with hydrology reports relating to flood and storm claims, with a view to providing a more robust evidence base for insurers to rely on to make claim decisions. These guidelines should be shared with state and territory governments and appropriate authorities such as planning agencies and resilience authorities. This could include the following matters:
- The appropriate qualifications and experience of the hydrologists that are relied upon to provide expert reports.
- In order to better use scarce hydrologist resources, the potential for reports to jointly cover multiple properties, particularly where they are co-located and were affected by the same flow of water. Where appropriate, such reports should acknowledge differential considerations across properties.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission produce regulatory guidance clarifying that insurers cannot rely solely on hydrology and expert reports to deny a claim where the report has not properly linked the damage observed with the cause of the damage, consistent with Recommendations 75 - 78 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code).That the Code provisions in relation to the appointment of experts be strengthened to ensure that:
- the purpose of the Code include the intent that experts are to provide independent, detailed, clear, comprehensible and professional assessments of the cause and extent of loss.
- insurers be required to ensure the expertise, professionalism and independence of experts appointed by them.
- expert reports are in a standardised format to improve consumer accessibility and understanding.
- clauses 161 and 162 of the Code require the insurer to provide policyholders with any expert reports including, but not limited to, any reports that insurers have relied upon to deny a claim in whole or in part

The Committee recommends the Australian Government establish a mechanism for creating and funding an independent expert panel of hydrologists to undertake hydrology reports if the policyholder disputes the findings of the first report.
- One model for such a panel could be the use of medical panels for compensation cases.
- Government and industry should explore how such a panel could be funded.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers implement mechanisms to:
- periodically review the evidence relied upon to deny a claim based on lack of coverage under the policy or the application of an exclusion, where a hydrology and other expert report is one component of the evidence, to determine whether reports with insufficient evidence are being given too much weight in the decision to deny the claim
- communicate the level of quality expected by insurers to third parties providing expert reports, and
- more effectively identify concerns with, and provide feedback to, external experts.

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission provide guidance to insurers about providing greater detail and clarity to policyholders on their rights and risks when an offer is made for a final cash settlement, including the risks policyholders should be aware of for the project management of repairs. This would align with elements of recommendation 71 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice’s Initial Report, and the Committee recommends that this recommendation be implemented in full.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice provide that final cash settlements:
- Be provided in a template form that is standardised across all insurers. The template should include a clear itemisation of all key elements of the total sum. The template be designed with input from peak consumer organisations and the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.
- Should include actionable, comprehensive, and transparent quotes.
- Should clearly identify compensation for unforeseen risks and project management risk (as identified in Recommendation 9).

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to include a minimum 30 day ‘cooling off period’ with respect to cash settlements.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers, when offering a final cash settlement, to:
- Advise the consumer to obtain legal advice in relation to a final cash settlement;
- Advise the consumer of their rights to reopen a final cash settlement under the General Insurance Code of Practice and any rights they may have in respect of common law;
- Refer the consumer to community legal advisers and financial counsellors in the local area.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers when offering final cash settlements to include areasonable uplift/contingency sum to reasonably compensate policyholders for the risks they take on in project managing the repairs to their property.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to allow policyholders to have a 12-month period to seek a review of a final cash settlement where there is a change in the facts upon which the original determination was made.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice prohibit the use of the terms “without prejudice” or “confidential” (or other misleading terms) on final cash settlement offers. This could be supplemented by regulatory guidance by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The Committee recommends that a new service be offered to support vulnerable cash settlement recipients to project manage rebuilds and major repairs. This could be similar to the Service Navigator role in Queensland’s Resilient Homes Fund.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission:
- develop standardised industry requirements for obtaining Scopes of Work to ensure common items are included and costings itemised (for example, in a template form),
- provide itemised costings in Scopes of Work to policyholders as part of the cash settlement offer process, and
- develop standardised mechanisms for insurers to implement quality control over the Scopes of Work they receive.

The Committee recommends that there should be insurer and regulator oversight of Scopes of Work through the following mechanisms:
- Stronger Code provisions in relation to quality of Scopes of Work (as per Recommendation 74 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice).
- Random vetting of Scopes of Work quality by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The Committee recommends that insurers amend their home insurance policies to provide fully paid temporary accommodation until the insurer has closed the claim, unless the extension of the time required can be demonstrated to be a result of behaviour on the part of the policyholder that is unreasonably causing delay; That final cash settlements include a provision for temporary accommodation that takes account of the Scope of Works; progress on the project to date; and a reasonable uplift; and That the cost of covering temporary accommodation should be a separate entitlement and not be funded out of the sum insured amount.

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia amend the General Insurance Code of Practice to include an appropriate mechanism for ensuring policyholders that are being provided with temporary accommodation as part of their claim have at least 3 months’ notice of any proposed substantive changes to the policyholders’ living situation or the insurers’ payments for the accommodation.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia in conjunction with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission develop guidelines on how insurers can apply tighter internal controls on the oversight of building contractors, including guidelines on community expectations for industry to improve their oversight practices.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider appropriate regulatory or other mechanisms to reduce the instances of third-party builders and other contractors making changes to properties without the policyholder’s consent, including the practice of gaining entry, removing property (strip-outs) or conducting repairs without the policyholder’s knowledge or consent. Solutions should take into account the unique circumstances and challenges created by catastrophic flood events.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate mechanisms to require insurers to more clearly communicate the basis for the price of premiums. This could include:
- at a high level, highlighting the nature of risk for the property for each major peril type (for example, a traffic light rating system)
- last year’s premium alongside the current year’s premium, along with a descriptive analysis of why there has been a change if it is material (for example, over 10 per cent). The analysis could include highlighting different factors that may influence pricing such as changes in building costs or changes in the assessment of one or more perils, or the impact of household or community level mitigation, without attaching numerical estimates to each factor.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers, at policy commencement and renewal, communicate key information on the consumer’s policy, including:
- A clearly highlighted plain English explanation of common obligations policyholders have under their policies and the application of certain exclusions if they are not undertaken, and
- general advice in relation to property maintenance and the expectations of the insurer regarding key aspects of the property such as roofs, gutters and fences, and
- general information around the calculation of a policyholder’s sum insured and factors a policyholder may wish to consider to ensure full coverage in a total loss event.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers inform policyholders when they suspect the policyholder’s sum insured does not cover the full rebuild costs according to their calculations, both at sign-on and renewal. The insurer should encourage the consumer to review their sum insured amount and ask them to confirm with a response.
The Committee further recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be strengthened to require insurers to ensure that sum insured calculators are accurate and up to date, consistent with Recommendation 56 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice. The calculators should include updated information on rebuild costs, including cost increases relating to rebuilding to current building standards, and increases in labour and materials costs.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers adopt a more flexible approach in relation to rebuilds and that, in particular, a like-for-like replacement not be required and that consumers be permitted to swap out size/scope for resilience and efficiency in “sum insured” repairs and rebuilds.

The Committee recommends that insurance brokers and insurers be required to provide clear guidance on the operation of averaging provisions to small and medium sized businesses.
The Australian Government should also consider prohibiting averaging provisions for small businesses.

The Committee recommends that all large insurers commit to having a physical presence at major emergency hubs in affected communities as soon as possible following a natural disaster.

The Committee recommends the Insurance Council of Australia in consultation with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and state, territory and local governments:
- Develop guidance for policyholders on the actions they can take to clean up their properties following a natural disaster.
- Include in the guidance any actions policyholders should take to document damage to their properties, such as taking photos to assist with their claim.
- Obtain a commitment from insurers that they will have regard for the guidance when assessing claims.
- Distribute the guidance as soon as possible to disaster-impacted local government areas.
- Make the guidance part of information distributed by insurers when a natural disaster occurs, including making the guidance available at recovery hubs in hard copy form.
- Develop debris cleanup guidance for councils.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers, in the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster, provide policyholders with updated information about:
- what policyholders can expect from making a claim and the claims process,
- realistic time estimates for each step of the claims process, and
- customers’ rights to challenge decisions or raise concerns about the insurers’ conduct.
This guidance should take the form of a comprehensible and standardised diagram or flowchart. Following major flood events, insurers should also build into their systems pathways for policyholders to receive quick responses to commonly asked questions.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers to contact customers within 5 business days of the insurer becoming aware of a material change in the expected timing of any stage outlined in the guidance provided under Recommendation 30.

The Committee recommends, in alignment with recommendation 3 of the 2023 Deloitte report, that insurers be required to build into their staff resourcing plans, strategies to adequately increase resourcing for key services, including call centre and claims management staff, when significant or catastrophic events occur.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers to provide all policyholders with access to realtime information about their claim’s progress and key documentation on their claim. This could be through a mobile application or other platform.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers use the ‘single point of contact’ claims management approach to the extent possible when responding to major natural disasters and ensure policyholders are informed of who their assigned case manager is as soon as practicable. The Committee further recommends that insurers be required to accommodate the preferred communication channel nominated by a policyholder during the claim processing period.

The Committee recommends that clauses 103c and 103d of the General Insurance Code of Practice be strengthened to ensure that key information is translated and available on insurers’ websites and that clause 103a should specify that this includes translating and interpreting services for Indigenous Australians.

The Committee recommends that insurers invest in their IT systems to improve the storage of policyholders’ key documentation and case notes, including correspondence and discussions. Case managers should also be suitably trained and resourced to implement quality record-keeping.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission review how insurers are identifying vulnerable policyholders with a view to ensuring vulnerable policyholders are:
- consistently being identified when they make a claim;
- being identified in numbers commensurate with their prevalence; and
- provided with appropriate support throughout the claims process.

The Committee recommends that insurers devote additional resources to providing vulnerable customers with assistance. Insurers should evaluate the effectiveness of this assistance after each declared event.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require insurers’ identification of vulnerable customers and training of staff be designed so that customer interaction is compliant with ISO 22458 2022-04, the International Organization for Standardization’s document Consumer vulnerability – Requirements and guidelines for the design and delivery of inclusive service.

The Committee recommends that insurers improve staff training to ensure staff adopt a trauma-informed approach when communicating with policyholders. This should include:
- Explicit reference to trauma-informed policies and training in the General Insurance Code of Practice (as per Recommendation 26 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice).
- Priority should be given to the recruitment of staff with experience from natural disasters.
- Recording, with consent, personal information to better assist people experiencing vulnerability (as per Recommendation 27 of the Independent Review of the General Insurance Code of Practice).
- Clear communication, via insurer websites and other forms of communication (such as mobile applications), the types of additional supports that the insurer makes available to consumers experiencing vulnerability.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investment Commission update RG 271 Internal Dispute Resolution to provide further guidance on what constitutes a complaint and how complaints should be recorded. The goal should be to ensure that the definition of an internal dispute is set at a level that captures appropriately serious disputes and that this threshold is applied consistently across all insurers.

The Committee recommends that all insurers be required to establish a dedicated internal dispute resolution monitoring and review team to identify systemic issues arising through complaints and implement the Australian Financial Complaints Authority’s feedback to improve internal dispute resolution and claims handling processes

The Committee recommends that insurers put in place strategies to ensure their internal dispute resolution teams will be appropriately resourced and trained to respond to future significant natural disasters, and able to critically analyse expert reports and investigate the circumstances of the claim.

The Committee recommends that insurers improve their processes to facilitate the escalation of cases that remain unresolved after 12 months to a more experienced case manager.

The Committee recommends that all insurers create a role for a ‘consumer advocate’ which has oversight of and, where appropriate, involvement in, the disputes managed within the firm, cases that have moved to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority (AFCA), and claims which have taken a long period of time to resolve. The consumer advocate should report to the Chief Executive Officer quarterly and the Board each year and provide a summary of the activities of the office over the preceding 12 months including a summary of cases where the consumer advocate was involved, the disputes that went to AFCA and the firm’s overturn ratio, and where long delays occurred before the case was resolved (longer than 12 months).

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia seek to have the General Insurance Code of Practice approved by the Australian Securities and Investments Commission after implementing any recommendations of the Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice be incorporated as a contractually enforceable clause in insurance Product Disclosure Statements (as is the Banking Code of Practice).

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code Governance Committee publish aggregate data on code breaches by clause, individual insurer, and brand.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission (ASIC) appropriately use powers that it has as a result of the removal of the exemption of claims handling of insurance products under the Corporations Act 2001. The Committee notes that ASIC has only recently been granted such powers and they are as yet untested.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the General Insurance Code Governance Committee share data so that it is possible to evaluate breaches of the General Insurance Code of Practice in the context of an insurers’ overall claims profile.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission develop and define key outcomes measures for the consumer experience, including:
- Communication (outcome measures)
o Overall customer satisfaction, such as a customer satisfaction score o Consumer comprehension of communications (random sample)
- Claims processing
o Average time taken to respond to a customer after first making an enquiry or initiating a claim
- Vulnerable customers o Proportion of customers identified as vulnerable (BAU, quarterly)
o Proportion of customers identified as vulnerable (designated events, monthly)
- Internal dispute resolution o Proportion of total cases that involved internal dispute resolution
o Average time taken to resolve internal dispute cases
- External dispute resolution
o Proportion of total cases that were referred to the Australian Financial Complaints Authority
o Success rate at the Australian Financial Complaints Authority
- Cash settlements
o Proportion of resolved cases that are final cash settlements
- Claims acceptance rates
o Percentage of claims acceptedPercentage of claims closed (at key points in time, for example 6 months, 12 months, 18 months)
- General Insurance Code of Practice Compliance Breaches of the General Insurance Code of Practice per thousand claims by clause, insurer, and brand.

The Committee recommends that legislation provide the Australian Securities and Investments Commission with sufficient data-gathering powers to obtain the information required to monitor and report on the metrics recommended in Recommendation 51.

The Committee recommends the Australian Securities and Investments Commission consider seeking data from insurers on their performance based on the metrics recommended in Recommendation 51:
- Quarterly, for business-as-usual operations
- Monthly, for each declared event.

The Committee recommends the Australian Securities and Investments Commission publish quarterly insurer and brand level data on their performance on the metrics recommended in Recommendation 51.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission’s MoneySmart life insurance claims comparison tool be extended to general insurance.

The Committee recommends that for each declared event, insurers be required to report the number of unresolved cases after 12 months to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and the overarching strategy for resolving these cases. This report should include the total number of outstanding claims and the most common reasons for the delay.

The Committee recommends that the General Insurance Code of Practice (the Code) be reformed to implement Recommendation 63 of the Independent Review of the 2020 General Insurance Code of Practice, that is: where the insurer has not made a decision on a claim within 12 months, and the delay is not due to the consumer or other reasons beyond the control of the insurer, the Code should require the claim to be accepted. The Committee further recommends that Australian Securities and Investments Commission consider using its powers in relation to claims management to enforce this obligation.
- This would not be triggered where a claim has been lodged with the Australian Financial Complaints Authority.
- This would be triggered where internal dispute resolution has commenced but is not resolved. If the insurer has not made a decision by 12 months, the claim must be paid.

The Committee recommends that insurers report case management key performance indicators to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission.

The Committee recommends that insurers recognise standard third-party authorisation forms and that this obligation be reflected in staff training.

The Committee recommends that, if a policy renewal falls due when there is long delay in claim handling or the completion of the project, the insurer should:
- be required to offer a reduced form of cover, with an appropriately lower premium
- this cover should include public liability cover and sufficient cover for the building in its damaged state (noting that some consumers are being sent standard premium renewals, which amounts to excessive cover).

The Committee recommends that insurers be required to ensure that people paying premiums monthly do not pay more.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to ensure flood maps are produced to a high standard across the nation, regardless of the size of the local government area producing the modelling. This may require:
- increased funding for local government areas and water authorities, and
- the development of agreed standards to ensure that flood mapping is completed to at least an agreed minimum standard.
That, over time, this higher quality flood modelling be made freely accessible to homeowners and the general public along with easy to understand information about flood risk exposures at each property. This may be best undertaken in the first instance by local councils and/or water authorities responsible for generating the flood modelling, consistent with Recommendation 3 of the Actuaries Institute’s Funding for Flood Costs report (August 2023).

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ultimately move towards a national, centralised, public-facing portal containing flood risk data at the household level for:
- all households and small businesses across Australia, and
- all land being considered for release for development and all land that has been released for development, but not yet developed.
Agencies tasked with developing the portal should reflect upon governments’ past efforts to develop similar portals and lessons learnt. The portal should be easily accessible, user friendly and display high-quality flood risk information in a way that is readily understandable to communities. That before data is released on such a portal for existing properties (residential and small business), that the entity creating the flood study release that data through a staged process involving appropriate community consultation and engagement.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government commission research into effective ways of communicating flood risk to communities. The research may explore communities’ understanding of the Average Recurrence Interval, categories such as High, Medium or Low flood risk, and the Annual Exceedance Probability percentage. The research should be used to establish standard best-practice communication strategies for local governments and other stakeholders in communicating flood risk to communities.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to work with the insurance industry through the Hazards Insurance Partnership to collate:
- data contained in the National Flood Information Database, and
- household-level data held by insurers (de-identified where appropriate).

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue to work with the states and territories through National Cabinet to ensure that disaster and resilience funding, and non-financial support, are accessible and adequate for all councils, particularly smaller councils. The Committee recommends that the Government work with the states and territories through National Cabinet to ensure more disaster support can be triggered at the sub-Local Government Area level when needed.

The Committee recommends a more flexible approach to post-flood grant arrangements, to expand eligibility to include some insured people, including:
- The Australian and state governments, in consultation with local governments and the insurance industry, make design, implementation and communication improvements to recovery programs to avoid future delays due to unanticipated or poorly managed interactions with insurance claims processes.
- The Australian and state governments review eligibility criteria for recovery programs, including grants, to ensure they are fit for purpose. This should include consideration of extending support currently restricted to uninsured people to include some insured people, where justified by local and individual circumstances.
- The Australian Government investigate the advantages and risks of enabling access to the Home Equity Access Scheme for resilience improvements by people who cannot access or afford flood cover.

The Committee recommends that all levels of government should work together to ensure that, as far as is possible, people don’t need to resubmit the same information multiple times for different disaster support. Just as insurers should aim for one point of contact, government should aim for ‘tell your story once’.

The Committee acknowledges the increased funding for the community legal sector recently announced. While the focus of this funding will be for family violence services, the Committee recommends that an appropriate proportion be dedicated to natural disaster services.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider measures to improve the affordability of flood insurance for existing policyholders with high flood risk properties, including the appropriateness of a government supported reinsurance arrangement. Any interventions to improve the affordability of flood insurance should be pursued in accordance with to the following interdependent principles:
- Affordable cover for even high-risk properties. Flood insurance should be available to all Australian homeowners and body corporate lot owners at an affordable price, but with conditions.
- Price signals. Any assistance to affordable insurance should not compromise price signals against full cost of risk. This could be achieved by partial (but not full) reduction of the premium and/or a gradual phasing out of some assistance.
- Cross-subsidies. Any scheme of reinsurance support or subsidies should minimise cross-subsidisation through premiums where possible as this could raise issues of fairness (for example, low-income households cross-subsiding higher risk high-income households) and could be economically inefficient in that it may create a disincentive to insure.
- Phase-out. That any scheme involving public funding being devoted to a reinsurance pool or subsidies, should be phased out over time in line with ongoing investment in community and household mitigation to reduce the underlying risk over time.
- The underlying risk: no new developments. Governments at all three levels should commit to arrangements (including more public disclosure) to ensure that no new developments occur in high-risk areas.
- The underlying risk: community mitigation. Federal and State governments should commit to ongoing investment in community mitigation. This should include a guaranteed minimum annual investment level and the development of rigorous business cases.
- The underlying risk: household mitigation. Households and small business should be provided with information on mitigation options and their premiums should be reduced immediately when they undertake such mitigation.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with State, Territory and local government through National Cabinet to ensure that further development does not occur in areas of 1-in-100 flood risk or greater. The boundary for no future development should take account of climate modelling of future increases in risk, in addition to current estimates of risk. The Committee further recommends that the Australian Government explore mechanisms that it can adopt to give effect to this unilaterally, including:
- Publicly disclosed risk information at the individual property level, including for new developments. This could be through a range of mechanisms, including:
- a portal informed by data provided to the Commonwealth government through the Hazards Insurance Partnership for all property released for development.
- A regulatory mechanism to discourage banks from loaning for further development at a 1/100 risk or higher (such as risk rating banks’ capital to appropriately reflect flood risk; an agreement between government, the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority, and major banks that such loans will not occur, or other regulatory mechanisms). These measures could apply to lending to both developers and to residential purchasers.
- Access to any flood pool (or subsidies) would not be available to properties approved in high-risk areas after the creation of the scheme.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state, territory and local governments through National Cabinet to ensure that publicly disclosed risk information at the individual property level is available through the property conveyancing process or mandated in state rental agreement regulation.

The Committee recommends that building codes and planning rules be strengthened and future-proofed to improve the resilience of communities and households, consistent with Recommendation 2 of the Actuaries Institute’s Funding for Flood Costs report.
- This should take into account not just current flood risks, but also projected increases in risks based on climate modelling
- Consideration should be given to the publication of a freely available disaster risk rating system.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government continue to fund community level mitigation, ensuring at least $200 million per year ongoing.

The Committee recommends that a climate financing framework be developed in relation to government mitigation and adaptation funding. That this framework create the appropriate incentives for both public sector and private sector investment in mitigation and more resilient buildings and infrastructure. This would include:
- Rigorous project evaluation and prioritisation, including cost benefit analysis and the incorporation of climate modelling.
- Strong project governance including reporting, monitoring and evaluation.
- Post-project price monitoring where appropriate.
- The development of resilience financing where feasible and appropriate.
- The exploration of public-private partnerships to coinvest in new or upgraded infrastructure.

The Committee recommends the General Insurance Code of Practice be amended to require that insurers be required to consider relevant propertylevel mitigation measures in any new or renewing insurance policy, and to demonstrate how those measures have been reasonably reflected in the proposed premium. After the Code is registered with the Australian Securities and Investments Commission, the Committee also recommends that the Treasurer issue a ministerial direction for the appropriate regulator to periodically review insurers’ compliance with passing on premium reductions.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government consider measures to reduce household level risks, including whether it would be appropriate to extend the Bushfire Resilience Rating Home Self-Assessment App to flood risks.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government work with the Insurance Council of Australia to develop and publish advice on the mitigation measures households could undertake to improve the flood resilience of their property.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government and Insurance Council of Australia explore measures to facilitate the exchange of substantiated information about the resilience of a property to insurers, including new mitigation measures undertaken through state-based grant and loan programs.

The Committee recommends insurers facilitate options for policyholders to provide additional information to insurers about the resilience of their property to flood risks, and make further investments to better integrate reported resilience measures into the calculations of premiums.

The Committee recommends that state and territory governments develop buyback and resilience programs for households with very high flood risk and where alternative mitigation measures are unlikely to manage the risk. The Australian Government should consider working with state and territory governments, including through co-funding models, where appropriate.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to review the operation of existing buy-back schemes to ensure they are targeted appropriately and to evaluate the outcomes for households that have received assistance.

The Committee recommends the Australian Government collaborate with state governments to implement measures to repurpose areas with high flood risk for alternative purposes, including returning developed land into a predeveloped state or repurposing land for recreational or agricultural use.

The Committee recommends that insurers explore offering innovative insurance products that have the potential to improve the operation of the insurance market, including:
- More flexible insurance products for small business, including:
- partial coverage for small businesses in high-risk areas; and
- cashflow assistance or other temporary benefits that might help a small business survive the immediate aftermath of a natural disaster.
- Parametric insurance, particularly in high-risk areas and/or for consumers facing affordability stress.

The Committee recommends that the New South Wales and Tasmanian governments collaborate with industry and local governments to reform emergency services levies, aiming to enhance premium affordability and reduce barriers to insurance uptake.

The Committee recommends that state and territory governments remove state-based taxes on general insurance products and shift the tax burden toward less distortionary taxes. Where state or territory governments reduce taxes or levies on insurers, that insurers commit to passing these savings on in full through lower premiums.

The committee recommends that the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements and relevant guidelines be amended to enable funds to be distributed for the purpose of building betterment into recovery and reconstruction, ensuring that this funding is available to all jurisdictions.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a national asset register to improve the efficiency of the deployment of resources in the aftermath of a disaster. The Government should consider whether it is feasible to include not only federal and state government assets, but also suitable local community, private sector and non-government organisation assets.

The committee recommends that the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements be amended to set aside a proportion of funding to be offered to local governments up-front to help facilitate disaster recovery and resilience to ensure councils do not always have to bear the burden of financing repairs up-front.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amendments to the Fair Work Act 2009 to legislate time off for volunteers working with registered organisations and for volunteers to be granted leave from employment, similar to the provisions provided to Reservists under the Defence Reserve Service (Protection) Act 2001.

In circumstances where the cost of relevant training is not covered by the organisation, the committee recommends that the Australian Government consider amendments to legislation, policy and guidelines to allow volunteers working in organisations such as State Emergency and Rural Bushfire Services to claim tax deductions for training and courses that are a part of their emergency volunteering

The committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a national disaster mental health hub to coordinate and provide mental health resources, training, and support for first responders and communities affected by disasters across the nation. This hub should serve as a comprehensive resource centre for addressing the mental health needs of all stakeholders involved in disaster response and recovery efforts.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government design and implement consistent national trauma-informed care principles, ensuring that first responders—both professional and volunteer—receive training and support in these national principles to better address the mental health and well-being of disaster-affected individuals and communities.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government convene a disaster resilience mental health summit to hear from all related agencies and stakeholders to identify solutions to the mental health impacts of disaster.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider how it can further support Disaster Relief Australia, and other similar organisations, not only with funding beyond 2026, but also how the Australian Government can further incorporate Disaster Relief Australia into its national disaster response arrangements and boost its numbers through partnerships with the Australian Defence Force and the Department of Veterans’ Affairs.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government consider ways to incentivise young Australians to participate in volunteer organisations that provide support for disaster response and recovery.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure that future releases of modelling are provided well in advance of key dates in the ongoing roll-out of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government review:
- the availability and coverage of insurance in Northern Australia, specifically the insured versus the uninsured, including nonparticipation; and
- the impact of the 48-hour clause on the cost of insurance premiums for Northern Australians, and the availability of insurance in the region as part of the built-in review in 2025, and adjust this clause if necessary.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government direct the Australia Competition and Consumer Commission to monitor the cyclone insurance markets in Northern Australia, and report on:
- instances where thin markets may be impacting both insurance coverage and cost; and
- market participation, specifically under-insurance and the issue of lack of insurance in some areas.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government announce a position on the inclusion of marine insurance in the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government facilitate a coordinated approach to land use planning, building codes, mitigation and disaster resilience that includes the National Emergency Management Agency and other levels of government.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government’s 2025 review of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool consider:
- evidence and data on whether to ‘sunset’ the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool’s coverage of policies for new builds past a certain date; and
- how to reinforce the policy objective of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool to move to parity of cost and access for all Australians.

The committee recommends that future reviews of the Cyclone Reinsurance Pool consider the sum insured limit under the business property policy.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation’s Transport Network Strategic Investment Tool be utilised by the Australian Climate Service to examine projected impacts on strategic road network routes.

The Committee recommends that clearer demarcation of climate data and sharing responsibilities between the Bureau of Meteorology and the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation and state and territory and local governments be established to facilitate adequate warning and risk mitigation.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government propose that road asset infrastructure resilience planning and investment frameworks be made a standing item on the Infrastructure and Transport Senior Officials’ Committee meeting agenda.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government propose that the Infrastructure and Transport Senior Officials’ Committee, in consultation with Austroads and other relevant stakeholders, progress the development of national road infrastructure resilience guidelines to inform asset management and project investment.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a review into the distribution formula of the Financial Assistance Grants road component.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government review funding allocation to support road asset maintenance works under its Infrastructure Investment Program and consider other measures to incentivise increased investment in maintenance works.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, as part of the development of a Federation Funding Agreements Schedule on transport infrastructure, assess options to improve the alignment and coordination of funding programs and application and approval processes with state and territory partner-funded bodies.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state and territory governments to establish consultation mechanisms with local governments to consider road infrastructure priorities at the local level.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government review the funding approval timeframes as part of the joint Australian-State and Territory Government Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government implement options for greater flexibility for betterment funding for resilient infrastructure builds, where structural, economic or social benefits are identified, through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements eligibility criteria following natural disaster events

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate options to include flexibility to fund preparedness measures through Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements to assist in mitigating against future disaster events.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government’s National Emergency Management Agency increase awareness and education around betterment options under Category B Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.

The Committee recommends that the National Emergency Management Ministers’ Meeting include infrastructure resilience on its agenda to foster cross-agency collaboration and coordination across the Australian Government.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government encourage its state and territory counterparts to work with local governments to facilitate local council collectives to deliver road asset management projects and to guide voluntary road user agreement negotiations with industry.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government collaborate with state and territory governments, the scientific community, and industry to revise national road infrastructure design and construction standards, allowing for:
- state and territory and place-based resilience requirements
- contemporary and adaptive engineering and design principles
- innovative and recycled technologies
- local government assistance to access innovative technologies and recycled materials
- consideration and identification of climate resilient corridors, including through the Australian Government’s Bureau of Infrastructure and Transport and Research Economics’ Road and Rail Supply Chain Resilience Review.
It is expected that the standards would be informed by Austroads Guides, National Transport Research Organisation research, Bureau of Meteorology and Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation research, and industry standards.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government strengthen procurement requirements under the new Federation Funding Agreements Schedule on transport infrastructure for state and territory government cofunded project proposals to incorporate resilience design, minimum road construction requirements, and performance specifications to enable sustainable long-term resilience over an asset’s lifecycle.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government strengthen procurement project specifications under the new Federation Funding Agreements Schedule for state and territory government co-funded project proposals to include minimum or preferred requirements for the use of innovative road asset technologies and recyclable materials and methodologies to enable sustainable long-term asset resilience and support a circular economy.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with its state and territory counterparts and industry to raise awareness and education of innovative technologies and recyclable materials and construction methods to support

The Committee recommends all levels of Government to undertake a proactive approach to build and strengthen their data skills and capabilities to inform better decisions, particularly on road conditions and accidents.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with state, territory and local governments and road agencies, including Austroads and the National Transport Research Organisation, to address existing road asset data gaps by developing a comprehensive understanding of the road network condition and standardised road asset dataset, with agreement on the following:
- a common definition of road asset data
- a consistent format across road asset data collection and storage.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government encourage state and territory governments to work with local governments to develop skillsbased networks across council collectives to support asset management training and education to address workforce skills shortages across road construction and maintenance.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government strengthen bilateral ties with New Zealand and Samoa, particularly in relation to disaster management and infrastructure issues.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government highlight opportunities for Australian partnerships with Samoa through Austrade and communicate opportunities for joint ventures with Australian organisations.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider development opportunities between the Australian Volunteers Program for Samoa and the Australian Engineers Association mentoring program and other relevant Australian mentoring programs.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider options for a formal exchange program between the New Zealand National Emergency Management Agency and the Australian National Emergency Management Agency.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government develop legislation to provide for the introduction of measures to protect the rights of insured persons living in areas at risk of natural hazards, giving consideration to New Zealand’s Natural Hazards Insurance Act 2023.

That the NSW Government consider a restructure of the NSW State Emergency Service with consideration to: realigning the focus of the organisation to harness local knowledge and networks; coordinating more closely with other rescue agencies to bolster its capacity to respond; and increasing salaried staff and resources, and driving volunteer recruitment.

That the NSW Government consider abolishing Resilience NSW if it is unable to ensure:
• the organisation's role is clear after reviewing its policies, objectives and funding
• the organisation and its policies are focused on meeting community needs.

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 all emergency and recovery plans, including state plans, local emergency management plans and functional area plans, are reviewed and updated regularly and provide clarity on the role of non-government partners.

That the NSW Government work with the Commonwealth to develop a national cross-agency app to integrate all community services and agencies into a single platform so that everyone can receive accurate and timely information from one source during emergencies.

That the NSW State Emergency Service, in partnership with the Bureau of Meteorology, investigate ways in which local communities and local media with local knowledge can play a stronger role in flood predictions and warnings.

That the NSW Government advocate through the National Cabinet for the Bureau of Meteorology to review its rain data infrastructure and flood modelling tools, to ensure forecasting locations, rain and flood gauges and other infrastructure are appropriately placed, maintained and updated.

That the NSW Government, in consultation with telecommunication providers and satellite communication providers, investigate ways to minimise the complete loss of telecommunication services in natural disasters, including:
• the distribution of satellite phones and satellite terminals to community hubs in flood prone areas
• the prioritisation of services for communities that are highly likely to become isolated in a natural disaster
• the establishment of appropriate protocols to ensure that this equipment is readily available and 'charged' for use with a battery supply.

That the NSW Government review its public awareness and communication strategies in relation to natural disasters.

That the NSW Government work with the community broadcasting sector to identify ways in which community broadcasters could be better supported to provide critical services during natural disasters, with a view to providing them adequate long term funding.

That the NSW Government invest in the required personnel, training and vessels to ensure that all agencies involved in flood rescue can be mobilised to their fullest potential.

That the NSW Government allocate funding to the improvement of the Pitt Town Evacuation Route and other key possible evacuation routes in Sydney's northwest.

That the NSW Government work with local governments to identify alternative routes to vulnerable roads, and that the NSW and Australian Governments fund the construction of these important routes to improve evacuation and access options in times of disaster.

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 develop a more proactive, rapid response to manage animal welfare following natural disasters which includes improved collaboration and communication with local veterinarians and animal welfare organisations.

That the NSW Government ensure that community groups, both existing and emerging, including First Nations groups, are well integrated into disaster recovery, by incorporating them into state recovery plans and engaging with them in between and in the lead up to natural disasters.

That the NSW Government, in partnership with community groups, including First Nations groups, develop initiatives to build community resilience, particularly in regions at high risk of future natural disaster events. 

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. 

That the NSW Government overhaul the way in which it conducts its grants process as it frustrated applicants and further traumatised them by repeatedly re-interviewing them and making them prove that they were flooded. 

That the NSW Government ensure that flood affected individuals can continue to access financial assistance for as long as there is demonstrated need. 

That Service NSW establish teams of assessors that can be on the ground to assess and approve grant applications. 

That the NSW Government consider entering into a service agreement with an organisation that has the resources and capacity to manage donations and activate quickly during natural disasters.

That the NSW Government address the mental health needs of local communities following the February-March 2022 floods by: • embedding within state emergency and recovery plans a strategy that provides surge capacity for mental health and social workers by: • prioritising funding for community groups that are currently providing social and mental health support to their local communities • ensuring all flood-impacted communities receive the mental health support they need to fully recover. 

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 consider investing in supporting relocations, land swaps and providing fair and adequate compensation for landowners who wish to relocate from severely flood-impacted areas. 

That the NSW Government review the provision of temporary and long term housing options provided to those affected by the February-March 2022 floods, with a view to: • ensuring a range of options are identified and embedded within emergency and recovery plans, so that solutions can be implemented as soon as possible after a natural disaster • ensuring that housing options meet individual and community needs • removing planning impediments that prevent those from accessing more safe and secure housing in times of crisis. 

That the NSW Government work with First Nations peoples to support Aboriginal organisations in their capacity to operate and respond in times of natural disasters. 

That the NSW Government work in partnership with key Aboriginal stakeholders, including the Jali Local Aboriginal Land Council, to prioritise the rebuild of Cabbage Tree Island, and ensure a safe and resourced evacuation plan is in place. 

That the NSW Government prioritise support for the full restoration of sewage treatment facilities on the Richmond River, for the benefit of communities in the Northern Rivers region. 

That the NSW Government provide an increased level of targeted support to flood affected communities contending with widespread mould. 

That the NSW Government advocate through the National Cabinet to widen eligibility under the Disaster Funding Recovery Arrangements to allow local councils to build back better.

That the NSW Government invest in the restoration of the Wilsons and Richmond Rivers to include riparian restoration, water quality and river health improvement. 

That the NSW Government provide immediate support to the Hawkesbury City Council to remediate the riverbank erosion affecting Cornwallis Road, Cornwallis without any further delay.

That the NSW Government significantly increase its investment in flood mitigation and preparation, including its support of local governments to do the same, by: • increasing ongoing, long term funding and access to technical guidance and assistance for local councils • ensuring that land-use planning and development takes a risk-based approach. 

That the NSW Government work with local government, industry and sustainable planning experts, including the Government Architect, on policy initiatives in the New South Wales planning system that will help deliver more resilient and sustainable homes, buildings and places. 

That the NSW Government work with relevant agencies and local landowners to find ways to improve the management of drainage channels including looking for recommendations to reduce red and green tape. 

Relief and recovery capability: The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria and the entity referred to in Recommendation 13, or otherwise responsible government department – in collaboration with the relevant relief and recovery organisations:
(a) identify the core capabilities required for operational relief and recovery roles at state, regional and incident levels
(b) coordinate capability development opportunities to develop a consistent level of capability in relief and recovery for relevant agencies at the state, regional and incident levels.

The Government should:
(a) provide additional support to the Gippsland Arson Prevention Program; and
(b) support the establishment of arson prevention programs of this type in other bushfire‑prone regions within Victoria, and involve both community and government agencies.

The Government introduce an amendment to the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 or other instruments which imposes significant penalties and strengthens enforcement, including via infringement notices, for offences against Total Fire Ban requirements before the 2017‑2018 fire season.

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 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 in conjunction with a risk‑based approach, a minimum hectare target is also maintained that can be measured and compared. This minimum target should not be below the 5% target established by the Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission.

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.

That the Government conduct a review of fire prevention
activities undertaken by local government, including the amounts and sources of funding for such activities and the support of departments and agencies to manage and mitigate risk. The review should include determining compliance with
s43 of the Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and should consider the appropriate support required to enable Councils to meet their obligations under the Act.

That a review of the cross‑tenure approach be undertaken to determine its effectiveness and to address issues that arise in fire prevention on private and public land.

That issues of animal welfare be given a higher practical priority in the planned burning process on the ground, including:
(a) Veterinarians and Wildlife volunteers (animal rescue teams) should be consulted before and during planned burns to reduce or remove the risk to native animals where possible, and to assist in tending injured wildlife (including euthanasia where necessary); and
(b) Wildlife volunteers (animal rescue teams) be given access to the fireground as soon as it is safe to assist injured animals.

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.

In order to manage a reduced time window available to undertake the current types of planned burns, alternative methods, including the indigenous mosaic ‘cool’ burns, should be examined and trialled as they may extend the period in which planned burns can be undertaken while reducing overall risk and fuel loads.

In keeping with the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission’s findings and recommendations, human life has primacy in bushfire‑related regulations and it is important that this is maintained in the implementation of bushfire management overlays and relevant vegetation removal exemptions should reflect the primacy of human life.

That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service five year hazard reduction program past 2016.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-streamline the regulatory system for hazard reduction burns, including the permit system, in order to identify and remove any unnecessary impediments to timely, planned hazard reduction burning

-improve accountability in relation to the implementation of bush fire risk management plans as a means of delivering more hazard reduction.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by:
-reopening those fire trails that have been closed within the last ten years
-establishing new fire trails where appropriate
-providing sufficient fire vehicle turning areas
-ensuring adequate fire trail maintenance over the long term.

That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by:
-increasing the asset protection zone around the towers on Mt Cenn Cruaich and other comparable sites to a radius of at least 100 metres
-conducting an audit of all New South Wales media and telecommunications sites to examine their fire safety in respect of land clearance, fire trails and fuel loads
-implementing a strategy to ensure that licensees of these sites fulfil all their hazard reduction obligations.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service examine its staffing policy for periods of extreme and catastrophic weather conditions to ensure that sufficient staff are available on site on fire watch.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-alter the standard procedures for Remote Aerial Response Teams to enable them to operate at night
-in conjunction with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, enhance the capability of both Remote Aerial Response Teams and Remote Area Firefighting Teams to fight fires at any time including at night.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
-commission an independent investigation into the allegations that brigade group captains and captains were not duly, or in a timely way, notified of the outbreak of the Wambelong fire
-improve procedures for the notification of group captains to ensure that they are notified of any fire outbreak in and/or adjoining their brigade areas.

That the NSW Government, as a matter of urgency, amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 to codify the current interim arrangements for command and notification requirements for class 1 and class 2 fires, which clarify that the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW:
-have ultimate responsibility for all bush fires regardless of tenure
-are responsible for the appointment of incident controllers
-are responsible for keeping the public informed.

That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires:
-examine its plans of operations to provide for the use of local knowledge at every level of decision making down the chain of command
-require a local fire fighter to be stationed in every command vehicle, where possible 
-ensure that every out of area crew includes at least one local fire fighter
-require officers to engage more effectively and regularly with volunteers during the periods between fires
-consider any further strategies to address the entrenched conflict between officers and volunteers, including additional ways to empower volunteers and utilise them
more effectively.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service formally recognise the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association as a legitimate advocacy organisation representing volunteer bush fire fighters, and duly consult with it on policy and operational matters.

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services examine the feasibility of relocating the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters to a rural or regional location.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service reassess the protection of pastoral assets during bush fires to ensure that priority for protection is not simply afforded to the homestead, and that land holders are, within reason, able to request which of their own assets are protected.

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding. A final fencing agreement would be negotiated no earlier than six months following a major national park fire.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service:
-ensure that where a park is adjacent to a rural land holding, its side of the boundary fence is cleared to the same legislative requirement as the land holding, that is, six metres
-examine the fairness of the policy whereby, in the event of a fire originating on national park land, the Service provides the fencing materials to construct or replace boundary fences, while the neighbour erects the fences.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land.

That the Office of State Revenue investigate mechanisms to enhance the affordability of insurance for properties and assets in fire affected areas.

That the NSW Government take all reasonable steps to expedite the process of establishing any legal liability for the losses incurred by property owners as a result of the Wambelong fire, and in the event that it is found liable, expedite the process of paying compensation claims.

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and NSW Treasury:
-reimburse the Warrumbungle Shire Council for the NSW Government’s share of the remaining shortfall of $528,000 in funds pledged to the recovery process
-consider how the process for claiming funds pledged by state government representatives in future disasters and emergencies can be streamlined.

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especially recovery centres and mental health services, are provided for an adequate length of time, with gradual transition to normal service delivery when those services are no longer required.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government: • recognise that climate change has increased fire conditions in south-eastern Australia and the risk to natural and cultural values in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area; and • report annually to the World Heritage Committee on the state of conservation in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

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.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government, in conjunction with state and territory governments, investigate a national remote area firefighting capability, to support Australian fire agencies.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government commit to long-term funding for the the National Aerial Firefighting Centre of an amount that is at least equal to government's current contribution, rising in line with the Consumer Price Index

The committee recommends that the Australian Government recognise the need to enhance protection and conservation efforts in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area by allocating increased funding:
• to the Parks and Wildlife Service, Tasmania, for appropriate management activities and resources; and
• for research projects aimed at providing qualitative and quantitative data specific to climate-related and ecological threats to the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (such as dry lightning strike).

The committee recommends that the Australian and Tasmanian Governments: • develop options to increase co-operation to ensure that the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area is protected and conserved in line with Australia's obligations under the World Heritage Convention; and • work together to ensure strong provisions to protect the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area from bushfire risks are included in the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area Management Plan.

That the NSW Government commit to and fund a long term program of prescribed burning based on the recommendation of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission of an annual rolling target of a minimum of five per cent of public land per year, and that the NSW Government commit to extending the funding for the National Parks and Wildlife Service five year hazard reduction program past 2016.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service establish a regime of frequent mosaic burning within the Warrumbungle National Park, where conditions permit, to be monitored and evaluated via a formal fully funded research program. This program should then inform the Service’s approach to the wider national park estate.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in collaboration with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, review and improve the system of bush fire management zones to ensure that greater priority is given to hazard reduction on land classified within land management zones.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
- streamline the regulatory system for hazard reduction burns, including the permit system, in order to identify and remove any unnecessary impediments to timely, planned hazard reduction burning
- improve accountability in relation to the implementation of bush fire risk management plans as a means of delivering more hazard reduction.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service develop and implement a comprehensive community education campaign aimed at increasing community understanding of and support for hazard reduction burns.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service investigate mechanisms to enhance the predictability of megafires and how this information is communicated easily to the public.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review the decision not to construct additional fire trails in the Warrumbungle National Park following the Wambelong fire.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, at the direction of the NSW Rural Fire Service, enhance the network of fire trails within national parks across New South Wales by:
- reopening those fire trails that have been closed within the last ten years
- establishing new fire trails where appropriate
- providing sufficient fire vehicle turning areas
- ensuring adequate fire trail maintenance over the long term.

That the NSW Government improve the protection of media and telecommunications towers around New South Wales by:
- increasing the asset protection zone around the towers on Mt Cenn Cruaich and other comparable sites to a radius of at least 100 metres
- conducting an audit of all New South Wales media and telecommunications sites to examine their fire safety in respect of land clearance, fire trails and fuel loads
- implementing a strategy to ensure that licensees of these sites fulfil all their hazard reduction obligations.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service examine its staffing policy for periods of extreme and catastrophic weather conditions to ensure that sufficient staff are available on site on fire watch.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service consider the feasibility, on a case by case basis, of closing public roads through national parks on days with catastrophic fire danger rating, to mitigate the risk of bush fire ignition in national parks.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service and the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service investigate the cost and feasibility of installing infrared cameras at the Siding Springs Observatory and key sites in other national parks to facilitate fire spotting.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
- alter the standard procedures for Remote Aerial Response Teams to enable them to operate at night
- in conjunction with the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, enhance the capability of both Remote Aerial Response Teams and Remote Area Firefighting Teams to fight fires at any time including at night.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service:
- commission an independent investigation into the allegations that brigade group captains and captains were not duly, or in a timely way, notified of the outbreak of the Wambelong fire
- improve procedures for the notification of group captains to ensure that they are notified of any fire outbreak in and/or adjoining their brigade areas.

That the NSW Government, as a matter of urgency, amend the Rural Fires Act 1997 to codify the current interim arrangements for command and notification requirements for class 1 and class 2 fires, which clarify that the NSW Rural Fire Service or Fire and Rescue NSW:
- have ultimate responsibility for all bush fires regardless of tenure
- are responsible for the appointment of incident controllers
- are responsible for keeping the public informed.

That the NSW Government consider enabling the default position during catastrophic and extreme fire danger periods to be the same as for section 44 fires, so that fire control centres have the same systems and resources ready to deploy should a fire break out.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service review its procedures, systems and infrastructure for notifying community members of bush fires, both when a fire has broken out and as it proceeds, to ensure the provision of timely and adequate information.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service, in order to ensure greater respect for volunteer fire fighters’ knowledge and experience in the management of fires:
- examine its plans of operations to provide for the use of local knowledge at every level of decision making down the chain of command
- require a local fire fighter to be stationed in every command vehicle, where possible 
- ensure that every out of area crew includes at least one local fire fighter
- require officers to engage more effectively and regularly with volunteers during the periods between fires
- consider any further strategies to address the entrenched conflict between officers and volunteers, including additional ways to empower volunteers and utilise them more effectively.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service formally recognise the Volunteer Fire Fighters Association as a legitimate advocacy organisation representing volunteer bush fire fighters, and duly consult with it on policy and operational matters.

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services examine the feasibility of relocating the NSW Rural Fire Service headquarters to a rural or regional location.

That the NSW Rural Fire Service reassess the protection of pastoral assets during bush fires to ensure that priority for protection is not simply afforded to the homestead, and that land holders are, within reason, able to request which of their own assets are protected.

That the Minister for Police and Emergency Services review the communications technologies used by the NSW Rural Fire Service, Fire and Rescue NSW, the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service and Forestry NSW during fire fighting operations, to ensure that systems are standardised and effective. Within this context, the potential value of satellite phone technology should be investigated.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service adopt an interim fencing agreement in the immediate aftermath of a fire. This will enable emergency and interim works to commence, but features such as length, fencing components and site of the fence line are not binding. A final fencing agreement would be negotiated no earlier than six months following a major national park fire.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service:
- ensure that where a park is adjacent to a rural land holding, its side of the boundary fence is cleared to the same legislative requirement as the land holding, that is, six metres
- examine the fairness of the policy whereby, in the event of a fire originating on national park land, the Service provides the fencing materials to construct or replace boundary fences, while the neighbour erects the fences.

That the NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service remove from its boundary fencing policy and standard contract the condition that requires adjoining land owners to maintain a fence that has been damaged by trees falling from national park land.

That the Office of State Revenue investigate mechanisms to enhance the affordability of insurance for properties and assets in fire affected areas.

That the NSW Government take all reasonable steps to expedite the process of establishing any legal liability for the losses incurred by property owners as a result of the Wambelong fire, and in the event that it is found liable, expedite the process of paying compensation claims.

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services and NSW Treasury:
- reimburse the Warrumbungle Shire Council for the NSW Government’s share of the remaining shortfall of $528,000 in funds pledged to the recovery process
- consider how the process for claiming funds pledged by state government representatives in future disasters and emergencies can be streamlined

That the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services urgently review its policies for the provision of disaster welfare services to ensure that in the event of a bush fire emergency and the declaration of a fire under section 44 of the Rural Fires Act 1997, adequate funding and services, especially recovery centres and mental health services, are provided for an adequate length of time, with gradual transition to normal service delivery when those services are no longer required.

That the Government increase the budgets of all emergency services and community safety organisations, including: i. seeking Federal funding where appropriate (and assisting at no cost volunteer organisations with the grants application process); and ii. considering, with full public and cost benefit analysis, reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Emergency Services Levy; and iii. consider including St John Ambulance Australia SA Ltd in the bodies to benefit from the Emergency services Levy if the funding of other Community Safety and Emergency services providers is improved in line with this recommendation.

That the Government explore as a matter of priority the transitioning to St John Ambulance SA Ltd providing non-emergency ambulance carriage services in South Australia, and be appropriately funded for doing so.

That the Government’s Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (SAMFS Firefighters) Amendment Bill be amended to include Country Fire Service firefighters alongside Metropolitan Fire Service firefighters.

That the Government cease drawing from South Australia Police or other Community safety and emergency service budgets to fund the Directorate and instead merge its work and functions with the pre-existing South Australia Fire and Emergency Services Commission for zero total State and other Community safety and emergency service budget impact.

That noting the precedents for legislated charters in the Carers Recognition Act 2005 and the Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004, that the Government support the Fire and Emergency Services (Volunteer Charters) Amendment Bill introduced by the Member for Morphett in November 2012 to enshrine the Country Fire Service and the State Emergency Service at law.

That with regard to volunteer community safety and emergency service organisations that do not own land where their facilities exist: i. the Government audit all such land and consider gifting or providing at reduced or peppercorn rental Government-owned land to an organisation (and specifically the Select Committee recommends gifting the Adelaide Shores land to Surf Life Saving South Australia); and ii. the Government consider providing rebates to Councils that do not feel morally able to impose full commercial rent on community safety and emergency service volunteer occupied land.

That the Government consult broadly upon and review impediments to volunteering in the community and establish a taskforce to assist in removing barriers to volunteering, particularly with respect to: i harmonising the regime for reimbursement to community safety and emergency services volunteers for their out-of-pocket expenses; and ii reviewing the impact of work health and safety laws on the community safety and emergency service sector, particularly on the volunteer organisation.

That the Government work with the volunteer community safety and emergency service providers to organise a comprehensive advertising campaign to promote the community and personal benefits of volunteering in the sector.

That the Government work with the Local Government Association to resolve questions of liability by volunteers who work for Councils, as raised with the Select Committee.

That the State Government give high priority to liaising with interstate and Federal processes, and offer to take a lead, on changing the climatic and fire rating arrangements to ensure these match the conditions that can create dangerous bushfire conditions at short notice.

That Government agencies work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and radio stations that broadcast emergency service announcements, to ensure the earliest possible determination of, and communications about, dangerous bushfire conditions.

That the Government adequately fund Community Safety and Emergency Services budgets so that fire-bombing aircraft are available on call for rapid deployment throughout Autumn and Spring at short notice to bomb fires at the earliest and safest possible opportunity.

That the obligation (following the passage of the Fire and Emergency Services (Review) Amendment Bill 2009) for Chief Fire Officers (CFS & MFS) to require State agencies to clean up fire risk on their land, and to make similar requests to Commonwealth agencies, be strongly implemented.

That the Government resume funding for the helicopter surveillance service rather than by fixed-wing aircraft along Adelaide, South Coast and other high-risk coastlines during summer recreational periods for monitoring shark and other rescue situations, to bring the State back into line with interstate best practice.

That the Government increase the budgets of all emergency services and community safety organisations, including:
i. seeking Federal funding where appropriate (and assisting at no cost volunteer organisations with the grants application process); and
ii. considering, with full public and cost benefit analysis, reviewing the effectiveness and efficiency of the Emergency Services Levy; and
iii. consider including St John Ambulance Australia SA Ltd in the bodies to benefit from the Emergency services Levy if the funding of other Community Safety and Emergency services providers is improved in line with this recommendation.

That the Government explore as a matter of priority the transitioning to St John Ambulance SA Ltd providing non-emergency ambulance carriage services in South Australia, and be appropriately funded for doing so.

That the Government’s Workers Rehabilitation and Compensation (SAMFS Firefighters) Amendment Bill be amended to include Country Fire Service firefighters alongside Metropolitan Fire Service firefighters.

That the Government cease drawing from South Australia Police or other Community safety and emergency service budgets to fund the Directorate and instead merge its work and functions with the pre-existing South Australia Fire and Emergency Services Commission for zero total State and other Community safety and emergency service budget impact.

That noting the precedents for legislated charters in the Carers Recognition Act 2005 and the Health and Community Services Complaints Act 2004, that the Government support the Fire and Emergency Services (Volunteer Charters) Amendment Bill introduced by the Member for Morphett in November 2012 to enshrine the Country Fire Service and the State Emergency Service at law.

That with regard to volunteer community safety and emergency service organisations that do not own land where their facilities exist:
i. the Government audit all such land and consider gifting or providing at reduced or peppercorn rental Government-owned land to an organisation (and specifically the Select Committee recommends gifting the Adelaide Shores land to Surf Life Saving South Australia); and
ii. the Government consider providing rebates to Councils that do not feel morally able to impose full commercial rent on community safety and emergency service volunteer occupied land.

That the Government consult broadly upon and review impediments to volunteering in the community and establish a taskforce to assist in removing barriers to volunteering, particularly with respect to:
i harmonising the regime for reimbursement to community safety and emergency services volunteers for their out-of-pocket expenses; and
ii reviewing the impact of work health and safety laws on the community safety and emergency service sector, particularly on the volunteer organisation.

That the Government work with the volunteer community safety and emergency service providers to organise a comprehensive advertising campaign to promote the community and personal benefits of volunteering in the sector.

That the Government work with the Local Government Association to resolve questions of liability by volunteers who work for Councils, as raised with the Select Committee.

That the State Government give high priority to liaising with interstate and Federal processes, and offer to take a lead, on changing the climatic and fire rating arrangements to ensure these match the conditions that can create dangerous bushfire conditions at short notice.

That Government agencies work closely with the Bureau of Meteorology and radio stations that broadcast emergency service announcements, to ensure the earliest possible determination of, and communications about, dangerous bushfire conditions.

That the Government adequately fund Community Safety and Emergency Services budgets so that fire-bombing aircraft are available on call for rapid deployment throughout Autumn and Spring at short notice to bomb fires at the earliest and safest possible opportunity.

That the obligation (following the passage of the Fire and Emergency Services (Review) Amendment Bill 2009) for Chief Fire Officers (CFS & MFS) to require State agencies to clean up fire risk on their land, and to make similar requests to Commonwealth agencies, be strongly implemented.

That the Government resume funding for the helicopter surveillance service rather than by fixed-wing aircraft along Adelaide, South Coast and other high-risk coastlines during summer recreational periods for monitoring shark and other rescue situations, to bring the State back into line with interstate best practice.

The committee recommends that the Australian Transport Safety Bureau retrieve VH-NGA flight data recorders without further delay.

The committee recommends that the minister, in issuing a new Statement of Expectations to the ATSB, valid from 1 July 2013, make it clear that safety in aviation operations involving passengers (fare paying or those with no control over the flight they are on, e.g. air ambulance) is to be accorded equal priority irrespective of flight classification.

The committee recommends that the ATSB move away from its current approach of forecasting the probability of future events and focus on the analysis of factors which allowed the accident under investigation to occur. This would enable the industry to identify, assess and implement lessons relevant to their own operations.

The committee recommends that the ATSB be required to document investigative avenues that were explored and then discarded, providing detailed explanations as to why.

The committee recommends that the training offered by the ATSB across all investigator skills sets be benchmarked against other agencies by an independent body by, for example, inviting the NTSB or commissioning an industry body to conduct such a benchmarking exercise.

The committee recommends that, as far as available resources allow, ATSB investigators be given access to training provided by the agency's international counterparts. Where this does not occur, resultant gaps in
training/competence must be advised to the minister and the Parliament.

The committee recommends that the Transport Safety Investigation Act 2003 be amended to require that the Chief Commissioner of the ATSB be able to demonstrate extensive aviation safety expertise and experience as a prerequisite for the selection process.

The committee recommends that an expert aviation safety panel be established to ensure quality control of ATSB investigation and reporting processes along the lines set out by the committee.

The committee recommends that the government develop a process by which the ATSB can request access to supplementary funding via the minister.

The committee recommends that the investigation be re-opened by the ATSB with a focus on organisational, oversight and broader systemic issues.

The committee recommends that CASA processes in relation to matters highlighted by this investigation be reviewed. This could involve an evaluation benchmarked against a credible peer (such as FAA or CAA) of regulation and audits with respect to: non-RPT passenger carrying operations; approach to audits; and training and standardisation of FOI across regional offices.

The committee recommends that CASA, in consultation with an Emergency Medical Services industry representative group (eg. Royal Flying Doctor Service, air ambulance operators, rotary wing rescue providers) consider the merit, form and standards of a new category of operations for Emergency Medical Services. The minister should require CASA to approve the industry plan unless there is a clear safety case not to. Scope for industry to assist as part of an audit team should also be investigated where standardisation is an issue. This should be completed within 12 months and the outcome reported publicly.

The committee recommends that a short inquiry be conducted by the Senate Standing Committee on Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport into the current status of aviation regulatory reform to assess the direction, progress and resources expended to date to ensure greater visibility of the processes.

The committee recommends that the ATSB-CASA Memorandum of Understanding be re-drafted to remove any ambiguity in relation to information that should be shared between the agencies in relation to aviation accident investigations, to require CASA to:
• advise the ATSB of the initiation of any action, audit or review as a result of an accident which the ATSB is investigating.
• provide the ATSB with the relevant review report as soon as it is available.

The committee recommends that all meetings between the ATSB and CASA, whether formal or informal, where particulars of a given investigation are being discussed be appropriately minuted.

The committee recommends that, where relevant, the ATSB include thorough human factors analysis and discussion in future investigation reports. Where human factors are not considered relevant, the ATSB should include a statement explaining why.

The committee recommends that the ATSB prepare and release publicly a list of all its identified safety issues and the actions which are being taken or have been taken to address them. The ATSB should indicate its progress in monitoring the actions every 6 months and report every 12 months to Parliament.

The committee recommends that where a safety action has not been completed before a report being issued that a recommendation should be made. If it has been completed the report should include details of the action, who was involved and how it was resolved.

The committee recommends that the ATSB review its process to track the implementation of recommendations or safety actions to ensure it is an effective closed loop system. This should be made public, and provided to the Senate Regional and Rural Affairs and Transport Committee prior to each Budget Estimates.

The committee recommends that where the consideration and implementation of an ATSB recommendation may be protracted, the requirement for regular updates (for example 6 monthly) should be included in the TSI Act.

The committee recommends that the government consider setting a time limit for agencies to implement or reject recommendations, beyond which ministerial oversight is required where the agencies concerned must report to the minister why the recommendation has not been implemented or that, with ministerial approval, it has been formally rejected.

The committee recommends that Airservices Australia discuss the safety case for providing a hazard alert service with Fijian and New Zealand ATC (and any other relevant jurisdictions) and encourage them to adopt this practice.

The committee recommends that the relevant agencies review whether any equipment or other changes can be made to improve the weather forecasting at Norfolk Island. The review would include whether the Unicom operator should be an approved meteorological observer.

The committee recommends that the relevant agencies investigate appropriate methods to ensure that information about the incidence of, and variable weather conditions at, Norfolk Island is available to assist flight crews and operators managing risk that may result from unforseen weather events.

The committee recommends that the Aeronautical Information Package (AIP) En Route Supplement Australia (ERSA) is updated to reflect the need for caution with regard to Norfolk Island forecasts where the actual conditions can change rapidly and vary from forecasts.

The committee recommends that in relation to mandatory and confidential reporting, the default position should be that no identifying details should be provided or disclosed. However, if there is a clear risk to safety then the ATSB, CASA and industry representatives should develop a process that contains appropriate checks and balances.

The relevant government agencies that have a significant role in managing the biosecurity threat develop a coordinated approach which addresses the health threats to Australians and recognises the impact on the economy.

The Department of Health and Ageing review the existing evidence base to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of its policy to use heat scanners at ports of entry as a measure to mitigate the risk of infectious disease importation.

The Australian Department of Health and Ageing work with the states and territories to provide a uniform notifiable diseases list across Australia, with consistent reporting requirements across each state and territory and consistent public health information on infectious diseases disseminated to the public. This work should be a priority of Australian Health Ministers’ Advisory Council (AHMAC).

The Australian Government work with the state and territory governments to assess the viability of providing a centralised refugee and migrant health service in each state and territory, which would automatically refer people who move from immigration detention into the wider Australian community.

The Royal Australian College of General Practitioners provide resources and training to general practitioners on the complex health needs of migrants and refugees, with a focus on identifying infectious diseases which are notifiable in Australia, or diseases which are of specific concern to refugee and migrant communities.

The Australian Government, coordinated by the Department of Health and Ageing and in consultation with the wider Australian community, develop a national public awareness campaign to better inform and engage the travelling public about infectious disease issues. This campaign should cover the risks associated with travelling overseas, preventative measures that can be undertaken to minimise these risks, and screening measures used at the border to prevent the importation of infectious disease.
Subject to consumer input and feedback, this campaign could include a range of materials and platforms, including:
- videos, which could be published via YouTube, Smartraveller, international flights and/or other relevant access points;
- reading material such as brochures which can be provided at travel agencies, passport offices, on international flights and other relevant access points; and
- targeted ongoing engagement with consumers via social media and on travel websites.

Having regard to the terms of the Torres Strait Treaty, the Department of Health and Ageing, Queensland Health, AusAID and the Papua New Guinea Government:
- establish a set of protocols and procedures for the identification and treatment of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases in Papua New Guinea and the Torres Strait Islands; and
- consider what clinical services should be available in both Papua New Guinea and Australia for the identification and treatment of tuberculosis and other infectious diseases.

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 Australian Government test Australia’s ability to respond to a widespread outbreak of infectious disease other than influenza, by undertaking a pandemic exercise across the relevant Commonwealth, state and territory government agencies.

The Australian Government, in consultation with consumers and other relevant federal, state and territory agencies, develop a national communication strategy for consumers to be used in the event of an infectious disease outbreak.

The Australian Department of Health and Ageing consult with members of the general public or representatives of health consumers in the pandemic planning process, including in pandemic exercises designed to test the ability of government to respond to a pandemic event. Consumer involvement should include testing the ability of any communication strategy designed to inform and engage consumers about a pandemic event.

The Commonwealth Government support the growth of vaccine development and production capacity for vaccines in Australia, to enhance Australia’s preparedness to respond to outbreaks of infectious disease in Australia, and in particular, pandemic influenza.

The Australian Government coordinate the development of a highly skilled workforce which can respond effectively to a sustained pandemic in Australia.

The Australian Government, in consultation with state and territory governments, conduct a comprehensive national audit and mapping exercise to:
- identify all of the agencies (not limited to those within the health portfolio) and expert committees/working groups involved in managing infectious disease risks;
- clarify roles, responsibilities and map hierarchies and lines of communication;
- identify all relevant infectious disease policies and plans, explain how these operate in relation to one another;
- identify any duplication and present options for streamlining; and
- identify any policy or response gaps that need to be addressed.
The outcomes of the audit and mapping exercise should be made publically available.

The Australian Government, in consultation with state and territory governments, commission an independent review to assess the case for establishing a national centre for communicable disease control in Australia. The review should outline the role of a national centre and how it might be structured to build on and enhance existing systems. It should examine different models, considering a range of options for location, governance and staffing. The review should incorporate a cost-benefit analysis for each of the models presented.
The outcomes of the review should be made publically available.

The committee recommends that the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy issue a Ministerial Direction to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to allocate 20 MHz of contiguous spectrum in the 700 MHz band for the purposes of a public safety mobile broadband network.

The committee recommends that the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy take appropriate measures to secure, for public service agencies, priority access to an additional 10 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band for public safety purposes.

If recommendation 1 is not supported by the Australian Government, the committee recommends that the Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy issue a Ministerial Direction to the Australian Communications and Media Authority to allocate as a minimum requirement, 20 MHz in the 800 MHz band for the purposes of a public safety mobile broadband network.

The committee recommends that the Attorney-General's Department facilitate a public consultation process on a regulatory framework for overflow arrangements between public safety agencies and commercial carriers.

The committee recommends that the Australian Government direct an appropriate portion of the proceeds derived from the auction of spectrum to fund the allocation of 20 MHz of spectrum in the 700 MHz band for the purposes of a national public safety mobile broadband network.

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.

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 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 disincentives to insurance, such as taxes and levies applied by the states and territories, should be removed as part of a national reform process.

The committee recommends relevant authorities work with community service organisations in both planning responses to and responding to extreme weather events, in particular those organisations that provide vital services to vulnerable groups.

The committee recommends that credible and reliable flood mapping activities and the development of other information that would best inform landowners or prospective landowners of potential risks from extreme weather events are prioritised and used to inform land use planning laws.

The committee recommends that building codes incorporate mitigation measures that take into account foreseeable risks from extreme weather events.

The committee recommends that Commonwealth, state and territory governments ensure that all facilities caring for vulnerable groups, in particular hospitals, schools, childcare and aged care facilities, have emergency management plans, relevant to their geographic settings, in place and regularly revised.

The committee recommends that Australian governments specifically address issues of compatibility and capacity to facilitate the most effective interoperability of emergency service organisations and their key personnel, especially for fire services.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth government works with state and territory governments to continue to implement the recommendations of the Productivity Commission report, where possible, to improve coordination in relation to climate change adaptation.

The Minister for Emergency Services must ensure that future post-incident analyses are completed and made public within eight weeks of a natural disaster.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that a Statewide fuel load database that includes data from Western Power, the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the Department of Environment and Conservation be established before the 2013-14 bushfire season.

The State Government prepare a strategy before the 2013-14 bushfire season on how the main firefighting agencies should deal with a drier South West region where fewer prescribed burns can be completed each year.

The State Government prepare a consistent policy on how to assist or compensate the victims of future major natural disasters, such as bushfires, in an equitable fashion.

The Treasurer undertake a review by the next bushfire season of the ability of RiskCover to efficiently undertake loss assessing and compensation activities for victims of major natural disasters, such as a bushfire, in an empathic and timely fashion.

The Minister for Emergency Services should urgently review the technical issues with the Western Australia Emergency Radio Network  program that is forcing the State’s firefighters to revert to their older radio networks.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments undertake a formal review by 30 June 2013 of the welfare services addressing stress and trauma provided to both their career and volunteer members.

The Western Australian Government amend current State occupational health and safety legislation so that it includes a definition for ‘health’ that includes psychological health.

Departmental chief executives of the Western Australia Police, Department of Environment and Conservation and the Fire and Emergency Services Authority should be made personally responsible for the psychological health (as a result of critical incident trauma) of their staff and volunteers. This obligation should be reflected in their performance agreements.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure that their departments develop as a high priority a computer system for tracking their staff and the number of traumatic events they have attended over a particular period.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police request their departments to place some of their staff and resources providing trauma-related services in regional Western Australia.

The Minister for Health immediately establish the road trauma counselling service to be funded by the Road Trauma Trust Account.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments include in their annual reports the expenditure they have incurred on preparing their staff for critical incidents, and for managing their response to these incidents.

The Premier amend Clause 35 of the Public Sector Award 1992 so that State Government employees who volunteer to assist the Australian Red Cross during a disaster are not required to take personal or annual leave.

Local government authorities incorporate into their Local Emergency Management Plans their procedures for dealing with any trauma experienced by bushfire brigade volunteers, having regard to best practice in managing trauma.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police provide additional funds in the 2013-14 Budget so that the State’s emergency response agencies can implement a Psychological First Aid approach to preparing staff to deal with critical incidents and disasters, as is used in other Australian jurisdictions.

The Ministers for Health, Police, and Emergency Services ensure that the Western Australia Police, the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and St John Ambulance establish a formal platform to share their knowledge and experience in delivering programs to their staff and volunteers to address issues of stress from disasters and critical incidents, as is done in other Australian jurisdictions.

The Ministers for Environment, Police, Child Protection and Emergency Services fund additional chaplaincy services, particularly for staff and volunteers based in rural and regional Western Australia.

The Attorney General and the Ministers for Health and Mental Health fund their departments to establish a peer support program by the end of 2013 for their staff undertaking stressful tasks during a disaster or critical incident.

The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Police provide additional resources so that the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and the Western Australia Police can at least double their number of peer support officers, with an aim to increase the number in regional areas of the State.

The Ministers for Health, Emergency Services, Environment and Police provide additional funds to their agencies so that a detailed exercise is held on a regular basis based on a disaster that will create the worst outcome for the State.

The Minister for Emergency Services request the State Emergency Management Committee to review by June 2013 the sharing of data between the State’s emergency response agencies using the WebEOC software and any further enhancements that can be made to this process.

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority should expand their use of social media to better inform the Western Australian community.

The Chief Executive Officer of the Fire and Emergency Services Authority request the Australasian Fire and Emergency Services Authorities Council to include a new module in the Australasian Inter-service Incident Management System to guide the provision of welfare services for emergency service workers during a disaster.

The Minister for Police immediately instigate processes to ensure that the psychological well-being of officers is at the forefront of the Western Australia Police’s staff planning. These processes should include all officers being trained in psychological first aid, with subsequent regular refresher courses. Senior officers should be the first priority for psychological first aid training.

The State’s emergency response agencies should offer exit interviews to all of their staff and volunteers and use the information they gather to improve their trauma management procedures.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that the Fire and Emergency Services Authority’s peer support program is rejuvenated as soon as possible with increased funding to provided added training for staff volunteering for this program

The Fire and Emergency Services Authority, Department of Environment and Conservation and Western Australia Police explore the usefulness of using retired staff as mentors or peer supporters, either directly employed or through a suitable nongovernment organisation.

The Ministers for Emergency Services, Environment and Police ensure their departments include provisions for regular external audits of invoices for payment in their next round of Employee Assistance Program contract negotiations.

A revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy is needed and should clearly articulate the principles, roles and responsibilities for the ownership, management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees. Neither land tenure nor prior government involvement will dictate ownership of public levees:
• the beneficiary pays principle will determine ownership and management;
• outside Melbourne, the ownership of, and responsibility for, the management and ongoing maintenance of all urban levees, including modern urban levees created under formal schemes, is assigned to local councils;
• in all other non‐metropolitan areas, CMAs are confirmed as the responsible authority for the management and ongoing maintenance of priority rural levee systems, where such levees, (a) have clearly identified beneficiaries who are willing to fund ongoing maintenance, and (b) are located, at least in part, on public land;
• in situations where there is a clear benefit and the majority of stakeholders are in agreement, consideration should be given to a special charge scheme, as determined by the Water Act 1989 (section 196); and
• privately built rural levees on private land remain owned and managed by the landholder.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should provide a strategic framework for the management and ongoing maintenance of Victoria’s levees. The Victoria Flood Management Strategy will provide criteria for a consistent statewide approach to the prioritisation of the state’s levees for future management and investment:
• as part of their revised Regional Flood Strategies, CMAs will identify and prioritise levees within their catchments;
• that the Statements of Obligations for CMAs under the Water Act 1989 be amended to reflect these assigned roles and responsibilities; and
• prioritisation will be underpinned by the beneficiary pays principle.

All priority public levees not currently the subject of approved schemes, will become subject to approved schemes under Division 5, Part 10 of the Water Act 1989. Such schemes will articulate an agreed set of terms, including:
• the public authority with ownership and management responsibilities for the levee;
• the beneficiaries of the levee;
• clear standards and expectations for the levee’s performance and its maintenance;
• where appropriate, a rationale for the rating of beneficiaries for ongoing maintenance; and
• all ad hoc township levees deemed to be permanent priority levees must be brought under an approved scheme.

Where a levee has been identified as low priority, and beneficiaries are not willing to contribute to its maintenance, public authorities will inform levee beneficiaries that they will not fund the repair of their levee following a flood event.

Responsible authorities will identify low priority levees for potential removal, and have them removed when funding becomes available.

Streamlined processes to enable access to levees for the purposes of conducting works, including maintenance, must be implemented. Where a levee is managed by a public authority as part of a formal scheme, and is sited on either private land, or on a mixture of public and private land, access to private land for works will be negotiated as part of any scheme agreement. Where a levee is sited on public land, but is not managed by a public authority, local beneficiaries willing to conduct maintenance will be given access to do so, provided:
• the public land manager and beneficiaries reach agreement on types of access and upgrading or maintenance works to be performed, and the limits to such access; and
• the land manager consults with the floodplain manager to ensure reasonable standards are adhered to – modification of the levee will require a permit.
If required, legislation, such as the National Parks Act 1975, be amended to allow access to public lands by local landholders.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for conducting works on levees for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy, in order for maintenance on all levees to occur more quickly. The guidelines will outline circumstances in which exemptions from current approval processes are appropriate. Councils will be permitted to obtain exemptions within their planning schemes for:
• the construction of appropriately designed rural ring levees around private assets;
• maintenance works on existing levee banks that do not exceed the original height of the levee, or alter the footprint of the levee; and
• where exemptions are granted, councils will ensure that an inspection regime remains to ensure new levees do not adversely impact others, and are not raised above their original height. The state government to also consider changing the referral role of CMAs under the Planning and Environment Act 1987, to that of an advisory role.

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 regular inspection and maintenance regime will be undertaken for all high priority levees managed by a public authority. All such levees will be inspected by the relevant public authority on an annual basis, and after a flood event. All levees will have a regular maintenance schedule.

That the Department of Sustainability and Environment continue to invest in the auditing of Victoria’s levee systems, both public and private, so that the Victoria Flood Database contains reliable and up to date data, including information on levees’ location, height, condition and ongoing viability for flood protection.

The current technical guidelines for the construction of levee systems will be reviewed. A revised Levee Design, Construction and Maintenance technical guidelines will include guidelines for the construction of both priority public levees, and private levees on private land, such as ring levees, which protect key assets. These guidelines will be made available to all rural councils, who will make landowners constructing new levees on their property aware of the principles and specifications contained in the guidelines and encourage construction based on them.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment to review ownership of Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water’s Yarriambiack Creek levee, with a view to the appointment of a more suitable public managing authority/authorities.

In consultation with local communities, local councils will develop flood response plans as subplans to their current Municipal Emergency Management Plans. As part of the flood risk assessment process, these plans will be informed by the best available flood mapping and modelling, and will identify agreed activities to be undertaken during floods including, where appropriate, the construction of temporary levees. The condition of levees will be incorporated into such plans to enable improved emergency response.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop guidelines for the management of levees in emergencies, during and after a flood event, which can be incorporated into local flood response plans. The department will also provide, as part of these guidelines, a set of criteria for assessing the ongoing viability of ad hoc levees post‐flood. The Emergency Management Act 1986 will be amended to support the implementation of these guidelines. A more effective means for councils to remove illegal levees will also be examined by the Department of Sustainability and Environment.

Where flood investigations show positive and cost effective outcomes, infrastructure providers, such as VicRoads, will consider enhancing their infrastructure to act as levees. Any development of this nature will require collaboration with, and the approval of, the relevant floodplain authorities.

The state government will work with Grampians Wimmera Mallee Water and stakeholders to determine ongoing ownership and associated responsibilities for redundant channel infrastructure in the Wimmera and the Mallee.

The Victorian Government should work with the New South Wales Government and the Murray Darling Basin Authority to establish an appropriate floodplain management committee and to develop a floodplain management strategy for the Murray River. The strategy will define priority regions for the development of floodplain management plans, address ways of improving the management of all levees on the Murray River, and seek agreement in relation to improved approvals processes, levee heights and maintenance regimes.

The Victorian Government to implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the development and implementation of appropriate flood mitigation and protection strategies for essential services.

When developing flood mitigation options in lowland areas, local governments should give consideration to the use of temporary levees as an alternative or addition to permanent structures. To maximise the use of these structures and limit flood damage, and aid affordability, consideration should be given by local governments to the sharing of temporary levees among different townships and different council areas.

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 role of flood risk management planning rests with CMAs and Melbourne Water (under the Water Act 1989), and is a shared responsibility with local government. Shared responsibilities for flood risk management planning and implementation will be consistently reflected in government policy.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly articulate the policy guidelines for the management of vegetation and debris in Victorian waterways, for the purposes of flood protection and mitigation, taking into account the localised potential flooding effects of in‐stream vegetation in townships.
To that end:
• the Victoria Flood Management Strategy will provide flood risk criteria for identifying specific reaches of rivers and streams that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance, and to be subject to a revised permitting system;
• in their Regional Flood Strategies, CMAs will identify specific reaches of rivers and streams in their catchments, that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance, and to be subject to a revised permitting system;
• each CMA will develop an In‐stream Management Policy to clarify responsibilities for the management of all waterways, including vegetation management. This will clearly articulate the circumstances under which the CMA will approve the removal of vegetation. This policy to be reviewed every three years; and
• where appropriate CMAs will develop agreements with local regional councils.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment should develop guidelines for streamlining the permitting system for works on waterways for incorporation in the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy. An exemption process will be introduced, with particular application to identified reaches of rivers and streams that require ongoing vegetation management and maintenance:
• that government will amend the Victorian Planning Provisions to create a new exemption for native vegetation removal under clause 52.17, for the purpose of ‘flood protection’; and
• Catchment management authorities will amend their respective ‘Works on Waterways’ bylaws to reflect these changes.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop a code of practice on the removal of vegetation around critical public assets, in consultation with councils, CMAs and asset managers. Regional Flood Strategies will support this code of practice as part of shared flood risk management planning.

Significant modification of waterways in urban or rural areas will only be considered after the completion of a flood risk management process, undertaken in consultation with members of the community.

The revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy should clearly identify authorities and assign responsibilities for stream blockage and debris removal in waterways posing a high risk to public infrastructure both during and after a flood:
• in the aftermath of a flood event, CMAs, in liaison with local councils, will manage debris posing a high risk to public infrastructure;
• the In‐stream Management Policy of CMAs will guide the post‐flood management of debris affecting the assets of private owner beneficiaries;
• DSE will review the woody debris removal practices of CMAs and develop new management guidelines; and
• engagement with stakeholders, including councils and landholders will take place prior to any large scale removal of woody weeds, such as willows, is undertaken by CMAs.

Local knowledge on the management and ongoing maintenance of waterways, including vegetation clearing and debris removal, needs to be incorporated in the development of regional flood mitigation strategies and local flood plans. Specifically:
• the process of flood risk assessment must include community consultation, and these views will inform development of both floodplain management studies, and floodplain implementation plans;
• in the absence of a formal planning process, councils and authorities undertaking significant ad hoc works on waterways for flood mitigation and protection must involve the local community; and
• the revised Victoria Flood Management Strategy and Victorian River Health Strategy will clearly articulate this process.

The Department of Sustainability and Environment will develop clear policy for the coordinated management of rural drainage, clarifying the legal framework, and identifying authorities with responsibility for the management and ongoing maintenance of formal schemes, and their development:
• where appropriate, an expedited approvals process for works be applied in line with recommendation 5.4; and
• a central component of policy will be the principle of beneficiary pays.

Within the jurisdiction of Melbourne Water, it shares with local councils the responsibility to manage local drainage systems as outlined under the Water Act 1989 and the Local Government Act 1989 respectively:
• Melbourne Water, in conjunction with metropolitan councils, will undertake an audit of drainage infrastructure to identify drains that are not currently managed by a public authority; and
• following this audit Melbourne Water will work with relevant councils to develop best practice models for the management of the drainage asset.

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.

The state government give consideration to enacting legislation to provide protection from legal liability for public authorities conducting works on priority levees in good faith, acting reasonably and responsibly in the public interest, and in accordance with standards agreed to under approved schemes. Public authorities should not be excluded from liability if they have acted negligently.

That statements of obligations, issued under the Water Industry Act 1994 for water authorities, be amended to include a provision whereby managing authorities must:
• make available to the public information designed to inform and educate local communities, particularly those communities living downstream of water storages ‐ this information will relate to dam operations, the rules governing those operations, and the capacity, or lack thereof, of storage infrastructure to provide protection in the event of major flooding; and
• ensure this information forms part of an ongoing program of interaction with local communities, to be conducted at a minimum of every two years, and providing community members with the opportunity to raise questions, discuss issues, and be informed on current dam operations.

The state government accept recommendations 25 to 28, inclusive, of the Victorian Floods Review.

The state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 8, to review the flood gauging network. As part of the review, consideration should also be given to the use of portable telemetered river gauges, and to the replacement of manual gauges with telemetered gauges over time and where appropriate.

The state government establish a well coordinated and formalised system for the reading of river gauges by local people, including flood wardens. Furthermore, the knowledge of local people in predicting flood heights and impacts should be considered by emergency management agencies when predicting floods.

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 state government implement the Victorian Floods Review recommendation 10 in relation to the datums used to describe river and stream heights.

Public authorities such as councils and CMAs should continue to seek local knowledge in relation to flood management issues. In particular, councils will collaborate with VICSES and other key stakeholders in reviewing the system of flood wardens. Roles and responsibilities of flood wardens, and the process for their recruitment, should be formalised and clearly articulated in relevant flood management plans.

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.

The state government should implement the recommendations of the Victorian Floods Review in relation to the creation of resilience committees and resilience plans, with responsible authorities.

That the Premier issue clear and unambiguous guidelines to all Government Ministers specifying the timing of notifications to the public of any matters that may affect public health or safety.

That the Office of Environment and Heritage amend its operating procedures for the Environment Line to ensure that there are clear obligations to pass on information relevant to other agencies, to those agencies in a timely manner.

That OEH’s testing procedures for determining the impact of pollution incidents incorporate additional requirements for the checking and verification of results before those results are released.

That the Office of Environment and Heritage require Orica to engage and fund appropriate independent experts to oversee any modifications to the plant in the next major maintenance overhaul of the plant in 2016 and in any upgrades to the plant prior to that date.

That, as part of the Pollution Incident Management Response Plan to be developed for Orica’s Kooragang Island site, or by another appropriate mechanism, the Office of Environment and Heritage ensure that Orica’s incident-response procedures address the need to consider all relevant factors when assessing potential impacts, including the height and force of emissions as well as the location of any onsite fallout and whether there are off-site impacts following all serious incidents.

That, when developing requirements concerning pollution incident response management plans pursuant to the recent legislative amendments, the Office of Environment and Hertiage include appropriate definitions as to the meaning of ‘immediately’, and when ‘material harm to the environment is caused or threatened’.

That, if necessary, regulation be amended to require Health to approve any script used by any party concerned, for door knocking or other information dissemination, if Health is not the first source of information to affected residents.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government amend the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) to make it obligatory that insurers offer to consumers the option of a general insurance policy that conforms to Standard Cover, as prescribed in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985 (Cth), from 1 July 2012, so that all insurers carry a product that provides full replacement in the event of total loss and cover for damages resulting from flood.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government amend the Insurance Contracts Act 1984 (Cth) so that from 1 July 2012 any derogation from Standard Cover is required to be communicated to policyholders as a departure from ideal standards:
- in clearly understood terms and separately from the policy or the Product Disclosure Statement;
- with specific reference to the fact that the policy derogates from Standard Cover; and
- with specific reference to the manner in which the policy derogates from Standard Cover.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Parliament pass the Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2011 and ensure its enactment by 1 July 2012. The Committee further recommends that the standard definition of ‘flood’ be included in the definition of Standard Cover in the Insurance Contracts Regulations 1985.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislative changes required to remove the exemption for general insurers to unfair contract terms laws, and ensure its enactment by the end of 2012.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government work with the Insurance Council of Australia to make the following amendments to the General Insurance Code of Practice by 1 July 2012:
- remove the clauses that set aside the Code standards in times of disasters;
- require insurers to refrain from advising policyholders against making a claim under their insurance policy, and incorporate a ‘right to claim’ so that policyholders who contact their insurer about their eligibility to make a claim are offered the opportunity to lodge a claim and have it assessed fully;
- ensure that a full explanation of the claims-handling process, including the right to escalate decisions to internal dispute and external dispute resolution systems, is given when policyholders lodge a claim;
- ensure that an acknowledgement of the claims lodgement, contact details of the claims officer, and expected timeframes for the claims-handling process are provided to policyholders in writing;
- require that copies of external expert reports used in the determination of a claim to be provided to claimants within 10 days of request; and
- introduce the following minimum standards for claims handling in times of exceptional circumstances such as declared disasters:
⇒ a timeframe for informing claimants of the progress of the claim;
⇒ a timeframe for advising claimants if an external expert has been appointed;
⇒ assurance that external experts are fully qualified to undertake assessments;
⇒ an undertaking to provide claimants with information about the qualifications, employer, and role of external experts that are appointed to assist with their claim;
⇒ a maximum timeframe of 12 weeks for external experts to provide reports;
⇒ a maximum timeframe for accepting or denying a claim;
⇒ a timeframe for responding to requests for information;
⇒ an undertaking to communicate all decisions about insurance claims to the claimant in writing with clear and explicit reasons relating to their particular claim; and
⇒ a timeframe for informing claimants of the progress of their complaint or dispute.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission amend Regulatory Guideline 139 by 1 July 2012 to require the Financial Ombudsman Service to report regularly to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission and also to make public:
- the names of insurance companies that have breached the Code or are involved in systemic issues, and the types of breach; and
- the annual number of internal dispute resolution and external dispute resolution cases for each insurance company.
Further, the Committee recommends that, following declared disaster events, the Financial Ombudsman Service should be required to provide a report to the Australian Securities and Investments Commission on breaches and dispute resolutions specific to the disaster area.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government empower the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to regulate claims handling and settlement of financial service providers. This can be achieved by the Treasurer introducing legislation by 1 July 2012 to give effect to the measures contained in Schedule 1, Part 1 of the lapsed Insurance Contracts Amendment Bill 2010, so that breaches of the duty of utmost good faith in relation to claims handling constitute a breach of the Insurance Contracts Act.
This would enable the Australian Securities and Investments Commission to:
- monitor and regulate claims handling and settlement processes;
- impose sanctions on insurance companies, under Australian Financial Services Licence remedies, on behalf of consumers; and
- negate the current exemption of claims handling and settlement from the definition of financial services for the purpose of the Corporations Act 2001.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government introduce legislation by 1 March 2013 to make adherence to the General Insurance Code of Practice a compulsory requirement for all general insurers.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Securities and Investments Commission amend Regulatory Guideline 165 to:
- require general insurers to provide clear and comprehensive information about both Internal Dispute Resolution and External Dispute Resolution to clients at time of claim lodgement;
- require general insurers to provide information to clients at the time of claim lodgement on the right to seek from Financial Ombudsman Service an independent external expert report (such as a hydrology report);
- prohibit general insurers from commenting to policyholders on the merits of a dispute;
- prescribe an Internal Dispute Resolution model which avoids multi-tiered components; and
- automatically escalate a claim that has not been settled within four months to an internal dispute should the General Insurance Code of Practice amendment to this end not be implemented.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government and relevant State and territory governments jointly allocate additional and continuing funding in the 2012–13 budget to the Insurance Law Service for the mobilisation of a temporary physical presence in areas of need following natural disasters. The service should be available to all persons in an affected disaster area and not subject to means-testing.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government allocate additional and continuing funding in the 2012–2013 budget to the Insurance Law Service to establish a consumer advisory position at the Financial Services Ombudsman. The position should be co-funded by the Insurance Law Service and the insurance industry.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government investigate ways to reduce the cost of calling 1300 numbers from mobile telephones in areas of natural disasters.

The Committee recommends that the Minister for Financial Services and Superannuation immediately establish a joint industry-Government action group to address evidence of the rising costs and market failure of insurance premiums across Australia.

The Department of Sport and Recreation facilitate the development of an Adventure Activity Standard for ultramarathons in order to determine a minimum safety standard for the sport.

As part of the current revision of its contract template for sponsorship agreements, Tourism WA should ensure that:
- Risk management plans are submitted for approval with all relevant agencies and local and state authorities no later than two months prior to a sponsored event being staged.
- Milestone payments should be linked to the strict adherence of this deadline 
- Evidence of approval of the risk management plans by all relevant local and state authorities is provided to Tourism WA by the event organiser.

Eventscorp should ensure that organisers of events its sponsors are directed to all appropriate authorities and stakeholders to ensure the responsible, safe and efficient planning and conduct of the event.

As part of its review of its contract management processes, Tourism WA (with the Board of Tourism WA taking a lead role) should amend its contract template for event sponsorship to ensure that:
- Tourism WA is provided with all relevant insurance policies and schedules prior to a sponsorship agreement being signed.
- All relevant insurance policies and schedules are lodged with Tourism WA by the time a sponsorship agreement is signed.
- Tourism WA retain the right to provide any information regarding the insurance policies and schedules to any parties involved in the event.
- Organisers provide independent verification of policies being Australian‐based and approved by the Australian Prudential Regulation Authority.
- Tourism WA retains the right to verify the status of the policies with the organiser’s insurer at any time throughout the contract period.
- Organisers submit to a clause allowing any claims against them by injured parties to be undertaken and enforceable in the state of Western Australia, and Tourism WA withdraws any offer of sponsorship if an organiser is not prepared to comply with this condition.

As part of the review of its due diligence processes, Tourism WA should ensure that:
- A minimum standard of due diligence is established that addresses the deficiencies noted in this Report.
- Sponsorship agreements include a provision requiring event organisers to complete disclosure questionnaires. If an organiser is found at any time not to have complied, or to have withheld material information, the penalty regime should extend to the nulling of the contract.
- Consideration is given on a case‐by‐case basis to stipulating the engagement of local event management companies to assist organisers in regards to event planning and risk management.

The Board of Tourism WA should take action to ensure that it reviews the quality of Board papers that are submitted to it by the executive of Tourism WA.

The Department of the Attorney General consider conducting a review of the Civil Liability Act 2002 (WA) in light of the 2011 Kimberley Ultramarathon. Such a review should consider issues such as the effectiveness given to competitor waivers under the Act and the potential difficulties of establishing proceedings and enforcing a judgement against foreign‐based providers of recreational activities.

FESA, WA Police and St John Ambulance establish a uniform protocol for handling multiple agency emergency responses that does not involve callers having to make multiple calls to 000.

The Department of Regional Development and Lands should ensure that event organisers and government agencies responsible for sponsoring and approving events have a greater level of awareness about the requirements of section 91 licences under the Land Administration Act 1977 (WA).

Local Emergency Management Committee (LEMC) processes should be reviewed to ensure that:
- Local government authorities, emergency service organisations, other government agencies and event organisers are made aware of the requirements of a LEMC, and that
- Consideration is given to extending LEMC abilities to review and advise on proposals for higher risk and adventure spoting events.

The review of the Health Act 1911 (WA) should include the following amendments:
- enabling high risk or adventure sport activities to be subject to the events approval process currently applicable to ‘public buildings’ and;
- that a requirement be introduced for organisers of eligible events to provide medical and risk management plans to relevant authorities for assessment—prior to any event approval being completed.

Department of Regional Development and Lands and Department of Environment and Conservation should consider how their respective land use approval processes can incorporate the input of Local Emergency Management Committees (LEMCs) as part of risk assessments for high risk events and adventure sport activities.

Tourism WA must give specific regard as to whether land use approvals need to be sought, particularly from Department of Regional Development and Lands, when conducting due diligence for event sponsorship proposals that require sign off by both departments.

The Attorney General gives urgent consideration to determining an ex gratia payment for:
- Miss Turia Pitt and Miss Kate Sanderson; and
- Mr Michael Hull and Mr Martin Van Der Merwe

The Coroner’s Act 1996 should be amended to give the Coroner jurisdiction to investigate fires that do not cause death, and that the Coroner should be suitably resourced to undertake investigations of the kind the subject of this Report.

The Minister for Emergency Services report to Parliament every six months on the progress made in completing all of the outstanding Recommendations of the Keelty Report.

The Minister for Emergency Services introduce by the 2012-13 bushfire season psychological testing of all FESA career staff and bushfire and rescue volunteers.

At the conclusion to the 2011-12 bushfire season, the Minister for Emergency Services institute a thorough review of the operations of FESA, the Police and DEC in protecting the State from bushfires and other natural disasters, with a primary focus on: · staffing levels; · equipment levels and coordination; and · training needs. The Minister report to Parliament by June 2012 on any changes that need to be made to the current departmental structures to optimise the State’s preparedness for the 2012-13 bushfire season.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that a whole-of-government equipment register of the firefighting equipment held by FESA, DEC and local government authorities is in place for the 2012-13 bushfire season.

The Minister for Local Government have urgent discussions with the Western Australian Local Government Association (WALGA) as to why they are not supporting the full Recommendations addressed to local government in the Keelty Report. The Minister ensure that by May 2012 WALGA and its member councils have the resources to fully implement theimplementation of the Recommendations.

The Minister for Planning report to Parliament by May 2012 on the urgent actions undertaken by the Department of Planning and the Western Australian Planning Commission (WAPC) to transfer responsibility for declaring bushfire prone areas to the WAPC.

The Minister for Emergency Services institute a thorough review by December 2012, including a comparison to other jurisdictions, of the risk analysis processes used by FESA, the Police and DEC to prepare them to protect the State from bushfires and other natural disasters.

In implementing the Keelty Report’s Recommendation 42, the Ministers for Emergency Services and Environment jointly report to Parliament by May 2012 on the likely impacts on, and implications for, the future bushfire operations of the State Government of the drying climate in the State’s South West region.

The Minister for Emergency Services amend section 50 of the Emergency Management Act 2005 by June 2012 to allow the State Emergency Coordinator, as well as a hazard management agency, to make an emergency situation declaration.

The Minister for Environment bring to Parliament by June 2012 amendments to the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 that reflect the use by the Department of Environment and Conservation of prescribed burns for both biodiversity conservation and community protection purposes.

The Minister for Police and Emergency Services and the Minister for the Environment report to Parliament by December each year as to the state of readiness of the main State Government agencies tasked with fighting bushfires.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that the annual budget of FESA contains the funds it requires to coordinate an annual multi-agency bushfire field exercise, alongside other desktop exercises, to be held in different regions of the State each year. The outcomes of this field exercise should be included in the proposed annual Ministerial statement to Parliament on bushfire readiness before each season.

The Minister for Emergency Services makes it a priority that the annual budgets of FESA and WA Police are sufficient to bring forward the completion dates of the current radio projects now underway.

The Minister for Emergency Services ensure that FESA has the funds to implement the installation and use of WebEOC for use during the 2011-12 bushfire season and immediately put in place common protocols with the Police and DEC to record significant events during a bushfire.

The Minister for Emergency Services, with advice from the Interagency Bushfire Management Committee Fuel Load Management sub-committee, report to Parliament by May 2012 on the estimated cost of developing one fuel load information system across all lands in Western Australia, no matter who manages it. This system’s information should be readily accessible and easily understood by all stakeholders, including the public.

The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government review and report to Parliament by May 2012 on ways in which the State’s volunteer firefighters and rescue workers can be more effectively managed and valued.

The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Environment develop by December 2012 a Volunteer Charter that recognises the important work undertaken by the State’s volunteer bushfire and emergency services personnel.

The Minister for Emergency Services and the Minister for Local Government provide additional resources to FESA, DEC and WALGA in the 2012-13 Budget to improve the Western Australian community’s knowledge of bushfire safety and to allow these agencies to involve the public in their exercises.

The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on the best practices in other jurisdictions to increase the rate of residents likely to be effected by a bushfire who properly prepare their properties before the bushfire season.

The Minister for Emergency Services commission an independent report to Parliament by June 2012 on an assessment of the success of FESA’s Total Fire Ban community education campaign in improving the community’s knowledge on this issue.

The Minister for Emergency Services report to Parliament by May 2012 on the resources required to ensure a ‘One Source One Message’ multi-layered information system, as recommended by the Keelty Report, including any upgrades required for FESA’s current State Alert system.

The Committee recommends the provision of substantial funds to improve road infrastructure in the Mitcham Hills to be spent over the 2010/11, 2011/12, 2012/13 and 2013/14 budgets.

The Committee recommends that Parliament establish a standing committee for natural disasters. The purpose of this committee would be to ensure that Government agencies and emergency services are fully prepared to deal with natural disasters and to provide an opportunity for Members of Parliament, as opposed to Cabinet, to have input into disaster management.

that the Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services undertake a comprehensive legal review in order to clarify the legal position of RFBs and their members.

that QFRS include consultation with rural fire brigades as mandatory when boundary changes are proposed.

that QFRS investigate and implement an internal email system for rural fire brigades.

that QFRS update its website to include the Rural Fire Service as part of its www.fire.qld.gov.au web presence.

that QFRS undertake a thorough review of Firecom’s systems, including data integrity and dispatch procedures.

that QFRS cover the cost of annual vehicle inspection certificates for rural fire brigade registered vehicles.

that the Deputy Premier, Attorney-General, Minister for Local Government and Special Minister of State establish with local government a communication strategy to inform all residents about their fire prevention responsibilities.

that the QFRS investigate the possibility of insurance recovery when involved in vehicle retrieval activities at accident sites.

that QFRS implement procedures to provide a clear grievance process which is available to rural fire brigade volunteers.

that QFRS implement procedures to ensure that rural fire brigades receive written confirmation of the Commissioner’s approval after office bearer elections in compliance with section 81 of the Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990.

that QFRS should establish a Rural Fire Service division within QFRS with the aim of integrating and strengthening the relationship between the urban and rural fire services.

that QFRS establish the position of Assistant Commissioner, Rural Fire Service to lead the proposed Rural Fire Service division within QFRS.

that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services implement system of fire levies for landholders situated in urban, iZone and village brigade areas.

that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services undertake a thorough review, including consultation with rural fire brigades, regarding the proposed formula for distribution of funding.

that the for Minister for Police, Corrective Services and Emergency Services ensure that the formula for distribution of funding as recommended above allows rural fire brigades to control any donation or sponsorship funding raised by individual brigades.

The committee recommends that Department of Immigration and Citizenship (DIAC) and its relevant contractors continue to monitor the wellbeing of the survivors and that counselling and support services should be provided for as long as is necessary.

The committee recommends that the Department of Regional Australia and DIAC liaise with the Christmas Island community to explore options for a permanent memorial to be erected on the island, at a site of the residents' choosing, for the victims of the tragedy.

The committee recommends that relevant Commonwealth agencies continue to monitor the wellbeing of their personnel and that counselling and support services should be provided for as long as necessary.

The committee recommends that interoperability of narrowband voice radiocommunications between federal, state and territory emergency service organisations is achieved as soon as practicable and that all services attending major incidents be compelled to maintain a common emergency communications platform to ensure seamless real time communication from and to the Incident Controller.

The committee recommends the Commonwealth Government allocate sufficient spectrum for dedicated broadband public protection and disaster relief (PPDR) radiocommunications in Australia.

The committee further recommends that any allocation of broadband spectrum to emergency service organisations (ESOs) for PPDR must be provided on the basis of interoperability amongst Australian ESOs and with ESO counterparts overseas.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government together with national, state and territory emergency service organisations and radio and television broadcasters, develop a secure database of up-to-date contact details for key personnel to be used during an emergency.

The committee recommends the Commonwealth Government require guaranteed access to emergency call services for people with a disability at all times.

The committee recommends emergency service organisations in collaboration with television and radio broadcasters, the print media and other relevant organisations, use regular and ongoing public education well in advance of an emergency situation as an opportunity to teach the public about their responsibilities during an emergency and how they can appropriately prepare themselves for such an event.

The committee recommends the government consider granting public broadcasters priority access to fuel during times of emergency for the purpose of broadcasting emergency warnings and information, and in a way that does not impede the ability of emergency service organisations to access fuel.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government consult with state and territory governments to ensure that the states' and territories' captive insurance and reinsurance arrangements are reported transparently and on a comparable basis. 

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Grants Commission ensures that as part of the current redesign of its data request, state and territory governments are required to include their past insurance and reinsurance receipts for natural disaster insurance premiums. These data must be taken into account by the Commission in determining the states' GST share. 

The committee recommends that a particular focus of the Natural Disasters Insurance Review into the adequacy of current insurance arrangements should be on whether the international insurance market offers reinsurance for the states' and territories' road networks.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth Treasury clarify what is meant by the term 'cost-effective' as it relates to the 2011 NDRRA Determination and the scrutiny of the states' and territories' insurance arrangements. 

The Commonwealth Government examine potential new arrangements for Commonwealth involvement in the development and implementation of a national policy for bushfire management.

The Commonwealth co-ordinate a standing national arson forum between fire and law enforcement agencies to be held every two years.

The Productivity Commission undertake an examination of bushfire risk from ageing power infrastructure, including an assessment of replacement costs and likely suppression costs from bushfires caused by defective infrastructure.

Subject to the findings of the Productivity Commission, the Commonwealth examine options for the funding of replacement of power infrastructure that presents an unacceptable bushfire risk.

The Commonwealth seek agreement from the states and territories that would enable it to evaluate the adequacy of fuel reduction programs applied by public land management agencies in high bushfire risk areas, and audit their implementation against the program's stated objectives.

The Commonwealth publish all fuel reduction plans and related audit findings on a national database.

The Commonwealth consult with local, state and territory government planning authorities on the development and dissemination of a house loss risk index for households in Australia's highest risk bushfire areas.

The Commonwealth Government work with the states and their agencies to ensure consistent terminology is used when communicating with the public.

Further Commonwealth funding for bushfire suppression be made conditional on state fire agencies agreeing to the Commonwealth evaluating and auditing their fuel reduction programs.

The Commonwealth assist the states with bushfire training for land managers and volunteers by co-ordinating curriculum development and delivery of a national bushfire accreditation course, to be delivered by the relevant state agencies.

The Commonwealth organise the co-operation of state land management and fire agencies to provide the practical training aspect of the curriculum as part of a national bushfire accreditation course.

The Commonwealth encourages further research into prescribed burning and its effectiveness and into alternative bushfire mitigation approaches through improved bushfire risk understanding at the asset level.

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

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.

The committee recommends that the Commonwealth co-ordinate a national approach to the pooling of ground fire fighting resources across agencies and jurisdictions to maximise the efficiency of their use.

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. Maps of every prescribed burn should be produced in a similar format to those used in Western Australia, indicating the boundary of each burn and the varying fire intensities achieved within the burn area. The boundaries of all Fuel Management Zones within each burn should also be indicated.
Each prescribed burn map should be made publicly available on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website, together with a map of the same burn area which shows the pre-burn fuel hazard levels and a statement of the total area treated within each Fuel Management Zone by each prescribed burn.

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. This should be treated as a rolling target, with any shortfalls to be made up in subsequent years.

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;
- the total number of burns conducted within each fuel management zone for each region; and
- the extent to which planned ecological and fuel reduction outcomes were met for prescribed burns within each fuel management zone for each region (e.g. a summary of the results of the post-burn assessments to be conducted in accordance with recommendation 2.3 above).

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

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 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. This should include the “district burns list”, or its future equivalents, and a map which shows the corresponding burns for each Fire District. Each map should be provided in a format which can be downloaded directly from the Department’s website without the need for further data manipulation by the user. An identical hardcopy version of the map for each Fire District should be also be available to members of the public on request and free of charge.

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 Plans; and the alteration of burn boundaries (including alterations of less than 25 per cent); should appear on the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s website at the time of the change and be included in the Fire Operations Plan for the following year.

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 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 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, and responsible agencies, expedite the implementation of the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework.
That the Integrated Fire Management Planning framework integrate, as far as possible, fire management planning at the municipal level with both Fire Protection Plans (or their future equivalents) and Fire Operations Plans.

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.

The committee recommends the Australian Government strengthen CASA's governance framework and administrative capability by:
• introducing a small board of up to five members to provide enhanced oversight and strategic direction for CASA; and
• undertaking a review of CASA's funding arrangements to ensure CASA is equipped to deal with new regulatory challenges.

The committee recommends, in accordance with the findings of the Hawke Taskforce, that CASA's Regulatory Reform Program be brought to a conclusion as quickly as possible to provide certainty to industry and to ensure CASA and industry are ready to address future safety challenges.

The committee recommends that the Australian National Audit Office audit CASA's implementation and administration of its Safety Management Systems approach.

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 notes the importance of mitigation measures in addressing climate change impacts and accordingly recommends that the Australian Government continue to take urgent action to ensure that Australia can best contribute to a reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

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

The Committee recommends that the coastal zone component of the National Climate Change Science Framework and proposed National Climate Change Science strategy be clearly identified by the proposed high level coordination group and involve key coastal stakeholders.

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 continue funding under the Climate Change Adaptation Skills for Professionals Program. In addition, the Australian Government should liaise with tertiary institutions to ensure an adequate supply of appropriately skilled coastal planners and engineers.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- continue the Local Adaptation Pathways Program as a competitive funding program
- review the program’s guidelines to secure better outcomes by:
* use of consistent methodology for vulnerability assessments
* evaluation of the outcomes of the projects that are undertaken with the grants
* encouraging regional applications from local councils whenever possible

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change share all data collected through vulnerability assessments undertaken as part of the Australian Government Local Adaptation Pathways Program on the proposed National Coastal Zone Database (see also recommendation 42).

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 Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government undertake a study into the human and resourcing needs of local governments to effectively plan for and adapt to the impacts of climate change
- this study be carried out in conjunction with the Australian Local Government Association and the National Sea Change Taskforce

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a National Coastal Zone Database to improve access to and consistency of information relevant to coastal zone adaptation. The National Coastal Zone Database should be an online portal that allows ready access to:
- ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment data
- state and local Digital Elevation Modelling
- National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility reports
- federal Local Adaptation Pathways Program reports
- state and local coastal vulnerability assessment results

The Committee recommends that, following the completion of the ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment, the Australian Government consider the resourcing and financing of second and third pass assessments, in conjunction with state, territory and local government authorities.

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

To further enhance Australia’s disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery arrangements in the event of possible major coastal disasters, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a grants program, the Coastal Natural Disaster Mitigation Program, to fund natural disaster mitigation projects in the Australian coastal zone.
The Committee also recommends that the Australian Emergency Management Committee (AEMC) consider the following issues:
- improved data on coastal disaster risk assessment and vulnerable coastal sites
- improved access and evacuation routes for coastal communities
- improved coastal community awareness of and resilience to natural disasters
- improved coordination of coastal disaster mitigation arrangements with other initiatives currently underway, such as reviews of the Australian Building Code and land use planning policies to take into account climate change impacts
- improved early warning systems for coastal areas in the event of an extreme sea level event (storm surge, erosion, flooding)
The Committee further recommends that the AEMC provide a report on these matters to the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, recognise the extensive Surf Life Saving Australia network and take appropriate steps to integrate this network into emergency services preparedness, planning, and response systems and activities.

The Committee notes that major initiatives relating to climate change adaptation risk assessment and infrastructure are currently in progress. Given that much of Australia’s infrastructure is in the coastal zone and the particular threats facing the coastal zone from climate change, involving significant socioeconomic costs, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure there is a comprehensive national assessment of coastal infrastructure vulnerability to inundation from sea level rise and extreme sea level events.

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change, in collaboration with the Queensland Government, CSIRO and Indigenous communities in the Torres Strait, undertake a major study into the vulnerability of the Torres Strait to the impacts of climate change and provide assistance in the development of an adaptation plan.

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.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government request the Productivity Commission to undertake an inquiry into the projected impacts of climate change and related insurance matters, with a particular focus on:
- insurance coverage of coastal properties, given the concentration of Australia’s population and infrastructure along the coast
- estimates of the value of properties potentially exposed to this risk
- insurance affordability, availability and uptake
- existing and emerging gaps in insurance coverage, with a particular focus on coverage of coastal risks such as storm surge/inundation, landslip/erosion and sea level rise (including the combined effects of sea inundation and riverine flooding)
- the need for a clear definition of the circumstances under which an insurance claim is payable due to storm surge/inundation, landslip/erosion and sea level rise, as well as due to permanent submersion of some or all of the land
- the possibility of a government instrument that prohibits continued occupation of the land or future building development on the property due to sea hazard
- gaps in the information needed to properly assess insurance risk and availability of nationally consistent data on climate change risks
- examining the key actions for governments proposed by the Insurance Council of Australia and the Insurance Australia Group in their submissions to this inquiry
- possible responses to a withdrawal of insurance for certain risks or regions, noting the increased burden this could place on government and taxpayers

The Committee notes the Council of Australian Governments initiative (through the Local Government and Planning Ministers Council) to develop state-specific climate change planning policies by mid 2011, to inform local governments and regional planning responses to climate change. The Committee recommends that the Australian Government ensure that the outcomes of this initiative are included as part of the action plan under the proposed new Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider the benefits of adopting a nationally consistent sea level rise planning benchmark and, if so, whether this be done on a statutory basis or otherwise. The outcomes of this consideration should then be included as part of the action plan for the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone.

The Committee recommends that the Building Code of Australia, including cyclone building codes, be revised with the objective of increasing resilience to climate change.

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, through the Council of Australian Governments process, examine the establishment of a system of national coastal zone environmental accounts, employing the model developed by the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Australian Bureau of Statistics, ensure that:
- accurate and consistent methods of measuring the numbers and the impact of tourists and other non-residents in coastal areas are undertaken to enable resources to be better matched with demand for infrastructure and services
- improved data on long-term demographic trends in coastal areas is made available to assist in coastal zone planning and management

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- expand the list of national priority areas identified under the Caring for our Country program to include climate change impacts on biodiversity
- give consideration in future funding rounds to projects that:
* involve working with state/territory and local governments to improve coastal land use planning
* seek to address loss of coastal habitat as a result of coastal development and population pressures

The Committee recommends that, in seeking to expand the area protected within Australia’s National Reserve System (NRS) under the Caring for our Country program, the Australian Government focus on high biodiversity coastal habitat, including more effective off-reserve coastal zone conservation and expanded coastal reserves that provide larger buffer zones. In undertaking this initiative, the Australian Government should continue to work with state/territory and local governments, Indigenous groups, conservation organisations, private landholders and other stakeholders to ensure that these protected areas are added to the NRS in a timely manner.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in considering its response to the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), take into account concerns about the EPBC Act and coastal zone management raised as part of this inquiry—in particular, the need to address the cumulative impacts of coastal development. This could be achieved by numerous means, including:
- a land clearing trigger
- defining coastal ecosystems as a matter of national environmental significance
- making more use of landscape-scale assessments through strategic assessments or bioregional plans

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- continue working with the Queensland Government and local councils under the existing Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement to improve land use planning in the catchment
- commission analysis of the Great Barrier Reef as a case study for integrated coastal zone management (ICZM) in Australia. The study should draw out possible directions for ICZM in Australia with regard to:
* addressing challenges associated with climate change impacts on biodiversity
* declining water quality from catchment runoff and loss of coastal habitat from coastal development and population pressures
* building cooperative partnerships between Commonwealth, state and local government, and other stakeholders
* establishing governance and institutional frameworks

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government urgently commission a detailed climate change vulnerability assessment for Kakadu National Park, in consultation with the park’s traditional owners and other stakeholders and drawing on the results of the ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment of the park. This assessment should specifically focus on the vulnerability of Kakadu’s freshwater wetland systems to saltwater intrusion. A key outcome of the assessment should be the development of a Climate Change Action Plan for Kakadu National Park, with coordinated input from the Australian Government and Northern Territory Government, Indigenous land owners, researchers and other stakeholders.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- require that all Ramsar listed wetlands have effective and operational management plans and that resources are allocated by governments to monitor the implementation of these plans
- increase the number of coastal wetlands classified as Ramsar sites, particularly those classified as Nationally Important wetlands
- work with state and territory governments through the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, and in consultation with other stakeholders, to improve the management and monitoring of coastal wetlands, particularly Ramsar sites located in close proximity to development
- improve public awareness about what actions impacting on a Ramsar wetland should be referred to the Minister under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
- ensure that the National Guidelines for Ramsar Wetlands also include modules on the process for nominating Ramsar wetlands
- develop a climate change action plan for coastal Ramsar wetlands and Nationally Important wetlands

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- work through the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and in consultation with Birds Australia and other stakeholders to implement a National Shorebirds Protection Strategy. The strategy should focus on tightening restrictions on beach driving and access to bird breeding habitat, preserving habitat, identifying suitable buffer zones for migration of coastal bird habitat, managing pest animals and increased public education
- provide further funding to Birds Australia and other research groups to ensure continued monitoring and data collection with regard to migratory and resident shorebirds
- provide funding to strengthen partnerships between domestic and international shorebird conservation groups to increase awareness and conservation efforts in other countries
- commission a detailed climate change impact study on Australia’s migratory and resident shorebirds
- in its consideration of amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 following the independent review, give consideration to the formal listing of coastal shorebird and sea bird communities as threatened species/ecological communities under the act

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- work with the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and other stakeholders to develop an action plan to:
*ensure that coastal buffers, coastal habitat corridors and high ecological value areas are identified and included in Commonwealth, state and local government management processes
*ensure appropriate infrastructure planning and that land is made available to allow for the migration of coastal ecosystems
*promote cooperative ecosystem-based planning and management approaches across jurisdictions
*implement a nationally consistent coastal and marine biodiversity monitoring and reporting framework
*develop a targeted strategy to address key gaps in knowledge of coastal and marine biodiversity and improve access and sharing of knowledge and data
*develop regional climate change adaptation policies and plans and integrate them into coastal and marine bioregional planning processes
- ensure that all future national coastal zone policy incorporates these priorities, as well as future revised national sustainability, biodiversity, climate change and environmental policy frameworks

The Committee recommends that coastal based Natural Resource Management bodies seeking funding under the Caring for our Country program have coastal and marine priorities, as well as coastal zone management principles integrated in their management plans.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in consultation with Indigenous Australians and other coastal stakeholders, commission work to provide a national repository identifying Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural heritage sites in vulnerable coastal areas.

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:
- consider the Victorian Government’s model of a sustainable coastal community as part of the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone to be concluded through the Council of Australian Governments
- ensure an early response to the recommendations provided in the Sustainability for Survival: Creating a Climate for Change— Inquiry into a Sustainability Charter report and the Sustainable Cities report

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government request that the Centre for Excellence for Local Government ensure a particular focus on capacity building for coastal local councils. Capacity building should focus on addressing issues relating to:
- population growth pressure
- planning and design of new infrastructure
- integrated coastal zone management
- climate change impacts and adaptation

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to establishing a separate funding program for infrastructure enhancement in coastal areas vulnerable to climate change. Such funding should be provided according to a formula requiring contributions, either financial or in-kind, from state governments and relevant local government authorities.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government undertake an awareness campaign to alert coastal communities to the key challenges facing the coastal zone and the value of community engagement in addressing these challenges. The campaign should aim to build understanding and awareness of coastal management issues to encourage the continued membership and support of volunteer networks in the coastal zone.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government nominate 2012 as the Year of the Coast, to further build community awareness about the issues facing the coastal zone. The Australian Government should work with coastal stakeholders, volunteer groups and the general community in determining key activities as part of this initiative.

The Committee recommends that the National Coastal Zone Database be expanded over time to include information on environmental data and management and planning information relevant to the coastal zone.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government provide funding support for the ongoing activities of the Australian Coastal Alliance in providing a national information and communication interface between research organisations and local government authorities and other coastal stakeholders.

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in cooperation with state, territory and local governments, and in consultation with coastal stakeholders, develop an Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone to be endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments. The intergovernmental agreement should:
- define the roles and responsibilities of the three tiers of government—federal, state and local—involved in coastal zone management
- include a formal mechanism for community consultation
- incorporate principles based on strategic regional coastal planning and landscape scale/ecosystem based coastal zone management
- include an effective implementation plan with resources allocated to ensure that objectives are realised
- be overseen by a new Coastal Zone Ministerial Council
- be made public

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- ensure that the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone forms the basis for a National Coastal Zone Policy and Strategy, which should set out the principles, objectives and actions that must be undertaken to address the challenges of integrated coastal zone management for Australia
- establish a broad based National Catchment-Coast-Marine Management program to provide funding for initiatives relating to:
* sustainable coastal communities
* climate change and biodiversity
* implementation of projects to progress integrated coastal zone management
- establish a National Coastal Zone Management Unit within the Department of Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts to support the implementation of these national initiatives
- develop a Coastal Sustainability Charter based on the Victorian Government model

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a National Coastal Advisory Council to:
- provide independent advice to government
- advise the new coastal unit within the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts
- ensure community input into national coastal zone policy, planning and management

The Committee recommends that proposals for a National Oceans and Coast Act and a statutory Coastal Council be the subject of ongoing consideration once the Intergovernmental Coastal Zone Agreement is determined.

The Committee recommends that a thorough review be undertaken of the communications and coordination between the separate agencies which make up the Emergency Services Agency, to assess the extent to which cultural factors are detrimental to the effective operation of the ESA.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develop and publish an operational policy document which spells out the command and control structures and procedures should an emergency event arise.

The Committee recommends that the Bushfire Council consultative requirements under the Emergencies Act 2004 be reviewed, with a view to removing the requirement to consult with the Bushfire Council on operational matters, such as staff appointments and matters prescribed by regulation.

The Committee recommends that responsibility for oversighting the progress of the implementation of agreed recommendations of the Coroner be undertaken by a truly independent body and not by the Bushfire Council.

The Committee recommends that, if the Bushfire Council is to have an advisory role generally in emergency management, it should be renamed to reflect a general emergency role rather than a role specifically in relation to bushfires.

The Committee recommends that the ESA develop a schedule of proposed exercises as a five year rolling plan, in order that all the elements of emergency services are able to be tested over that time and in differing
situations.

The Committee recommends that the ESA hold discussions with NSW with a view to developing a joint exercise program with the NSW Rural Fire Service on an ongoing basis.

The Committee considers that the ACT Government should table in the ACT Legislative Assembly the cost-benefit analysis and business plan for Fairbairn as a central site for emergency services in the ACT.

If the Auditor-General does not undertake a review in the near future, the Committee recommends that the ACT Government re-investigate the suitability of the Fairbairn site as a proposed centralised accommodation facility for emergency services.

If the Auditor-General does not undertake a review in the near future, the Committee recommends that the ACT Government make a public announcement about the future accommodation plans for the Emergency Services Agency and its component parts so that both the ESA and the ACT public are informed about current proposals and timeframes.

If the ACT Government decides to proceed with the site as the emergency services headquarters, that it accord a high priority to the finalisation of the site preparations for the ESA at Fairbairn as a matter of urgency.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Government explain its reasons to the Legislative Assembly for not proceeding with the release of Version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan in July 2005.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Government finalise Version 2 of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan as required under the Emergencies Act.

The Committee recommends that the responsibility for land management issues lie within a single portfolio, specifically the Minister for Territory and Municipal Services.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Government develops a joint strategic bushfire management plan with the NSW Government and the NSW Rural Fire Service in relation to those areas which have the potential to impact on both jurisdictions.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Emergency Services and the Rural Fire Service in particular institute regular meetings with the NSW Rural Fire Service and other appropriate authorities, such as environment
and national parks for the purposes of land management and fuel load assessment and control.

The Committee recommends that information in relation to proposed fuel load activity and controlled burning should be disseminated to the community and in an accessible format.

The Committee recommends that the ACT Government investigate the Victorian Community Fireguard model with a view to implementing a similar scheme in the ACT to enhance community preparedness for and ability to respond to bushfire emergencies.

The Committee recommends that the Emergency Services Agency update its website to accommodate, at a minimum, a publications menu item and a search function.

The Committee recommends that the Emergency Services Agency post all its publications, which are not internal working documents or otherwise confidential, on its website.

The Committee recommends that each element of the Emergency Services Agency publish organisation charts showing names, positions and contact details on the individual webpages.

That Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia and Main Roads Western Australia, in consultation with the Western Australian Local Government Association, investigate a more equitable means of calculating the local government contribution to road and infrastructure restoration costs. In particular consideration should be given to regulations applying in the eastern states i.e. Queensland.

That following the declaration of a natural disaster, complete and accurate information on Western Australian Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements assistance measures and application processes is disseminated through public communications channels, including the media.

That Fire and Emergency Services Authority of Western Australia (FESA), in consultation with local governments, develop and make broadly available Western Australian Natural Disaster Relief Arrangements (WANDRA) guidelines with a view to improving pre-disaster awareness of assistance measures and application processes.

That FESA develop comprehensive internet-based information including but not limited to detail of WANDRA objectives, assistance measures, administering agencies, eligibility criteria (where applicable) and application forms.

That FESA investigate the use of new technologies such as Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) for supplementing the dissemination of WANDRA information in cases where landlines have been disrupted.

That, in tandem with their consideration of local government cost sharing arrangements under WANDRA (refer Recommendation 1), the Fire and Emergency Services Authority and Main Roads Western Australia also establish ‘exceptional circumstances’ criteria to provide for additional assistance to local government where it may be warranted in order to avoid undue financial pressure caused by delays to secure reimbursement.

That the Department of Treasury and Finance, in consultation with FESA, consider alternative funding arrangements to alleviate the need for FESA to ‘underwrite’ NDRA costs during the year.

That the newly proposed index linked limits for Personal Hardship and Distress Relief Payments as outlined in the paper “National Disaster Relief Arrangements - An Analysis and Recommendations for Personal Hardship Distress Measures” be accepted by government.

That the guidelines of WANDRA be revised to provide for the inclusion of the cost of materials expended in the repair of boundary fences.

That the Professional Assistance Grant is formally extended by WANDRA to include non rural businesses and that it be made available to assist with the clean up of disaster related damage to farms and businesses. (The Committee recognises that the amendments to WANDRA as of March 2007 address this recommendation).

That the ‘opportunity cost’ for Local Authorities in meeting the 25% contribution to the restoration of eligible public assets damaged by a natural disaster event be considered when FESA and Main Roads Western Australia, in consultation with Western Australian Local Government Authority, investigate a more equitable means of calculating the local government contribution to road and infrastructure restoration costs as recommended in Recommendation 1.

The secondment of a resource person(s) to an affected local authority to support the work of that authority in its response to a natural disaster be effected.

That, in line with recommendations contained in the 2004 Report to the Council of Australian Governments, greater flexibility should be introduced to WANDRA to enable damaged infrastructure to be upgraded to a more resilient standard where that is both feasible and cost-effective.

That consideration be given to the establishment of a ‘Heritage Reserve Fund’ that might underwrite urgent initial repairs to private heritage listed properties.

That the Department of Primary Industries incorporates reviews of plans and operating procedures as a result of emergency incidents and exercises and ensures that there is adequate commitment from all participants in the review process.

In order to improve the response to animal health emergencies, that the Department of Primary Industries prioritise the finalisation of Memoranda of Understanding with the four jurisdictions bordering New South Wales.
The Department has worked to identify up to 82 sites for the disposal of carcasses and has investigated alternative methods of disposal. However, the Committee notes the importance of communicating openly and often with the industry and the community in order to maintain public confidence in emergency disease planning.

The Department of Primary Industries continue to consult local community about emergency planning and sites for disposal to retain confidence in the event of a genuine emergency.

That, as a matter of principle, the NSW Government provide public reports on the lessons learned from emergency exercises which it manages or in which it participates. If necessary, such reports should exclude material which might jeopardise security.

That the Department’s performance against tactical and strategic benchmarks be regularly reported in annual reports or animal and plant health emergency evaluation reports and compared to other jurisdictions where possible.

That the Department of Primary Industries consider applying discretion to the use of user charging policies for testing in times when farm incomes are affected by external circumstances such as widespread drought.

That the Department of Primary Industries restore the level of discretionary testing funds provided to District Veterinarians to previous levels and maintain these in the future in real terms.

That the Department of Primary Industries make every effort to meet its targets for the TSE program and encourage public and private sector veterinarians across the State to submit samples. The Department should include reports on its performance against these targets in annual reports.

That the Department of Primary Industries address the forthcoming potential shortage of veterinary pathologists and agronomists within its testing facilities by positive recruitment actions over the next five years such as offering scholarships or training existing professional staff to develop skills in pathology.
The Committee encourages the Department to continue with these efforts to use the skills of private sector vets to strengthen the emergency response in the Australian Veterinary Reserve and the Accreditation Program for Australian Veterinarians.

That the Department of Primary Industries should continue efforts to develop the skills of private sector veterinarians to increase the level of resources available in emergency responses.

That emergency animal health training be included in induction programs for newly recruited District Veterinarians and all District Veterinarians be encouraged to maintain their skills by attending regular refresher training as appropriate.
The Committee commends the Department for its efforts in recruiting Industry Liaison Officers as contact points for industry during emergency disease outbreaks. It considers that it is of vital importance to ensure that these Officers are trained appropriately and that regular contact with them is maintained to support them and to ensure their continued participation.

That the Department of Primary Industries be conscious of its responsibilities in maintaining the continued enthusiasm of Industry Liaison Officers and offer training and refresher training as required.

That the Minister for Primary Industries consider amending the Stock Diseases Act 1923 to ban the supply of waste swill to pig owners by food retailing businesses such as bakeries, restaurants and supermarkets.

That the Department of Primary Industries should endeavour to improve its knowledge and skills base in the pig industry by recruiting a specialist pig industry liaison officer.

That the Department of Primary Industries should ensure that it retains the services of a specialist poultry industry liaison officer in the future.

That the Department of Primary Industries and Rural Lands Protection Boards employ outreach activities to alert these small producers to their responsibilities and improve their awareness of animal and plant pests and diseases.

The Committee encourages the Department and the Rural Land Protection Boards to discuss the need for funding of poultry surveillance activities in the context of reviewing the Memorandum of Understanding between the two parties.
While some sectors of the industry are concerned with Government’s expectation that primary producers will contribute funds to the management of animal diseases, the Committee considers this is in accordance with the economic principle that the beneficiaries of services should pay for them. The processes for establishing disease control funds require the consultation and commitment of affected producers and have robust accountability processes.

That the Department of Primary Industries should continue to raise awareness among producers of OJD risks and the operation of Sheep Health Statements.
On the basis of the evidence before it the Committee finds there is a high level of acceptance by producers of the exclusion zone system. However, despite major improvements to the management of OJD since the completion of the original program, it is clear from evidence presented during this inquiry that considerable resentment remains among producers. The Committee emphasises the importance of the Government continuing to build levels of trust with producers and to improve communication to maximise the effectiveness of the new Program and, indirectly, the effectiveness of other disease programs.

That the Department of Primary Industries continue to pursue improvements to consultation with industry and accountability mechanisms to further build trust between industry and government, thereby enhancing the effectiveness of the OJD Program.
The Committee notes that the new governance arrangements for the OJD Program include the appointment of a Fund Administrator. The same requirement will apply to any future disease control program. The Committee is concerned that producers may have been unable to readily access information regarding the expenditure of levies for the OJD Program and other animal health programs, particularly when multiple sources of funding are involved.

That the Department of Primary Industries should provide specific information on levies to contributing producers through a separate document, rather than rely on standard audit documents and annual reporting requirements.

That the Department of Primary Industries should complete a review of the Memorandum of Understanding and ensure the roles of the Department and Rural Lands Protection Boards are more clearly identified outlined for effective delivery of animal health programs.

That the Department of Primary Industries should ensure the roles and capacities of Rural Lands Protection Boards and industry are effectively monitored to enable assessment of the effectiveness of animal health programs.

The Committee recommends that native vegetation, excluding road reserves be fenced.

The Committee recommends that government consider options for assistance (including cost sharing) for farmers to fence native vegetation areas on private property affected by the Wangary fire.

The Committee recommends that relevant government departments implement an ongoing management program for the eradication of feral pests and weeds.

The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities identify if: sufficient firebreaks and access track exist; they are strategically located; and they are being managed.

The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities assess fire tracks and breaks to determine if firebreaks and access tracks need to be wider and/or native vegetation removed so that it does not impinge on firebreaks or tracks.

The Committee recommends that the government in cooperation with local authorities prepare a management plan that includes firebreaks and access tracks in the region, including the location of current breaks and access tracks and where breaks and tracks need to be established.

The Committee recommends that the government establish designated fire safety areas within native vegetation and at road intersections.

The Committee recommends that the government provide authority to a single community representative body to authorise clearing of native vegetation for fire management. (The community representative body must incorporate the CFS, DEH, Native Vegetation Council and local council)

The Committee recommends that the government, via the CFS, coordinate the preparation and implementation of native vegetation management plans that incorporate management of fuel loads and includes a prescribed burning regime for the area.

The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Act be amended to allow for prescribed burning.

The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council provide landholders with assistance for applications for prescribed burning (via a guide, a proforma or staff).

The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council have a consistent approach to prescribed burning on both public and private lands.

The Committee recommends that the native vegetation planning and approval process for prescribed burning be amended to allow flexibility for burning on optimum days.

The Committee recommends that prescribed burning should only be undertaken by professionally trained personnel.

The Committee recommends that training be provided to landholders to enable them to assist with prescribed burns.

The Committee recommends that, after a fire, as much vegetation as feasible be retained to minimise soil erosion from wind and first rains.

The committee recommends that the government actively manage native vegetation for fuel loads, weeds and pests.

The Committee recommends that when preparing the plan for fire management (including identifying where and when to undertake prescribed burning, firebreaks and fire access tracks) consideration must be given to the impact on local fauna.

The Committee recommends that the government assess the impact on fauna movement prior to managing native vegetation.

The Committee recommends that the government undertake public education programs to increase the awareness of the community to bushfires, the role fire plays in ecosystems and what steps they should take to minimise the impact of a fire.

The Committee recommends that the Native Vegetation Council continue to seek mechanisms to interact with, and educate the individual farmer and landholder with respect to the Native Vegetation Act, its regulations and exemptions.

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 recommends that the Commonwealth through the Council of Australian Governments ensure that states and territories have adequate controls to ensure that local governments implement required fuel management standards on private property and land under their control.

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 Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments resolve when asset protection zones will be located on private land and when on public land and gain assurances that adequate maintenance of zones will be enforced.

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 Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments implements to a minimum national standard adequate access to all public lands including wilderness areas of national parks.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the National Heritage Trust assist the states and territories in the construction, maintenance and signage of fire trail networks.

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 Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments resolve to increase water access points for bushfire fighting on public land to the minimum national standard.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments initiate consideration of the relaxation of restrictions on the movement of fire fighting equipment
during declared emergencies.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments implements arrangements in which greater flexibility is devolved to local brigade captains in the
issuing of permits to burn for fuel reduction and other purposes in the context of local fire management plans.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth through the National Heritage Trust, offer assistance to the states and the Australian Capital Territory to develop specific prescribed burning guides, at least
to the quality of Western Australia, for national parks and state forests through out the mainland of south eastern Australia.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seek to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments seek agreement from the states and territories on the optimisation and implementation of prescribed burning targets and programs to a degree that is recognised as adequate for the protection of life, property and the environment. The prescribed burning programs should include strategic evaluation of fuel management at the regional level and the results of annual fuel management in each state should be publicly reported and audited.

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 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 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 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 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 Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments develop a mechanism that ensures that appropriate measures are taken by public and private land
managers for the eradication of weeds following a bushfire event.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth work with the states and territories through the proposed Council of Australian Governments to review the response to bushfires to ensure that principles of fire prevention and rapid and effective initial attack are adopted and implemented by all rural fire authorities and public land managers

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the proposed Council of Australian Governments review of the bushfire management initiate with the states, as a priority, a review of the
responsibilities and potential liabilities of fire controllers with a view to developing principles of indemnification for reasonable, responsible and informed decision making. This review should extend to defining responsibility for occupational health and safety requirements in a way which allows practicable compliance where a reasonable degree of risk taking is urgently required to prevent the loss of life, property and environmental amenity from wildfire 

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Attorney-General engage the Commonwealth, states and territories in a review of occupational health and safety legislation as it affects the proper and effective functioning of bush fire services.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth, through the Council of Australian Governments and the Australasian Fire Authorities Council, initiate an overhaul of the incident management systems used
by bush fire agencies in Australia to better incorporate local knowledge and expertise and better understanding of the needs and circumstances of local rural communities in the management of major fire events.
The Committee also recommends that this overhaul should aim to:
- refine the system to facilitate setting up simple command and control structures, closer to the fire ground, in tune with the ever changing local fire ground conditions and needs of local communities;
- include training of incident management personnel on how to engage and involve local people in planning and management of fires.
- establish national models for community fire planning and provide for the integration of community fire plans into incident management; and
- include national reporting of the success of incident management of fires as a means of auditing the cost effectiveness or incident operations.

The Committee recommends that the state and territory bushfire agencies ensure that, on a district basis, communications are addressed within the district operations plans and that the plans are capable of easy adoption to incident action plans.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seek to ensure that the Council of Australian Governments seek the adoption by all states and territories of multi-agency protocols and agreements for fire
management, similar to those in force in Tasmania.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia initiate a process involving Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the Australian Assembly of Volunteer Fire Brigades Association to review
the coordination of cross border fire fighting arrangements and interstate deployment of fire fighting resources. The review should specifically consider training on the full range of equipment and procedures likely to encountered, standardisation of equipment and procedures, communication and the provision of information about local characteristics such as access to water.

The Committee recommends that:
- the Commonwealth implement a program similar to the Army Reservist Employer Support Program for the re-imbursement of costs incurred by employers of volunteer fire fighters when attending bush fires for a period exceeding five days in any month; and
- the Commonwealth consult with the states and territories through Council of Australian Governments to develop a range of measures related to local government rates, state government charges and insurance costs to provide rebates for registered volunteer fire fighters.
- the Commonwealth consider the feasibility of taxation relief on costs incurred by registered fire fighting volunteers in the line of duty.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government work with Australasian Fire Authorities Council to review the insurance cover provided to volunteer fire fighters in all states and territories and ensure that cover is adequate for loss of life or injury and related loss of income and property lost in the line of duty.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth should commit funding for aerial fire fighting beyond the 2003–04 season on the proviso that the Australasian Fire Authorities Council and the state and territory governments make a commitment to:
- Rapid initial attack of all wildfires during the bush fire season regardless of tenure.
- Deployment on long term contracts of a mix of aircraft, including fixed wing.
- Deployment of aircraft on a nationally coordinated risk analysis basis to be updated as each fire season unfolds.
- Provision of nationally coordinated full ground support.
- Development of training arrangements for air crews, ground support crews, incident management teams and fire fighters to a national standard.
- Development of systems of effective aerial control of fire bombing operations.

The Committee recommends that in changing the incident management systems as proposed in recommendation 23 above all bushfire agencies review concerns about difficulties in communicating operational information from the fire front to air operations.

The Committee recommends that Geoscience Australia take responsibility, in conjunction with Emergency Management Australia, for developing a national spatial data policy to coordinate the development of data systems, the collection of data and the sharing of data between all the emergency response agencies across Australia, and that both agencies participate in the development and delivery of spatial information
systems as part of a national approach to emergency planning and management data. The first priority in policy development and of systems should be related to bushfire hazards.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia be required to participate in the development and delivery of spatial information systems as part of a national approach to emergency planning and management data. The first priority in policy development and of systems should be related to bushfire hazards.

The Committee recommends that the 1:100,000 national mapping program be accelerated to achieve an average life of no greater than 10 years with priority given to those areas most susceptible to national disasters.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia and the Australian Communications Authority jointly with the Australasian Fire Authorities Council:
- Initiate an urgent review on a district basis, of the suitability of the current allocated radio spectrum to ensure that as far as possible, fire fighter safety is not being compromised through inadequate communications.
- Commit to the development, in conjunction with representative bodies of all emergency services, to a National Strategic Radio System.
- That the coordination of the deliberations be assigned to Emergency Management Australia.

The Committee recommends that:
- As a short term objective, the use of ‘40’ channel UHF CB equipment be adopted for coordination and interoperability of communications at fire ground level.
- As a longer term objective a national communications plan be developed and incorporate the provision of low powered VHF channel allocations for the purpose of ensuring compatible fire ground communications between all agencies on a national basis.
- That the use of UHF CB between units on the fire ground be included in communications planning for intra-state and interstate deployments.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia and the Australian Communications Authority work with state and territory bush fire authorities to ensure that that district communication plans
have regard for the amount of radio traffic that may be generated under the most severe conditions.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia work through the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to ensure that:
- A greater emphasis be placed on pre-incident and incident preparation of communication plans as a means of ensuring effective interoperability between agencies at command and tactical levels.
- That the speed of transfer of operational information between agencies at command level be regularly monitored to ensure that operational objectives are not being compromised.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia and the Australian Communications Authority, in conjunction with the respective state and territory governments, ensure the survivability of essential communication installations during fire incidents by strategic fuel management around the assets.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth investigate, and where necessary, require the urgent enhancement of the provision of emergency power and telecommunications services for the purpose of
restoring essential services expeditiously in areas affected by fire or other natural disaster and where necessary to place licence requirements on telecommunication providers to do so.

The Committee recommends that, for the purpose of communications for the police, ambulance and fire brigades, any rental costs associated with the use of radio sites under the care, control or management of the Commonwealth, state, territory or local government be waived, other than for the ongoing cost associated with the use of power at the site.

The Committee recommends that Emergency Management Australia request the Australasian Fire Authorities Council to:
- Determine protocols and standards on a national basis for the adoption and implementation of mobile data services by all fire fighting agencies with a view to ensuring national compatibility.
- Consider the development of a ‘closed user group’, utilising satellite telephony, as an interim measure for achieving interoperability between member agencies on a national level.

The Committee strongly recommends that the New South Wales, Victorian and Tasmanian Governments abolish the Fire Levy tax they impose on home and business insurance premiums (wherever applicable), making it payable through household rates instead. Any cost savings gained by the insurance industry through relief from collecting Fire Levies should be passed on to policyholders through reduced premiums. At the same time the Committee urges the Insurance Council of Australia to run ongoing education campaigns to increase public awareness on bushfire preparedness, including the need for insurance.

The Committee recommends that taxes on insurance premiums be calculated only on the premium in order to eliminate the current cascading cost.

The Committee suggests that registered volunteer fire fighters be exempt from paying Fire Levy tax to help offset some of the expense they incur during active duty. The exemption could be for a period of 12 months
following each bushfire season in which they are proven to have fought fires.

The Committee recommends that the Insurance Council of Australia coordinates a public education campaign aimed at illustrating the importance of asset protection and how this can be achieved (that is, insurance products).

The Committee recommends that insurance companies ensure that potential and existing policyholders are aware of the need to regularly review their insurance policies to prevent undervaluing. This could be done through renewal notices and quarterly reminders. This should include a list of bushfire risk reduction measures that policyholders can implement to decrease the cost of their premium.

The Committee recommends that Standards Australia incorporate building maintenance into AS3959–1999: Construction of buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas, perhaps renaming it as AS3959–1999: Construction and maintenance of buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas.

The Committee recommends that state and territory governments be required to regularly perform risk assessments to the land within their jurisdictions to ensure that bushfire prone areas are accurately identified
and can be appropriately managed. This should include possibly prohibiting, or at least limiting, reticulated development in these areas. If building is effectively prohibited on land previously zoned for residential
or commercial building, state and territory governments, in conjunction with local councils, should adequately compensate the affected landholders.

The Committee recommends that Standards Australia review the clarity of AS3959–1999: Construction of buildings in Bushfire Prone Areas to ensure that all relevant stakeholders can interpret and apply the Standard in the way it is intended.

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.

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

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

Further to recommendation 21 in Chapter 4, the Committee recommends that the Commonwealth seeks to ensure that the proposed Council of Australian Governments review of the bushfire management, initiate
with the states and territories, as a priority, a review of the duty of care of public and private landowners and their potential liability. This should be done with a view to developing clear and consistent principles that
cover (but are not limited to) the following:
- Timely replacement/ repair of loss/damage (including to fences) resulting from fire fighting operations, suppression activities or wildfires.
- The liability of councils that imprudently approve the sale of land.
- The responsibilities and potential liabilities of fire controllers with a view to developing principles of indemnification for reasonable, responsible and informed decision making (including occupational health and safety).

The Committee recommends that the functions and administration of Emergency Management Australia be reviewed to develop an organisation that is proactive and involved in the development and implementation of national policy on emergency response.

The Committee recommends in acknowledgement of the expertise that the Commonwealth can bring to the Australasian Fire Authorities Council and of funding already supplied to the Council for the development of a National Aerial Firefighting Strategy, that the current status of Emergency Management Australia on AFAC as an associate member be upgraded to full membership and that full membership also be extended to the Department of Defence.

The Committee recommends that the Department of Transport and Regional Services review its record keeping practices to show the type of emergency for which assistance is provided through the Natural Disaster
Relief Arrangements.

The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth require state and territory governments to have in place comprehensive bush fire management plans as a pre-requisite for accessing funding from the National Heritage Trust and like programs.

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 Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board continue to exist.

It is inappropriate for an emergency services provider to develop its own standards, core objectives and functions. The Committee recommends that these be the responsibility of the Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

The Committee recommends that one standard model of fire cover be developed for Victoria as a matter of urgency.

The Committee recommends that, following the development of standards of fire cover, related standards be established for:
• Location of buildings;
• Selection of equipment;
• Identification of manpower resources;
• Training.

The Committee recommends that collocation shall occur unless it can be demonstrated to the satisfaction of the Minister that it is inappropriate.

The Committee recommends that performance monitoring standards be established, reviewed and maintained through a common reporting system by the Minister for Police and Emergency Services.

The Committee recommends that the Ministry for Police and Emergency Services seek common national fire standards.

The Committee recommends to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services that a joint communications and dispatch facility be established under the Minister's control to implement the following minimum services to the Victoria Police and the emergency services:
• Call receipt and dispatch facilities at three common sites throughout Victoria with 000 being the prime emergency response number;
• A central database facility;
• Geographic Information Systems;
• Call Line Identification;
• Automatic Vehicle Location; and
• Mobile Data Terminals.

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

The Committee recommends that the Bureau of Emergency Services Telecommunications Centre extend its services as a commercial venture to smaller government agencies who could not develop such a dedicated system.

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.

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:
• The Metropolitan Fire Brigades Board extend it role to include emergency medical response.
• The Emergency response component of all Victorian Ambulance services report to the Minister for Police and Emergency Services.