That the State Special Emergency Plan–Recovery and the emergency management structure for recovery be reviewed.

That police and other emergency services examine options for achieving radio interoperability between them in the absence of an integrated radio system.

That the Government consider whether it should discuss options for greater mobile phone coverage and redundancy in areas of high risk in emergency situations where there are presently telecommunications limits.

That the State Emergency Management Committee examine whether there are any legal issues associated with continuing recovery operations where the overarching emergency management arrangements have ceased.

That the resources available to the Parks and Wildlife Service, to manage bushfire risk following the recent increase in land under its tenure, is reviewed.

That Tasmania Fire Service reviews the communication systems used for all emergency management operations, ensures operators are qualified, and ensures there is appropriate accountability.

That Tasmania Fire Service actively uses predictive modelling to design emergency communications for communities threatened by bushfire, unless there is a compelling reason for not doing so.

That the State Fire Commission finalise its position on the Tasmania Bushfire Safety Policy without further delay.

That the legislation and enforcement arrangements are reviewed to ensure there are suitable offences and penalties, investigation and enforcement capabilities, and a rigorous approach is taken to breaches of the law.

That a specific risk prevention and mitigation advisory body be established for the State Emergency Management Committee.

That the Department of Infrastructure Energy and Resources consult Aurora Energy on the use of wooden poles for overhead infrastructure with a view to mitigating the risk in bushfires.

That evacuation centres and other centres have a standard operating procedure for communications.

That Tasmania Fire Service ensures that the priority on warning communities at risk of active bushfires is not confined to when bushfires are burning out of control.

That a state-level policy on evacuations be developed in the emergency management plans, including specific requirements for vulnerable people and guidelines for its implementation.

That the State Controller (or an alternate if they are not available) be expected to personally take an active role in controlling and coordinating response and recovery operations, depending on the nature and scale of the emergency, and until other identified arrangements for ongoing operations

That Tasmania Fire Service considers measures to bring local knowledge into Incident Management Team operations.

That the role and expected duties of the State Controller be clearly defined in the Emergency Management Act 2006.

That the State Fire Commission structures its Tasmania Bushfire Safety Policy so policy outcomes are identifiable and progress in achieving outcomes can be evaluated.

That the Government take into account demographic change in its assessment of the consequences of climate change on emergency events.

That the Government considers whether a peak body should be established, with authority to effectively implement a bushfire mitigation plan.

That the State Emergency Management Committee makes timely decisions and resource commitments on the appropriate use of social media in emergency management.

That qualifying the evacuation authority in section 47 of the Fire Service Act 1979 be considered — by exempting those people with a pecuniary interest in a property from a directed evacuation where it is reasonable for them to remain.

That Tasmania Fire Service examines options for developing and issuing fire management objectives and tactics from Incident Management Teams in a more timely way, including ‘quick’ plans.

That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its position on using local experienced officers on the fire ground in the command model in a structured and systemic way.

That Tasmania Fire Service reviews its position on fire ground management to determine whether a unified command model at the fire ground should be adopted.

That the Tasmanian Emergency Management Plan includes a comprehensive all hazards communications policy and plan.

Recommendation 9 TFS should review the capacity of its Fire Information Line to handle very large scale events, and explore additional options for a surge capability for the Fire Information Line.

TFS should take steps to obtain cell transmission coverage maps for LBS-based EA messages and take note of the need for training of staff to ensure that messages are drafted carefully and appropriately so as to take cell transmission coverage into account.

TFS continue to develop and publish RFOC policy and procedures, ensuring that all partners who perform roles within the RFOC are included in the consultation and training.

That TFS develop a strategy to manage the workloads on career staff to reduce the risk of single point failures through spreading workloads and capability to ensure a level of redundancy and resilience in a number of critical portfolios.

TFS review the restriction on interstate personnel filling positions such as Incident Controller and obtain definitive advice on the legal reasons for this.

All Tasmanian fire agencies seek to have the State Bushfire Policy finalised and signed-off at the required level of government.

TFS seek legal opinion on the Bushfire CRC Research Report on legal liability implications of the Prepare, Stay and Defend or Leave Early policy to confirm the advice, consider the implications and implement those that are appropriate.

TFS finalise and sign off the State Fire Protection Plan (SFPP). All the documents named in the SFPP should be finalised and available to relevant stakeholders to support the SFPP.

TFS review the Inter-Agency Fire Management Protocol and the Terms of Reference (ToR) of the Multi-Agency Coordination Group (MAC), to ensure that the Inter-Agency Fire Management Protocol accurately reflects the role and functions of the State Fire Operations Centre (SFOC) and clearly establishe

TFS review all areas in which the SFOC has a role and ensure that robust policy and protocols are finalised to ensure that corporate knowledge is widely accessible and is not held solely by individuals.

TFS develop MOUs with interstate fire agencies and land management authorities to formalise agency to agency resource sharing/mutual aid protocols that ensure the effective deployment of interstate resources for all roles from fire ground to state control, and management of those resources within

TFS make their community education and safety material available to the culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) communities in Tasmania.

TFS develop written guidelines for the use of IMTs about the use of evacuation in a bushfire context, and triggers for decision-making.

TFS seek to address the following outstanding items from the recommendations of the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission. § 45 out of 53 Community Bushfire Response Plans for “at risk” communities have been finalized. The remaining eight should be completed as a priority action.

That network managers develop and document strategic plans for the management of their radio networks.

That:
- TFS, Ambulance Tasmania, Forestry/Parks and SES set reliability standards and monitor against them
- TFS, Ambulance Tasmania, Forestry/Parks and SES establish a register to record service outages and complaints regarding their networks

That the network managers produce business cases for all major upgrades.

That stakeholders involved with the Whole of Government radio project re-engage positively to ensure a solution to the current impasse is achieved in the best interests of the stakeholders and the State as a whole.

That the project team become independent from any of the entities involved in the Whole of Government network.

That Tasmania Police, Tasmania Fire Service (TFS), Ambulance Tasmania and State Emergency Services (SES) investigate ways of providing secure and confidential radio communications.

That TFS and Ambulance Tasmania work together to resolve problems around congestion, particularly during the fire season.

That the Whole of Government project’s objectives should include meeting entity requirements and the consultant be asked to reevaluate the revised set of objectives.

That government considers the establishment of a separate unit to implement and operate a Whole of Government network if existing stakeholders fail to make significant progress toward an agreed Whole of Government solution.

That duplication of infrastructure be costed and taken into account when considering whether to proceed with the Whole of Government network.

That until the outcome of the Whole of Government project is complete (and interoperability is achieved), emergency services should investigate and implement methods for further improving interoperability.

An external audit of shared services performed by SAFECOM and services now provided by the three ESOs which have the potential to be shared, be undertaken to determine the most efficient and cost effective way such services can be delivered to the sector.

Amend Regulation 41 to exempt the use of prescribed appliances when a Hot Work Permit compliant with AS1674.1 has been issued.

Clarify that Section 128 of the F&ES Act is not compromised by any other legislation. 

That an independent review of the operational and geographic boundaries of the ESOs be conducted recognising the limitations of the current governance structures to adequately address such issues. Such a review needs to be performed periodically, but not less than every 8 years.

Government in conjunction with the CFS identify the ownership of disused railway corridors which may pose a significant fire risk and ensure the agency or individual responsible for the land complies with legislative requirements. 

SES be given a power ‘to register, subject to any conditions the Chief Officer SES considers appropriate, suitable organisations (such as Volunteer Marine Rescue Associations) as affiliated organisations of the State Emergency Service’. 

Consider whether Regulation 71 be amended to extend the range of offences for which expiation fees apply to include a breach of any permit condition imposed by an authorised officer.

Section 142 be amended to include the SES

Greater attention needs to be given to the recruitment and retention of volunteers in alignment with the National Emergency Management Volunteer Action Plan.
Consideration should also be given to measures including:
- Increased administrative support for volunteers

When judging major incidents in the future, consideration be given to Eburn and Dover’s proposal to establish processes with a statutory basis that sufficiently balance the community’s interests in ensuring that true lessons, including lessons of error or neglect, are identified, whilst also prot

Should the SES be given the power ‘to register suitable organisations’, then the ‘other person’ in Section 127 – Protection from liability, could be defined to include members of organisations affiliated to emergency service organisations.

That the proposed ‘Permit Information Management System’ (PIMS) be implemented as soon as possible and incorporated into the Call Receipt and Dispatch process. Following implementation, amend Regulation 33 (5) (d) and (10) (c) in line with the automated notification process.

Amend Section 143 to strengthen the capacity of the ESOs to recover outstanding debts (e.g. penalty for late payment provisions).

Review employment conditions under the F&ES Act to align with those under the Public Sector Act unless there is a compelling reason to the contrary.

If possible the terms of election for CFS Health and Safety Representatives be aligned with group elections.

Amend Regulation 33 (6) and (8) to include respectively ‘notice given’ and ‘permit application’ using the online medium.

The requirement to consult with members of the unit and the SESVA before an SES Unit is dissolved should remain but the need for public meetings be removed from the regulations.

Review Section 134 to ensure that it is not a deterrent to a group of farm fire units operating at an incident.

That once the review of the Emergency Management Act has been finalised, any reference to the liability of councils should be mirrored in both the EM Act and the F&ES Act. 

Review the format and necessity for Schedules 9 and 10 of the Regulations

Amend the F&ES Act to provide for the operation of interstate fire and emergency service workers in South Australia. The issue of liability may need to be considered.

A thorough consultative process be developed and implemented between the CFS and local government. This will determine how bushfire management planning can enable improved process and practice to mitigate bushfire risk, and ensure that fire permits are issued and complied with.

Develop a code of practice which is referenced by the F&ES Act for burning off including the option to issue seasonal permits for relevant purposes throughout the State.

Should the State Bushfire Coordination Committee continue to exist under the F&ES Act amend Section 94 (4) (c) to refer to the ‘State Bushfire Coordination Committee’.

Consider the amendment of Section 82 (2) to include the power to order the cessation of harvesting or any other actions (including the lighting of fires authorised under Section 81) that because of the weather conditions, may cause a fire, if ignited, to get out of control.

In consultation with stakeholders including CFA, develop a Forest Industry Brigade standard for inclusion in the Fire and Emergency Services Regulations.

Amend Sections 28, 61 and 110 to provide the Chief Officers greater flexibility over organisational structure.

That the F&ES Act be amended to enable fire safety inspections in and outside fire districts.

The F&ES Act be amended to clarify the meaning of ‘closure’ in Section 38 and that provisions relating to the extension and rescission of closure orders be reviewed.

The Act be amended to require the mandatory appointment of Authorised Officers by each rural council or council that has within its area a Designated Urban Bushfire Risk Area(s) with an option for the CFS Chief Officer to exempt council from this requirement (similar to Section 105B). 

Sections 42 and 97 be amended to provide greater flexibility in the engagement of contractors by Senior MFS and CFS Officers. Consideration be given to providing similar powers in Section 118 to enable the SES to engage contractors.

That the MFS, CFS and SES be incorporated into a departmental structure under the direction of a Chief Executive based on interstate developments over the past two decades, which establishes this arrangement as the benchmark for the governance of Emergency Services in Australia.

Section 70 (5) be amended to preclude a person from being elected as a group officer, brigade captain or brigade lieutenant if he or she is an employee of the CFS.

That South Australia’s Hazard Leader Plan for Rural Fire, prepared in accordance with the State Emergency Management Plan, replace the F&ES Act requirement for a separate State Bushfire Management Plan.

Amend the F&ES Act to reflect the SES expanded responsibilities as Hazard Leader for ‘Extreme Weather’ including their community education role.

Notification of a total fire ban should be broadcast to the public via any means reasonably available. Section 80, parts (2), (5) and (6) be amended so that broadcast fire ban warnings include, but not be limited to, radio stations, internet sites, social media outlets etc.

Should the State Bushfire Coordination Committee continue to exist under the F&ES Act, then Section 71 of the Act be amended to provide for the appointment of an independent presiding member of the committee.

The power of the Chief Officer to appoint officers from the staff of the SES as well as appoint volunteer officers of the SES be clarified.

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 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 inte

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

That with regard to volunteer community safety and emergency service organisations that do not own land where their facilities exist: i.

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.

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 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

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 Commun

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 t

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.