Tony Pearce, Inspector-General for Emergency Management  Department of Justice - Victoria

1. NATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2014
Managing Risk – Victoria’s Emergency Management Reform Agenda
Tony Pearce, Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Department of Justice - Victoria
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2. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Key Drivers for Reform
Victorian Bushfires (Black Saturday)
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7 February 2009
Worst bushfires in Australian history
• 173 people died
• 500 injured
• 2133 homes destroyed
• 4000+ people displaced
• Consequences significant and ongoing
2009 Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission
67 Recommendations

3. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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Selected VBRC Comments
The Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission said:
“…The commission does not consider that the flaws identified in connection with Black Saturday
can be overcome simply by doing more of the same even if it is done better…”
“….The commission considers that an organisational structure is needed to strengthen
operational integration and establish a source of authority to ensure that change happens…”
“….The community now rightly expects that the changes recommended will happen…”

4. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Key Drivers for Reform
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Victorian Floods – September 2010 to
February 2011
Worst floods in Victorian history
• One third of Victoria flood affected
• Approximately $1.8b in damage
• 3179 homes damaged
• 647 arterial roads damaged
• 2,876 local roads damaged
• 49 railway bridges damaged
• 68 road bridges damaged
• Massive livestock and primary industry
losses
93 Recommendations

5. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Selected Victorian Flood Review Comments
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The Victorian Flood Review said:
“….The absence of any overarching policy framework or centralised operational control (except
for fire hazards) results in a siloed, uncoordinated structure…”
“….one of the major problems that should be addressed is the lack of a logical, hierarchical
approach to all phases of emergency management…”
“….The all hazards, all agencies philosophy of emergency management remains appropriate for
Victoria. However this philosophy is not being effectively operationalised because of barriers
in organisational culture, communication, coordination…”
“…these shortcomings can only be overcome by the establishment of a central body that has the
authority, capacity and capability to drive a program of major reform…”

6. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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Comrie observations
Strategic Void Noodle Nation

7. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Major Themes from Inquiries
• Strategic governance
• Leadership
• Community engagement
• Interoperability
• Inadequate strategic policy framework
• Organisational culture
• Non existent assurance mechanism
• Planning regimes
• Exercising and training
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8. <8>
2009 Victorian
Bushfires
Royal
Commission
31 July 2010
30 June 2011
12 September 2012
February 2011
8 December 2011
10 December 2012
21 December 2012
Inspector-General for Emergency Management
The Road to Reform
1 July 2014

9. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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What has Changed?
• New legislation – Emergency Management Act 2013
• New business structure – EMV, EMC, IGEM
• New governance structure
• New policy (i.e., recovery, land use planning)
• New planning processes (i.e., IFMP to IEMP)
• Higher community expectations
• Government highly focused on emergency management
• Cross agency and government department collaboration
• Private and public sector engagement has increased
• Community engagement strategies introduced

10. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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The new Governance Structure
Every community emergency is potentially a political emergency, therefore
how can we ensure that we actually address both needs?
How does our decision making potentially impact on political objectives?
How do we identify the drivers that impact on political decision making during
emergencies?
General discussion around ECM participants views and thoughts.

11. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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The new Business Structure
Emergency Management Victoria
Emergency Management
Commissioner
Director Risk &
Resilience
Chief Executive Officer EMV
Director Capability
& Response
Director Relief &
Recovery
Director Strategy &
Investment
Director Legal Policy &
Executive Services
Director Corporate Support
Services
Executive Office
Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Inspector-General for
Emergency Management
Executive Office
Deputy Inspector-General
Monitoring
Manager Policy, Strategy
and Communications
Deputy Inspector-General
Evaluation and Review
Secretary
Department of Justice

12. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Role of the State Crisis and Resilience Council
• Acts as the peak crisis and emergency management advisory body in Victoria
responsible for providing advice to the Minister in relation to -
(a) Whole of government policy and strategy for emergency management in
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Victoria; and
(b) The implementation of that policy and strategy.
• SCRC membership
Secretary of each government department
Chief Commissioner of Police
Emergency Management Commissioner
CEO Emergency Management Victoria
CEO Municipal Association of Victoria
Inspector-General for Emergency Management (observer)

13. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Role of Emergency Management Victoria
• Coordinate Whole of Victorian Government
Emergency Management policy development
• Advise Minister on Emergency Management
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policy
• Implement Emergency Management reform
initiatives given to it by the Minister
• Monitor agency implementation of the SCRC
Strategic Action Plan
• Liaise with the Commonwealth on Emergency
Management
• Support the Emergency Management
Commissioner to perform role.

14. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
Role of Emergency Management Commissioner
• Coordinating response to major emergencies
(includes ensuring appropriate control arrangements are in place)
• Managing the State Control Centre
• Giving Minister/Government timely and accurate advice on major
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emergencies
• Managing the consequences of major emergencies
• Coordinating recovery activities
• Setting operational standards and procedures

15. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
IGEM – two primary legislative objectives
• s.62 (a) provide assurance to the government and the
community in respect of emergency management
arrangements in Victoria
• s.62 (b) foster continuous improvement of emergency
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management in Victoria
Department of Justice
Inspector-General for
Emergency Management

16. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
IGEM – two key legislative functions
• s.64(1) (a) develop and maintain a monitoring and
assurance framework for emergency management,
including outcome measures, against which the capacity,
capability and performance of the emergency
management sector is to be assessed
• s.64(1) (b) undertake system-wide reviews, including
reviewing the emergency management functions of
responder agencies and Departments in relation to the
monitoring and assurance framework
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17. Inspector-General for Emergency Management
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Delivering on the objectives
Provide Assurance
• Monitoring and Assurance Framework
• System-wide reviews, assessments and evaluations (staged/reactive)
• Identifying opportunities for improvement – across entire EM spectrum
• Specific monitoring / investigation and reporting - ESTA
• Monitoring and reporting on performance implementation
Foster Continuous Improvement
• Create a culture of continuous improvement throughout the sector
• Create and promote forums and systems for shared knowledge and experience
• Support lessons identified becoming lessons learned
• Reinforcing the safe learning environment – not about blame

18. NATIONAL CONFERENCE & EXHIBITION 2014
Thank you.
Platinum Sponsor
Silver
Sponsor
Bronze Sponsor
Risk Manager of the Year
Award Sponsor
Conference and Exhibition Partners