1 Introduction

The Inspector-General for Emergency Management (IGEM) was established in 2014 to provide assurance to the Victorian Government and the community regarding emergency management arrangements in Victoria and to foster their continuous improvement. In July 2016, the then Minister for Emergency Services wrote to IGEM under section 64(1)(ca) of the Emergency Management Act 2013 (the Act) affording sole implementation monitoring responsibility for all recommendations and affirmations from the 2014 and the re-opened 2015–16 Hazelwood mine fire inquiries. This is IGEM’s sixth progress report as sole implementation monitor. This report provides a summary of the implementation activity for the eight government actions and one recommendation directed to coal mine operators that were reported as in progress in IGEM's Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry Implementation of recommendations and affirmations – Progress Report 2020 (2020 IGEM Hazelwood report), and encompasses implementation activity for the period 11 August 2020 to 23 August 2021.

Peter Cole, Fire, 1988, Latrobe Regional Gallery Collection, purchased with the assistance of the Sydney Myer Foundation, 1988 (Source: Latrobe Regional Gallery)