1. Introduction

This report presents the findings of the Inspector-General for Emergency Management’s (IGEM) implementation monitoring of the reports of the 2014 and the 2015–16 Hazelwood mine fire inquiries. It encompasses the period 1 August 2019 to 10 August 2020. In 2016 IGEM assumed sole responsibility for monitoring the implementation of all recommendations and affirmations from the 2014 and the re-opened 2015–16 Hazelwood mine fire inquiries. The Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry Implementation of recommendations and affirmations – Annual Report 2019 (2019 IGEM Hazelwood report) found that 230 of the 246 actions committed by the Victorian Government to address the recommendations and affirmations from the Hazelwood mine fire inquiries had been completed and 16 were ongoing. Of the 40 recommendations and affirmations directed at health agencies and coal mine operators, 39 had been assessed as completed and one as ongoing. In 2020 IGEM monitored the progress of 11 of the remaining Victorian Government actions and one recommendation directed at coal mine operators; with the five remaining actions relating to the Latrobe Valley Regional Rehabilitation Strategy being monitored by the Latrobe Valley Mine Rehabilitation Commissioner.

Since the 2019 IGEM Hazelwood report, changes to reporting arrangements have come into effect – specifically, the requirement for tabling in Parliament. The 2016 to 2019 IGEM Hazelwood reports were required to be tabled in Parliament – as set out in Action 5 of the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry: Victorian Government Implementation Plan (Victorian Government Implementation Plan). This is IGEM’s fifth report as sole implementation monitor, and is the first progress report not required to be tabled in Parliament.

End of an era. On 25 May 2020 Hazelwood Power Station’s eight iconic 137m tall chimneys were demolished as part of ENGIE’s Hazelwood Rehabilitation Project (Source: ENGIE)