2 Background

2.1 Review of 10 years of reform in Victoria’s emergency management sector

IGEM considered that the 10-year anniversary of the 2009 Victorian Bushfires presented an opportunity to examine whether the significant program of reforms introduced since 2009 are effective in supporting Victorians to become safer and more resilient.

Much of this reform has been guided by major commissions and inquiries including the Victorian Bushfires Royal Commission (2009–10) and the Hazelwood Mine Fire Inquiry (2014–16).

IGEM found that many aspects of the sector had significantly improved since 2009, based on its in-depth examination of five key themes:

 governance

 capacity and capability

 community engagement and preparedness

 rebuilding and recovery

 safety and resilience.

IGEM’s resulting report, Review of 10 years of reform in Victoria’s emergency management sector, was released by government in October 2020 and made five recommendations related to the critical areas of risk management, community preparedness, recovery, outcomes frameworks, and capability and capacity.