Overview

Mitigation encompasses activities needed to eliminate or reduce the incidents or severity of emergencies, and the minimisation of their effects. 

The participating agencies for mitigation table (table 8) is based on the Emergency Risks in Victoria Report, assessed as significant for the State. Under each emergency risk type, relevant mitigation activities are listed along with agencies that could be involved in any aspect of each activity as a participating agency. Participating agencies undertake mitigation activities within the context of additional legislation, regulation and government policy that sits outside the EM sector. 

When viewing the participating agencies for mitigation table, two mitigation sections of the interactive and functional SEMP should also be considered:

  • the Mitigation section under Emergency Management Phases
  • the Mitigation section under Emergency Management Arrangements.

When reviewing table 8, it should be noted that preparedness and mitigation are closely interrelated as they both seek to reduce the severity of an emergency, and that both within and outside the EM sector, agencies contribute to the mitigation of, and planning for, emergencies as part of their business-as-usual functions. Further mitigation activities for emergencies not identified in the Emergency Risks in Victoria report are detailed in the Agency roles and responsibilities alignment to the Victorian Preparedness Framework section.

Table 8: Mitigation activities and agencies for managing Victoria’s significant emergency risks, by emergency

Activities and participating agencies for managing Victoria’s significant emergency risks, by emergency risk.

 

Emergency Risk: Bushfire

Activity Participating agencies

Land use planning

CFA

Councils

DTP

FRV

Building regulations, standards and codes

Councils

FRV

DTP

VBA

Landscape fuel management including legislative requirements

CFA

Councils

DEECA

DTP

FRV

PV

Fire ignition controls including fire danger period determination, total fire band days and arson programs

BoM

CFA

DEECA

FRV

VicPol

Community education, awareness and engagement to prevent and respond to bushfire and bushfire smoke

BoM 

CFA

DEECA

DH (bushfire smoke)

EPA

FRV

Seasonal arrangements to ensure capability

CFA

DEECA

EMV

FRV

Restricted access to public land

DEECA

PV

Historic heritage values assessments in accordance with Heritage Act 2017

DTP

 

Emergency Risk: Cyber security

Activity Participating agencies

Advice on cyber security risk mitigation strategies

DGS (lead)

Community and industry cyber security risk awareness and engagement

DGS

Cyber security threat intelligence sharing

DGS

 

Emergency Risk: Earthquake

Activity Participating agencies

Building standards/regulations and enforcement (post 1989, 1993, 2007 standards)

Australian Building Code Board

Australian Building and Construction Commission

Councils

DTP

FRV

Housing Industry Association

VBA

Critical infrastructure (engineering) vulnerability assessments and maintenance regimes (essential services, dams, buildings, transport infrastructure, mine, quarry and petroleum sites)

Councils

Critical infrastructure owners/operators

DEECA

DTP

Public and private infrastructure owners/operators

List of vulnerable (e.g. pre- 1989) buildings in CBD to inform response planning

DTP

Community engagement, education and awareness

VICSES

Identify and plan for heritage places on the Victorian Heritage Register and local government heritage overlays

DTP

 

Emergency Risk: Electricity supply disruption

Activity Participating

Legislative framework, e.g. Electricity Industry Act 2000, Electricity Safety Act 1998, associated regulations, national electricity laws and rules and critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the Emergency Management Act 2013

AEMO

DEECA

ESV

FRV (referral agency for electrical infrastructure and EM planning)

System redundancy (N-1)

Electricity companies

EMV

Urban development and planning

DTP

FRV (referral agency)

Tower barriers, signage and fencing

Electricity companies

Supervisory control and data acquisition and automated protection scheme 

Electricity companies

Security controls and surveillance 

Electricity companies

Public awareness

AEMO

DEECA

DH

Electricity companies

ESV

Maintenance inspections

Electricity companies

ESV

System modelling

AEMO

Market mechanisms

AEMO

Load management strategies including energy efficiency and demand management programs to minimise community impacts

AEMO

DEECA

Electricity companies

Public communication and engagement

AEMO

DEECA

DH

FRV

Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises

AEMO

DEECA

ESV

Electricity companies

FRV

Community microgrids and sustainable renewable energy programs

DEECA

FRV (isolated battery storage and generators)

Coal mine regulation and emergency preparedness

DEECA

FRV

 

Emergency Risk: Emergency animal disease

Activity

Participating agencies

Customs and quarantine infrastructure and services

Australian Border Force

International standards and conventions

World Organisation for Animal Health

Australian border controls policy and operations

Australian Border Force

State border control

DEECA

VicPol

Awareness raising, education, and training

DEECA

Legislative and regulatory framework, including Livestock Disease Control Act 1994 and Livestock Management Act 2010

DEECA

National Ministerial agreements under the Emergency Animal Disease Response Agreement and National Environmental Biosecurity Response Agreement

DEECA

Effective engagement with Commonwealth government, industry and community stakeholders to support biosecurity planning and preparedness plans

DEECA

Provision of technical advice to DEECA and the relevant Minister(s)

DEECA

Monitoring and surveillance to support early detection of biosecurity threats

DEECA

Regulated control of native wildlife rehabilitation and licensing

DEECA

Plan and deliver programs to mitigate priority biosecurity risks including traceability of livestock and agricultural products

DEECA

 

Emergency Risk: Emergency pest plant

Activity Participating agencies

National border control

Australian Border Force

State border control

 

DEECA

VicPol

Legislative and regulatory framework, including Plant Biosecurity Act 2010

DEECA

National Ministerial agreements under the Emergency Plant Pest Response Deed and National Environment Biosecurity Response Agreement

DEECA

Effective engagement with Commonwealth government, industry and community stakeholders to support biosecurity planning and preparedness plans

DEECA

Monitoring and surveillance to support early detection of biosecurity threats

DEECA

Provision of technical advice and the relevant Minister(s)

DEECA

Plan and deliver programs to mitigate priority biosecurity risks including traceability of agricultural products

DEECA

Awareness raising, education and training

DEECA

 

Emergency Risk: Flood

Activity Participating agencies

Legislative policy framework including floodplain management strategy, reform (lessons learnt)

CMAs

DEECA

Melbourne Water

Land use planning (strategic and statutory) and building regulations

CMAs

Councils

DTP

Flood mitigation infrastructure e.g. levees, retarding basins

Councils

Melbourne Water

Vegetation/waterway management

CMAs

Melbourne Water

Property modifications

Property owners

Community engagement, education and awareness

BoM

DH

VICSES

Flood emergency planning including readiness

BoM

CMAs

Councils

DEECA

EMV

Melbourne Water

VICSES

Flood data / intelligence and mapping

BoM

DEECA

Total Flood Warning System as per Victorian Floodplain Management Strategy

BoM

Councils

DEECA

Melbourne Water

VICSES

Dam safety management to mitigate risks from potential dam failure

Dam owners/operators

VICSES (support)

 

 

Emergency Risk: Gas supply disruption

Activity Participating agencies

Legislative and regulatory framework, including Gas Industry Act 2001, Gas Safety Act 1997 and associated Gas Safety Cases, National Gas Law and National Gas Regulations, critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the Emergency Management Act 2013

AEMO

DEECA

ESV

Gas companies

Worksafe Victoria

Buried pipelines, signage and fencing

Gas companies

Maintenance inspections

Gas companies

Security controls and surveillance including patrol and inspection 

Gas companies

Public awareness

AEMO

DEECA

DH

ESV

Gas companies

System modelling

AEMO

Gas companies

AEMO maintenance coordination and direction powers, including 24x7 control room and gas duty system

AEMO

Annual Victorian Gas Planning Report

AEMO

Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises

AEMO

DEECA

FRV

Gas companies

 

Emergency Risk: Hazardous materials (including industrial waste) incident

Activity Participating agencies

Reduction/substitution of HAZMAT use (including inventory minimisation)

CFA

EPA

FRV

Worksafe Victoria
 

Land use planning

Councils

DTP

FRV
 

Regulate and process facility/residential/commercial development designs

Councils

DEECA

FRV
 

HAZMAT storage design and maintenance (including transport design)

CFA

EPA

FRV

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Worksafe Victoria
 

HAZMAT transport requirements (e.g. prohibitions, material volume and selection, route and timing selection, transport mode, stakeholder engagement (e.g. Worksafe Victoria, FRV, DTP, CFA, transporter, receiver)

CFA

DH (high consequence transport)

DTP

EPA

FRV

Transport companies

Worksafe Victoria
 

Pre-transport consequence modelling and readiness

CFA (plume modelling)

DH (high consequence transport)

DTP (safe and priority access routes)

EPA (support)

FRV (plume modelling)

Minimis incident potential via application of the Radiation Act 2005 and Radiation Regulations 2017 by regulating the use, possession, storage, transport, sale and disposal of radioactive material

DH

Dangerous Goods transporter maintenance, training, licensing, inspection etc. (road/rail/marine, pipeline)

CFA

EPA (licence for transport of hazardous waste)

FRV

National Heavy Vehicle Regulator

Worksafe Victoria (management of dangerous goods in transport, storage and handling)
 

Legislation/regulation and enforcement (e.g. Major Hazard Facilities, Dangerous Goods Code preventative requirements), supported by audits and inspection

CFA

EPA

FRV

Worksafe Victoria
 

 

Emergency Risk: Heatwave

Activity Participating agencies

Education and community resilience

DH

Weather forecasting

BoM

Monitor and broadcast warnings of heat events

BoM

DH

Urban design and planning

Councils

DTP

Heat safety awareness for organisers for public events (SEMP Extreme Heat Sub-Plan)

Community organisations

Councils

Service providers

State government departments

Well designed and maintained (resilient) infrastructure. This includes continued improvements and maintenance of road and transport infrastructure.

Infrastructure asset owners

 

Emergency Risk: Liquid fuel disruption

Activity Participating agencies

Legislative and regulatory framework, including Fuel Emergency Act 1977, critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the Emergency Management Act 2013

DEECA

Fuel companies
 

Security controls and surveillance including patrol and inspection

Fuel companies

Pipeline operators

Public awareness

DEECA

Fuel companies

Pipeline operators
 

Maintenance inspections

Fuel companies

Pipeline operators
 

System modelling

Fuel companies

Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises

DEECA

FRV

Fuel companies

Pipeline operators
 

 

Emergency Risk: Maritime emergency (non SAR)

Activity Participating agencies

Condition surveys for vessel class, commercial charter, and insurance requirements

AMSA

International Maritime Organisation licensing requirements and audits for vessel crews

AMSA

Implementation of International Safety Management code requirements (e.g. safety management system)

AMSA

Legislation and enforcement (e.g. compulsory marine pilotage/exempt masters, Harbour master directions, safety duty (So Far As Is Reasonably Practicable) obligations of port manager, port operator, vessel operators, offshore facility operators etc.)

DTP

Port owners / operators

Ports Victoria

ST Vic (or Director, Maritime Safety as per Marine Safety Act 2010)

Worksafe Victoria

State and national audits and inspection of commercial vessels, port infrastructure, offshore facilities (note vessel condition monitoring is undertaken by the Commonwealth)

AMSA

DTP

Licensed, current and competent pilots

Pilotage service providers

ST Vic (or Director, Maritime Safety as per Marine Safety Act 2010)

Navigational systems including charts, Vessel Tracking Service, Dynamic Under Keel Clearance system, marks, aids to navigation (wave, wind, tide, swell etc.), personal pilotage units etc.

AMSA

Pilotage service providers

Port owners/operators

Melbourne and Geelong harbour tug fleet capacity and redundancy for normal operations (limited capacity for coastal operations)

Port owners/operators

 

Emergency Risk: Mine, quarry and petroleum (exploration or production site) emergency

Activity Participating agencies

Legislation, regulation and enforcement of legislation including, but not limited to, the Mineral Resources (Sustainable Development) Act 1990 and regulations (licensing and approvals process for operators of mines, quarries and coal mines), Emergency Management Act 2013, Emergency Management (Critical Infrastructure Resilience) Regulations 2015, Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and Regulations 2014, Energy Safe Victoria Act 2005, and Petroleum Act 1998

CFA

DEECA

EMV

ESV

FRV

Worksafe Victoria

Operator implementation of Triggered Action Response Plan (including consultation with government agencies) and monitoring/maintenance

Mine owners/operators

Approval of and compliance to risk-based work plans, risk management plans, and emergency preparedness plans for mines, quarries and petroleum sites addressing specific mine stability, fire, tailings dam safety, flooding, blasting etc. controls

DEECA

Mine owners/operators

Detailed audits and inspection program focussing on key risks

DEECA

Work plan approvals (initial and variations to account for operational changes) and implementation of licence conditions to ensure operators address key risks

DEECA

 

Emergency Risk: Viral pandemic

Activity Participating agencies

Vaccination

DH

Health services

Active investigation of existing notifiable diseases and novel or rare pathogens with pandemic potential

DH

Engagement with national and international groups on the monitoring and response to viruses with pandemic potential

DH

Health guidelines and relevant standards and codes

DH

Community education

DH

Surveillance and modelling data from outbreaks, research of historic events

DH

Health and emergency sector pandemic planning, health system coordination and oversight, surge capacity planning and exercises

DH

Health services

 

Emergency Risk: Storm

Activity Participating agencies

Drainage systems (drainage standards and strategy)

Councils

Melbourne Water

Buildings compliant to engineering standards (building standards/regulations)

Australian Building Code Board

Australian Building and Construction Commission

Councils

DTP

Housing Industry Association

VBA

BoM weather and warning network and systems

BoM

Equipped, trained and prepared essential services including power, water, gas and transport

DTP

Electricity companies

Gas companies

Water corporations

Community engagement, education and awareness

VICSES

Maintenance activities for land, road and drainage infrastructure, such as drain and culvert clearance, roadside clearance, bridge inspections

Relevant asset owners or managers

Undertake risk management planning for historic heritage sites on the Victorian Heritage Register and Heritage Inventory

DTP

 

Emergency Risk: Water supply disruption

Activity Participating agencies

System resilience e.g. desal plant, grid connectivity, social (particularly human health), economic (including irrigation, raw water and recycled water) and natural environments

DEECA

Water corporations

Critical infrastructure resilience

Critical infrastructure operators

DEECA

EMV

Legislative framework and regulations including Water Act 1989, Water Industry Act 1994 and Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (risk management plans and audits)

DEECA (Water Act 1989)

DH (Safe Drinking Water Act 2003)