Support communities to be prepared and recover well after emergencies
1a. Improve understanding of people’s behaviour in emergencies to promote better community and business outcomes
This action will develop a framework for understanding community behaviours during emergencies. It will provide increased awareness of behavioural drivers and responses for panic buying during emergencies, and support collaborative efforts to counter misinformation in emergencies, so people can make decisions based on accurate information.
Delivery date: December 2023
Lead agency: Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions (DJSIR)
1b. Build cross sectoral partnerships and leverage the learnings from COVID-19 and behavioural insights to influence specifically identified community segments towards healthier behaviours
This action will develop new public health Engagement and Partnerships that will address health equity by building on the relationships and networks with priority communities and sector partners established throughout the COVID-19 response.
Delivery date: June 2023
Lead agency: Department of Health (DH)
2. Improve the resilience of communications networks and communities in bushfire and disaster-prone areas
This action will support implementation of NBN satellite facilities to provide resilient public Wi-Fi facilities to regional towns at risk of being isolated from roads and public communications, in addition to resilience improvements to mobile towers including permanent on-site generators, transportable generators, bushfire hardening and battery upgrades.
Delivery date: June 2023
Lead agency: Department of Government Services (DGS)
3. Develop a shared responsibility framework for people most at risk in emergencies
This action will deliver a contemporary, shared responsibility framework that supports state and local government, peak bodies, non-government agencies and other key emergency management and community stakeholders to prepare the Victorian community to respond to any emergency over the next decade.
Delivery date: August 2022
Lead agency: Department of Families, Fairness and Housing (DFFH)
4. Deliver the Emergency Management Plan Exercising Project
This action will deliver the Emergency Management Plan Exercising Project which will implement four community-centred scenario exercises with emergency management partners to explore catastrophic events, complex responses (such as evacuations) and operations under the shared responsibility model.
Delivery date: June 2023
Lead agency: Emergency Management Victoria (EMV)/ Victoria Police/ agencies and local government
5. Promote improvements to the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA)
This action will help make it easier for the sector to access financial assistance after an emergency, by actively contributing to the Commonwealth review of the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements (DRFA). This work includes streamlining approval processes under categories C and D of the DRFA and developing off-the-shelf packages to assist with the prompt activation and delivery of assistance measures. EMV will continue to advocate with the Commonwealth for other improvements where appropriate. This action will see a continuation of activities to improve sector understanding and literacy of DRFA and investment processes such as a new claims management system that will provide step by step claim guidance and funding additional claim assessors that will also guide councils throughout the claims journey.
Delivery date: As determined by the Commonwealth Government
Lead agency: Emergency Management Victoria (EMV)
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.