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The following table lists the 15 emergency risks assessed as significant for the State and relevant mitigation activities - participating agencies could be involved in any aspect of the mitigation activity, including regulatory oversight and policy development.
Mitigation activities for other emergencies (not listed in this table) are detailed in the section: Agency Roles and Responsibilities alignment to Victorian Preparedness Framework. Investment in mitigation activities for all emergencies is important to achieve effective risk reduction.
Table 8: Mitigation activities and agencies for managing Victoria’s significant emergency risks, by emergency
Bushfire
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Land use planning |
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Building regulations, standards and codes |
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Landscape fuel management including legislative requirements |
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Fire ignition controls including total fire ban days, arson programs |
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Community education, awareness and engagement to prevent and respond to bushfire |
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Seasonal arrangements to ensure capability |
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Restricted access to public land |
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Earthquake
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Building standards/regulations and enforcement (post 1989, 1993, 2007 standards) |
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Critical infrastructure (engineering) vulnerability assessments and maintenance regimes (essential services, dams/levees, buildings, roads, bridges, tunnels) |
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Land use planning |
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List of vulnerable (e.g. pre- 1989) buildings in CBD to inform response planning |
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Community engagement, education and awareness |
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Electricity supply disruption
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Legislative framework, e.g.Electricity Industry Act, Electricity Safety Act, national electricity laws and rules |
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System redundancy (N-1) |
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Urban development and planning |
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Tower barriers, signage and fencing |
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Security controls and surveillance |
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Public awareness |
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Maintenance inspections |
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Supervisory control and data acquisition and automated protection scheme |
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System modelling |
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Market mechanisms |
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Load management strategies including segmented customers to minimise community impacts |
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Public communication and engagement |
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Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises |
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Emergency animal disease
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Customs and quarantine infrastructure and services |
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International standards and conventions |
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Australian border controls policy and operations |
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Regulated control of risk activities associated with animal feeding |
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Regulated control of vaccinations and therapeutics |
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Regulated control of farm biosecurity practices |
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Disease surveillance activities - epidemiological information (data and analysis) |
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International surveillance/intelligence |
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Regulated control of native wildlife rehabilitation and licensing |
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Farming industry supply chain best practice and accreditation |
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Specialist training of staff and industry |
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Awareness raising, education, information dissemination |
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Emergency plant pest
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Preparedness and contingency plans |
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Surveillance programs |
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Diagnostic testing |
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National border control |
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State border control |
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Education and stakeholder engagement |
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Conditions on movement (e.g. insecticide requirements for red imported fire ant host materials) |
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Pest and disease alerts |
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Farm biosecurity/awareness |
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Public awareness campaigns |
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Plant health certification and auditing |
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Chemical control |
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Flood
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Legislative policy framework including floodplain management strategy, reform (lessons learnt) |
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Land use planning (Strategic and statutory) |
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Flood mitigation infrastructure e.g. levees, retarding basins |
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Vegetation/waterway management |
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Property modifications |
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Community engagement, education and awareness |
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Flood emergency planning including readiness |
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Flood data/intelligence and mapping |
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Total Flood Warning System |
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Gas supply disruption
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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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 EM Act 2013 |
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Buried pipelines, signage and fencing |
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Security controls and surveillance including patrol and inspection |
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Public awareness |
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Maintenance inspections |
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System modelling |
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AEMO maintenance co-ordination and direction powers, including 24x7 control room and gas duty system |
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Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises |
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Annual Victorian Gas Planning Report |
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Hazardous materials incident
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Reduction/substitution of HAZMAT use (including inventory minimisation) |
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Land use planning and regulation, and process facility/residential/commercial development designs |
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HAZMAT storage design and maintenance (including transport design) |
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HAZMAT transport requirements (e.g. prohibitions, material volume and selection, route and timing selection, transport mode, stakeholder engagement (e.g. WorkSafe Victoria, FRV, DoT, transporter, receiver) |
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Pre-transport consequence modelling and readiness - plume modelling, etc. |
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Dangerous Goods transporter maintenance, training, licensing, inspection etc. (road/rail/marine, pipeline) |
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Legislation/regulation and enforcement (e.g. Major Hazard Facilities, Dangerous Goods Code preventative requirements), supported by audits and inspection |
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Heatwave
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Education and community resilience – Survive the Heat campaign |
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Weather forecasting |
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Planning (state, local and agency preparedness) |
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Heat Health Alert System to alert subscribers of forecast extreme heat |
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Urban planning (water fountains, cool places – parks, air-conditioned facilities) |
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Rescheduling public events |
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Well designed and maintained (resilient) infrastructure. |
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Liquid fuel disruption
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Legislative and regulatory framework, including Fuel Emergency Act 1977, critical infrastructure resilience requirements under the EM Act 2013 |
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Security controls and surveillance including patrol and inspection |
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Public awareness |
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Maintenance inspections |
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System modelling |
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Industry forums, including regular emergency exercises |
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Maritime emergency (non-search and rescue)
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Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Condition surveys for vessel class, commercial charter, and insurance requirements |
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International Maritime Organisation licensing requirements and audits for vessel crews |
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Implementation of International Safety Management code requirements (e.g. safety management system) |
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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.) |
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State and national audits and inspection of commercial vessels, port infrastructure, offshore facilities (note vessel condition monitoring done by Commonwealth) |
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Licensed, current and competent pilots |
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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. |
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Melbourne and Geelong harbour tug fleet capacity and redundancy for normal operations (limited capacity for coastal operations) |
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Mine emergency
|
Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Legislation/regulation and enforcement of Mineral Resources Sustainable Development Act 1990 and regulations (licensing and approvals process for operators of declared mines),Occupational Health & Safety Act 2004, EM Act 2013, EM (Critical Infrastructure Resilience) Regulations 2015, Country Fire Authority Act 1958 and Regulations 2014, Energy Safe Victoria Act 2005 |
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Operator implementation of Triggered Action Response Plan (including consultation with government agencies) and monitoring/maintenance |
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Implementation of risk-based mine work plans and Risk Management Plans (formerly Risk Assessment and Management Plans), addressing specific mine stability, fire, explosion, flooding etc. controls |
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Audits and inspection |
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Planning consent and work plan approvals (initial and on-going) |
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Implementing licensee and work plan conditions for mine operators to manage identified risks |
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Technical review board (provides independent advice to DJPR and the Minister on mine stability). |
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Pandemic influenza
|
Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Influenza vaccination |
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Health guidelines and relevant standards and codes |
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Community education |
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Health sector pandemic planning, surge capacity planning and exercises |
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Surveillance and modelling data from outbreaks, research of historic events |
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Storm
|
Activity |
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Participating agencies |
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VPF core capability |
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Drainage systems (drainage standards and strategy) |
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Buildings compliant to engineering standards (planning and building standards/regulations) |
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BoM weather and warning network and systems |
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Equipped, trained and prepared essential services including power, water, gas and transport |
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Community engagement, education and awareness |
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Water supply disruption
|
Activity |
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Participating agencies |
|
VPF core capability |
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System resilience e.g. desal plant and grid connectivity |
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Critical infrastructure resilience |
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Legislative framework and regulations including Water Act 1989, Water Industry Act 1994 and Safe Drinking Water Act 2003 (risk management plans and audits) |
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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.