Page 3895 - Week 13 - Tuesday, 30 November 2021
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and support the Emergencies Amendment Bill 2021. The bill implements the recommendations of the report of the review of the operation of the Emergencies Act 2004. The report’s overall conclusion is that the ACT’s emergency management and response arrangements are of a high quality and reflect best practice.
The ACT model, comprising a public service agency, the Emergency Services Agency, led by a single commissioner who provides strategic direction and oversight to the various emergency services within the agency, remains the most appropriate model for the territory. It ensures a seamless response across agencies and across services to crises and problems that face our community. The Emergency Services Agency provides emergency response services to the territory that are among the best in Australia when measured by response times and capabilities provided. The current model respects and values the identity and history of the four emergency services whilst delivering efficiencies and economies of scale in support services, such as training and logistics. The single agency structure continues to provide significant advantages and benefits to the community. These benefits occur at many levels, from having single-point administrative accountability for emergency services through to the invaluable cooperation and coordination of operational staff in communities during emergencies and disasters.
The review also found that the Emergencies Act was meeting its objectives and that it facilitates the protection and preservation of life, property and the environment so far as possible. However, the report did identify a number of amendments to the Emergencies Act to improve the overall operation of the act. A number of these amendments reflect lessons learnt from the various reviews into the black summer of 2019-20. Other amendments are based on developments in other jurisdictions to ensure that the Emergencies Act remains best practice across Australia. The other amendments capture lessons from those members and volunteers at the front line of emergency response in the territory. The amendments in this bill are wide-ranging and not confined to any one part of the act, reflecting the broad nature of the review.
I wish to highlight three key amendments made by this bill. First is that the bill confers a legislative power on the minister to appoint a recovery coordinator. This reflects the importance of recovery and the need for a clear coordinated approach among government and our recovery partners. Community recovery from disasters can be a complex and often lengthy process, and I am sure that all Canberrans who were exposed to the horrific 2003 bushfires will agree that recovery operations may continue for many years after the initial emergency.
The recovery elements of the comprehensive approach to disaster management—prevention, preparedness, response and recovery; commonly referred to as PPRR—can be the most complicated and protracted areas. The recovery coordinator will determine the most effective way to inform and deliver recovery services to affected communities as well as to coordinate recovery efforts across government and the community. It is widely recognised not only that emergency recovery planning needs to occur well in advance of an emergency, but that recovery operations need to commence at the same time as response operations.
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