The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the community and emergency management sector – develop and promote a preparedness strategy that:
• is relevant to all emergencies
• is aligned with existing, consistent and accessible preparedness message
• includes a clear, consistent and accessible preparedness message
• builds on the community preparedness work of the Australian Red Cross
• considers leading practice from other jurisdictions.
EMV will deliver the first Victorian SEMP in September 2020. The SEMP will clarify the roles and responsibilities of different actors with a shared responsibility for emergency management, including:
• individuals and households
• community groups and networks
• small, medium and large businesses, and the
• emergency management sector.
The SEMP (refer to Action 2.2 on page 33 of IGEM's 2021 progress report) recognises the shared responsibility of all Victorians in building safer and more resilient communities and notes that individuals, communities, businesses, all levels of government, and the not-for-profit sector all have a role to play.
IGEM notes that the roles and responsibilities outlined in the SEMP for the emergency management sector are generally required by legislation. Where the SEMP mentions roles outside of the sector (such as the role of businesses and the community), these are used to demonstrate the shared responsibility concept and are not all subject to the same legislative requirements.