The Inspector-General for Emergency Management recommends that Emergency Management Victoria – in collaboration with the community and emergency management sector – develop comprehensive operational recovery guidelines that include:
- coordination arrangement for recovery activities across all tiers of emergency management
- pre-emergency and post-emergency recovery roles and responsibilities of the sector at the state, regional and municipal levels
- community recovery roles and responsibilities
- methods to provide logistical and financial support to impacted communities
- consideration of how to support community-led initiatives
- tools and approaches to share knowledge across councils and community service organisations
- how to consider and plan for long-term recovery needs.
BRV will continue to coordinate and report on the Victorian Government’s implementation of the State-wide Bushfire Recovery Framework and Action Plan for communities impacted by the 2019-20 bushfires.
IGEM’s 2021 progress report noted the publication by BRV of:
- a Recovery Framework (June 2020) to provide for a consistent and community-led approach to the planning and delivery of recovery activities for the 2019–20 Eastern Victorian bushfires
- the Eastern Victorian Fires 2019–20 State Recovery Plan (August 2020) to support the recovery of communities impacted by the bushfires over the next 12 to 18 months.
Both documents are available at vic.gov.au/2019-20-eastern-victorian-bushfires (External link). BRV is currently in the process of updating both documents.
BRV reports internally on implementation of the Statewide Bushfire Recovery Framework and State Recovery Plan through the State Recovery Working Groups, with a dedicated working group for all lines of recovery:
- business and economy
- buildings and infrastructure
- environment and biodiversity
- Aboriginal culture and healing
- people and wellbeing.
In August 2021, BRV published Stories of Bushfire Recovery – Aboriginal Culture and Healing on the Victorian Government website at vic.gov.au/node/18237 (External link)
BRV planned to provide further information on recovery progress and the delivery of services to Victorians impacted by the 2019–20 bushfires on its website, but resourcing challenges prevented this.
IGEM notes that other government channels also provide information on recovery progress and the delivery of services, for example on 2 June 2022 the Minister for Emergency Services provided an update on home rebuilds in fire-affected parts of Victoria. More information can be found at premier.vic.gov.au/home-rebuilds-taking-shape-fire-affected-victoria (External link)