Review of Victoria's preparedness for major public health emergencies, including pandemics

All hazards

Risks spanning across multiple hazard types and across the emergency management system.

Biosecurity

Exotic animal and plant disease outbreaks and pest incursions can have significant economic, community and environmental impacts.

Bushfire and other fires

Bushfire and other fires have potential consequences including loss of life and property, and damage to infrastructure and environment.

Climate change

Risks include more days of extreme heat, harsher fire weather, less rainfall and rising sea levels.

Communications disruption

Communications services are crucial in keeping communities safe, connected and informed before, during and after emergencies.

Cyber security and ICT systems failure

Risks relating to the confidentiality, availability, integrity of information and data and disruption of services.

Energy supply disruption

Reliable energy supplies are critical to many social and economic activities.

Flood

Major flood events have occurred in Victoria every 10 to 20 years, with much of the increasing risk created by human settlement.

Hazardous material incident

Potential risks relate to many places where Victoria’s hazardous materials are manufactured, stored, transported, used and disposed.

Heatwave

Heatwaves are considered to be the ‘silent killer’ of extreme weather events and are the leading cause of weather-related deaths in Australia.

Public health emergency

Risks may relate to the delivery of public health services, with impacts on community health and wellbeing and potential for loss of life.

Supply chain disruption

Geopolitical, environmental, economic, societal and infrastructure-related shocks can expose supply chains to wide ranging consequences.

Terrorism and extremism

Attacks carried out by individuals or non-state groups with ideological, political or religious goals can result in loss of life, severe injury and/or material damage.

Water supply disruption

Risks include collection, storage, treatment, delivery, availability and allocation of water for consumption and environmental, recreation and cultural uses.

Workforce and resourcing

Risks may relate to human resource supply and skills to support emergency management operations.

A major public health emergency is an extensive biological or biohazard event that is causing or has the potential to cause loss of life or serious risk to public health, significant adverse consequences for the Victorian community, and threatens to overwhelm the public health and healthcare systems.

Preparedness for all emergencies relies upon the existence and awareness of sound governance arrangements and operational plans. Those involved in the prevention, response and recovery of emergencies also need to have the authority, capability and capacity to enact the plans and arrangements. Ideally, these incorporate both foresight and flexibility.

Being prepared for major public health emergencies requires planning, testing, practising and refining of arrangements in a range of ways. People who contribute to the response, relief and recovery in these emergencies must also have the capability and capacity to enact these processes.

The Review of Victoria’s preparedness for major public health emergencies, including pandemics provides a broad examination of the State’s preparedness for such emergencies, specifically major emergencies, which will test the emergency management sector’s capability and capacity to respond.

Initiated under IGEM’s Annual Forward Plan of Reviews – 2021, this review follows on from previous reviews of sector preparedness, focusing specifically on major public health emergencies, which are not considered typical or as well-practised.

The review considered six different cases to contextualise Victoria's preparedness for major public health emergencies:

the COVID-19 pandemic
blue green algae
influenza
smoke
epidemic thunderstorm asthma
heatwave

In its report, IGEM makes 30 observations, 41 findings, and 7 recommendations identifying good practice and opportunities for continuous improvement.

If implemented these recommendations will provide opportunities to strengthen Victoria’s preparedness for future major public health emergencies.

The Review of Victoria’s preparedness for major public health emergencies, including pandemics was published on 3 September 2022. The report is available in PDF format from the link below or you can view as a flipbook (External link)

Victorian Government response

On 3 September 2022, the Victorian Government responded to IGEM's Review of Victoria’s preparedness for major public health emergencies, accepting the findings and supporting-in-principle the review's seven recommendations.

The review provides critical insights into Victoria's preparedness for and response to the COVID-19 pandemic and opportunities for continuous improvement.

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