Thursday, 26 May 2022

Emergency Management Victoria

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:14): My question is to the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, why did Emergency Management Victoria cease publishing its annual emergency management operational review document, which included analysis of ESTA’s performance, in 2017–18?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:14): Mr Davis, I will have to take that on notice. It was obviously not a decision that I made, because I was not Minister for Emergency Services at the time. In terms of the role of the inspector-general for emergency management in oversight of ESTA and the reporting mechanisms, there may have been a crossover of the roles there, but in terms of any decisions that were made I will have to come back to you.

Mr DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan—Leader of the Opposition) (12:15): Thank you, Minister. I therefore ask: does Emergency Management Victoria still produce but not release the emergency management operational review documents, or has this activity ceased completely?

Ms SYMES (Northern Victoria—Leader of the Government, Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:15): Mr Davis, there are a range of reporting mechanisms that are in place for emergency services agencies that would be coordinated by Emergency Management Victoria, but in terms of the reporting and particularly in light of ESTA it is the material that is now provided in their annual report. If there is particular information that you believe was made public that is no longer made public, you are more than welcome to bring that to my attention. But the transparency and reporting mechanisms for all of our emergency services organisations have a variety of platforms that they are delivered on.

Mr Davis: On a point of order, President, it was a very specific question about the emergency management operational review document. It is actually a specific document, and in that sense the minister has not quite answered the exact question.

The PRESIDENT: You know I cannot direct the minister how to answer the questions.