Emergency management
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:28): (418) My question is for the Minister for Emergency Services. Minister, I refer to section 5(1) of the Emergency Management Act 1986 and ask: in relation to the events of Tuesday 13 February, which saw 530,000 households blacked out and massive damage to industry, was there an emergency management plan in place, and if so, will the minister make it available to the house?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:29): I thank Mr Davis for his question. Mr Davis, I can assure you that the emergency management commissioner has a copy of the act on him basically at all times, because we know how important governance is, we know how important accountability is and we know how important it is for our agencies to know who is responsible for what and when. There is a state emergency management plan that applies to the state. All of our departments feed into that. There are responsibilities for critical infrastructure, supply of essential services and the like. So there is always a plan in place for the state. It is a plan that I sign off on in terms of the processes that we have under a cabinet committee. In relation to the particular document and what it looks like and whether I can make that available, I would have to take advice from the emergency management commissioner. But I am more than happy to provide you with any information that is available.
David DAVIS (Southern Metropolitan) (12:30): I think in the circumstances the house would want to see that plan and the aspects that relate to the electricity issues, but I ask a very specific question: in what year was the emergency management plan prepared and what year did you sign it off?
Jaclyn SYMES (Northern Victoria – Attorney-General, Minister for Emergency Services) (12:30): I might take that on notice so I can be extremely specific with my answer.