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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1997 Week 14 Hansard (11 December) . . Page.. 5081 ..

Mr Speaker, members may remember the genesis of Australia's disaster arrangements in the days after Cyclone Tracey. Following that disaster the Natural Disasters Organisation was formed in the Department of Defence and this has evolved today to become Emergency Management Australia. However, dealing with major emergencies is a State/Territory responsibility and this draft bill seeks to formalise the Emergency Management arrangements appropriate for the ACT.

The objective of the Bill is to make provision for the organisation, management and planning necessary to ensure the prevention or mitigation of the effects of emergencies; the state of preparedness of both the community and emergency agencies for emergencies; and the response to and recovery from emergencies.

The Bill establishes a structure where, in a serious emergency, the Chief Minister would be able to declare a State of Emergency. Members will be aware of instances in other states where Emergencies have been declared in parts of other States to deal with the seriousness of the situations. For example the Nyngan floods, the 1994 bushfires, the Charleville floods all had requirements for significant, multi-agency coordination and management to deal with those crises.

In addition parts of the State emergency plan were implemented in dealing with the tragic Port Arthur massacre.

In the event of such a declaration in the ACT, the Bill provides for a Territory Controller to be appointed and charged with the responsibility of managing the emergency in accordance with the Territory's Emergency Plan. The Territory Controller does not need to be a standing appointment and whilst it is envisaged that, for most emergencies, it will be the Chief Police Officer for the ACT, the Bill provides flexibility for the Minister to appoint an appropriate expert should the nature of the emergency so dictate.

For example it may be appropriate to appoint the Chief Veterinary Officer in the case of an exotic animal disease emergency.

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