2015-10-08
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — My question is for Mr Jennings representing the Premier. The Bureau of Meteorology yesterday updated its climate outlook for October to December, only two weeks after it originally produced an outlook. It is clear from that information that there are going to be some significant climate challenges to Victoria over the coming three to six months. There is now an 80 per cent chance of above average daytime and night-time temperatures and an 80 per cent chance of below average rainfall. Can the minister detail for me what plan the government has developed or is developing for this coming six months across government as a whole to respond to what will clearly be the major challenge for the state of Victoria?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — Thank you, President, for the opportunity to answer Mr Barber's question. I thank him for his concern about the wellbeing of not only the Victorian community but the Victorian landscape and our ability to stay safe and secure across what might be a very onerous summer for Victoria. The government does recognise the potential risks that are associated with adverse climatic conditions. We accept the underlying logic, that some members in this chamber perhaps do not accept, that over more than perhaps the last 20 years there has been a prevailing underlying drought that has permeated the Victorian climate settings and the landscape in Victoria, which means that notwithstanding the fact that we had a significant flood event in 2011–12, if it had not been for that very dramatic flood event then the Victorian landscape may have remained parched, as it was for a decade prior to that event.
The Victorian government has been mindful of that, and my colleague the Minister for Agriculture and Minister for Regional Development some months ago brought to the consideration of cabinet a framework to deal with drought support for affected communities and the policy settings in terms of the way in which government responds to the potential threats to our agricultural community and to communities across Victoria. We understand the stress that many communities are currently experiencing, and we are anticipating them getting worse.
Also, my colleague the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, without necessarily going to the mature plan description that was embedded in Mr Ramsay's proposition earlier in question time today, has identified the prevailing water conditions across Victorian storage systems, particularly those supporting communities, and she has identified that as an issue for the government to respond to. For instance, Melbourne's metropolitan water supply may be down to about 70 per cent of reserves, but that is not the most dramatic because in parts of western Victoria's catchments it is as low as 30 per cent. The minister has advised of the need to design potential strategies to deal with that matter, and that goes to the heart of the question I raised in relation to Mr Ramsay's question: how do you get either policy settings or water supply to communities in times of drought?
My colleagues who have provided that advice to cabinet were encouraged to work with other parts of government to develop a concerted plan and strategy for us to make sure that we respond to the needs of our communities in the months ahead. That will involve care in relation to health services being mobilised to provide timely and appropriate support to communities in terms of heat stress, particularly for older and isolated members of our communities, and for other emergency services to make sure that we are on high alert in relation to the effort that we may bring to bear. For instance, in relation to fire management we can call on more than 3000 individuals who will support our firefighting effort, of whom about one-third are standing professional firefighters who are going to be engaged over summer as part of the Victorian agencies.
We will make sure that across government and together with our communities we rise up to meet these challenges, acknowledging the underlying climatic conditions that mean that as a community we need to confront them on a regular basis into the future.
Mr BARBER (Northern Metropolitan) — Are there any other ministers who will also be bringing forward plans to respond to these climatic challenges?
Mr JENNINGS (Special Minister of State) — I thank Mr Barber for his recognition that there are whole-of-government elements to this story. Beyond the prime leadership of the agencies that I identified it should not be read down that there is not an interest amongst my other colleagues — for instance, in relation to evacuation procedures in times of emergencies and the way in which aspects of the health system, the education system and the community services components of government in terms of emergency relief and other social support programs will be identified as part of a cogent response. The leadership of my two colleagues the Minister for Agriculture, who is also the Minister for Regional Development, and the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water will be the prime movers of these policy settings at the moment, but it is our intention to have a whole-of-government response.