Roles and responsibilities in recovery

In the state of Victoria, the Emergency Management Commissioner is responsible for recovery coordination under the Emergency Management Act 2013.

Emergency Recovery Victoria (ERV) was established in October 2022 as Victoria’s dedicated recovery agency responsible for recovery coordination at the state and regional level, and relief coordination at the state tier, partnering with all levels of government, business and service delivery partners to support community recovery outcomes.

ERV’s vision is to support stronger and more resilient communities after emergencies and is focused on:

1. Expert coordination through leading and enabling integrated coordination of recovery activities across the state. This coordinates recovery services to the community where there is an evident gap in accountability, capability or capacity.
2. Standard setting and assurance through evidence-based standards for strategy, policy, investment and decision making as communities prepare for and recover from emergencies. ERV assures government that community recovery needs are managed.
3. Advocating and advising on improved capability and capacity in the recovery system using expert insights and evaluation, ERV functions as a standalone business unit within a broader Department of Justice and Community Safety (DJCS) Emergency Management Group. ERV is designed to fit within the existing Victorian emergency management governance arrangements.

ERV has key responsibilities that include operational recovery coordination: leading and coordinating recovery strategy, policy, planning and investment across the emergency management sector: assurance that community recovery needs are managed: and delivery of recovery services as required including state-coordinated clean-up operations.

The State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) identifies the 4 recovery environments of social, economic, built and natural. The Recovery Framework builds on this framework through the 5 lines of recovery and its response to whole of Victorian Government and sector specific Aboriginal frameworks and strategies (as below). ERV coordination and partnership development are crucial to influencing relief and recovery practices that acknowledge and uphold obligations outlined in the frameworks and strategies. Key to which has been the establishment of intergovernmental working groups for each recovery pillar with relevant departmental leads.