Section 60AG of the Emergency Management Act 2013 (External link) (EM Act 2013) requires that each emergency management plan to be submitted for approval alongside with a completed Statement of Assurance (SOA), to the relevant approver. Approval of a plan is recorded within the relevant approver’s committee meeting minutes. All published plans should be taken treated as approved.
The SOA is a specified template, available on this Resource Library.
State Emergency Management Plan
State Emergency Management Plan (SEMP) or SEMP sub-plan Statement of Assurance template
Regional Emergency Management Plan
Regional Emergency Management Plan (REMP) or REMP sub-plan Statement of Assurance template
Municipal Emergency Management Plan
Municipal Emergency Management Plan (MEMP) or MEMP sub-plan Statement of Assurance template
Statement of Assurance advisory material – MEMP or MEMP sub-plan
The current assurance and approval requirements have been in effect since 1 December 2020. These requirements replaced the Victoria State Emergency Service’s previous audit process for MEMPs.
The SOA verifies that the plan has been prepared in accordance with the EM Act 2013 and with due regard to the Ministerial Guidelines.
The SOA consists of:
- an assurance checklist, to ensure all requirements from the EM Act 2013 have been met
- a certificate of assurance signed by the preparer to confirm that the plan is compliant with the EM Act 2013.
The EM Act 2013 requires that a SOA must:
- state the extent to which the emergency management plan was prepared in accordance with the EM Act 2013
- ensure an emergency management plan has been prepared with regard to any guidelines issued under Section 77 of the EM Act 2013
- list the date on which the plan was last reviewed when emergency management plans are updated.
The department acknowledges Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people as the Traditional Custodians of the land and acknowledges and pays respect to their Elders, past and present.