Emergency functions of the department

To access emergency warning and information visit the VicEmergency website.

Emergency and resilience functions of the department

The department works closely with Emergency Management Victoria, Government, Industry and the Community to help ensure Victoria has the resilience to survive, adapt and grow in the face of shocks and stresses it may experience. This includes delivering before, during and after activities for emergency management and working with critical infrastructure.

Lead agency responsibilities

The department's emergency management accountabilities are set out in the State Emergency Management Plan. The department's portfolios are the State's lead agency for:

• agriculture or veterinary chemical contamination of livestock or agricultural produce
• biosecurity incursions, including:
  • exotic animal disease outbreaks (including fish and bees).
  • plant pest or disease outbreaks (including plague locusts).
• invasive plant and animal incursions.
• rapid and significant increases in established pest populations
• (vertebrate pests and plagues).

Relief and recovery responsibilities

The department's portfolios also have lead and support roles for relief and recovery activities for the impacts and consequences of emergencies for:

• small business
• primary producers and other animal owners
• animal health and  animal welfare
• local government
• tourism
• regional development
• food and grocery supply logistics
• telecommunications assets and supply.

Critical infrastructure

The department also works closely with critical infrastructure industry owners and operators to support resilience and emergency planning for the Communications and Food and Grocery Supply Logistics sectors. This includes oversight of:

• Obligations under the Victorian Critical Infrastructure Resilience Strategy.