Over 70 participants from 40 agencies, across Australian and Victorian Governments and the port and salvage industry participated in the workshop.
The scenario for the workshop centered on the capsize of a large cruise ship in the waters outside Port Phillip Bay, Victoria. The workshop was opened by our CEO, Mick Kinley, and the Emergency Services Commissioner for Victoria, Craig Lapsley; both of whom emphasised the need for building a capability that draws on whole-of-government capabilities, recognising that the requirements of such an event would outstrip the resources of any single agency or jurisdiction.
Using a ‘Design Thinking’ method, workshop participants were taken through a range of activities designed to develop new ways of working. The workshop considered a range of issues including:
- how the different organisations and their competencies would be applied in ways to manage a complex maritime emergency
- determining which agencies needed to be involved in the event; when they would need to be involved; and how they might all be integrated and managed
- considering whether current means of coordination remained relevant in these circumstances
- identifying the limitations and gaps in current arrangements.
The workshop was considered a great success and identified many learnings which will inform the development of a national framework for managing large scale maritime emergencies.
Workshop illustration—Routine vs crisis emergencies