Student researcher

Lucy Ockenden Research Leader

This research seeks to examine bushfire planning controls in Victoria between 2008 and 2018 and how changes to planning scheme regulations have modified the level of comprehensiveness over time. Settlement patterns and projected climate change impacts for Victoria are increasing the likelihood of bushfire exposure to human settlements. Urban planning plays an increasingly important role in disaster risk reduction and bushfire risk management. Bushfire planning controls in Victoria are, however, yet to be documented in detail. A review of past and present policy and regulations is needed to determine the comprehensiveness of Victoria’s approach to bushfire risk management and to identify any gaps so that bushfire threats can be better addressed in the future.  To determine comprehensiveness, policy from the Victoria Planning Provisions will be analysed against a conceptual framework based on five categories of approaches for reducing and adapting to hazards in human settlements.