Lucy Ockenden’s research examined bushfire planning controls in Victoria between 2008 and 2018. Urban planning is playing an increasingly important role in disaster risk reduction and bushfire risk management, however bushfire planning controls in Victoria are yet to be documented in detail. Specifically, Lucy investigated how changes to planning scheme regulations have modified the level of comprehensiveness over time. Lucy’s Masters study acts as a review of past and present policy, investigates if new regulations are needed to determine the comprehensiveness of Victoria’s approach to bushfire risk management and identifies any gaps so that bushfire threats can be better addressed in the future. Settlement patterns and projected climate change impacts for Victoria are increasing the likelihood of bushfire exposure to human settlements.
Lucy currently works as a communications and engagement officer at the Victorian Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
Her thesis is available here.