The ACT government should better co-ordinate its response to severe storms and consider providing financial help to residents to clear up their yards after damaging weather, an inquiry into a supercell thunderstorm in West Belconnen has recommended.
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Evoenergy should also establish a list of vulnerable people to better direct help during extended power outages, improve their minimum staffing levels during holiday periods and be subject to more parliamentary oversight, the inquiry found.
The standing committee on health and community wellbeing said the government should review the rules for removing potentially hazardous trees and branches.
"The legal protections given to trees in Canberra may be causing some potentially dangerous trees to be left without pruning or removal, further increasing that chance that they will cause damage in future weather events or during drought," the committee said.
The government should also consider what communication is made with affected residents after emergencies, and be clearer about who can use and access emergency hubs.
A supercell thunderstorm hit the areas of Belconnen and Gungahlin on the evening of Monday, January 3. The storm included strong winds and hail, and caused extensive property damage, brought down trees, and caused localised flooding.
There were more than 850 calls for help were placed to the ACT Emergency Services Agency that night and 780 power customers remained without power four days after the storm event.
Evoenergy, which operates the ACT's electricity grid, said on January 9 there would be 35 remaining customers without power, with repairs required to their homes before they could be reconnected to the power grid.
The Assembly inquiry recommended Evoenergy be listed as a territory owned corporation in legislation so its annual reports are considered by parliamentary committees each year.
"This would ensure that an Assembly committee would have the opportunity to review Evoenergy's operations and consider whether the organisation is using public funds responsibly," the committee said.
The territory's consumer protection code should also be amended to include fines for utility providers for when they fail to meet reliability targets, along with compensation to affected customers.
"The committee considers it necessary that that right of consumers to be compensated for loss due to negligence or fault of utility providers be protected by legislation. The code should be updated to include provision for such compensation, and penalties for utility companies that do not provide it," the report said.
The inquiry had heard Evoenergy had seven electrical workers on shift for the day of the storm, which increased to 80 people over the next two days.
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The electricity grid operator told the committee that many of its staff were on annual leave during January and could not return at short notice.
"The Committee considers that Evoenergy, as an essential service provider, should maintain its core staff member levels throughout the year to ensure continuity of operations in case of emergencies," the committee's report said.
The committee called for reviews of the government's multi-hazard advisory council, the community recovery sub committee and the way its directorates integrate their severe weather responses.
"The committee believes that the organisational functions within Government which work on recovery from disasters and emergencies should be reviewed to ensure that future recoveries are better co-ordinated and resourced," the report said.
The inquiry was prompted by an Assembly motion moved by Liberal member James Milligan, who said in February it was unacceptable families with small children were left without power for up to six days.
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Jasper Lindell
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
Jasper Lindell joined The Canberra Times in 2018. He is a Legislative Assembly reporter, covering ACT politics and government. He also writes about development, transport, heritage, local history, literature and the arts, as well as contributing to the Times' Panorama magazine. He was previously a Sunday Canberra Times reporter.
