Audit and Quality Assurance Framework for Bushfire Management

We deliver our programs within the guidance of the Audit and Quality Assurance Framework for Bushfire Management as a means of attaining quality assurance with a focus on continuous improvement. Working this way assists program delivery, improves the way we work and ensures good practice is embedded as part of our business as usual processes.

The Department's primary objectives for bushfire management on public land are:

• to minimise the impact of major bushfires on human life, communities, essential and community infrastructure, industries, the economy and the environment; and
• to maintain or improve the resilience of natural ecosystems and their ability to deliver services such as biodiversity, water, carbon storage, and forest products.

The Audit and Quality Assurance Framework has been designed to ensure we achieve these two important objectives. It facilitates the maintenance of standards, continuous improvement and the management of risks for bushfire management activities – prevention, preparedness, fuel management, response and recovery (PPFRR).

The framework is structured around seven elements:

• Risk
• Governance
• Continuous improvement
• Audit
• People and capabilities
• Process, tools and systems
• Community and stakeholder management

These elements promote a structured and consistent approach to achieve quality assurance across our bushfire management activities.

The Audit and Quality Assurance Framework applies to all bushfire management activities performed across PPFRR activities and its two key support activities:

• risk based bushfire management and planning
• monitoring, evaluation and reporting.