South Australia still lacks evacuation plans a year after state blackout, says ex-police chief Gary Burns
SOUTH Australia does not have a plan to manage major power outages or to evacuate Adelaide when disaster strikes, a year after the state was plunged into darkness.
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SOUTH Australia lacks a plan to manage major power outages or to evacuate the city when disaster strikes, a year after the state was plunged into darkness.
The State Government has failed to put in place two thirds of recommendations made by former SA Police commissioner Gary Burns’ to deal with extreme weather events such as the storm that triggered a statewide blackout on September 28 last year.
The anniversary coincides with Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull striking a deal with gas exporters to avert shortages in the next two years which had threatened to cause a national power crisis.
The State Government commissioned the Burns report the week after the blackout and the findings were released publicly in January.
The report contained 62 recommendations and the Government has confirmed only 19 have been completed.
Three were rejected, another three were still under consideration and progress was “under way” on the rest.
Mr Burns found there was no strategy for dealing with widespread, extended power outages and called for a state plan that included public information strategies, identifying providers to supply fuel to emergency services and arrangements for distributing food. While thousands of people made an “orderly” exit from the city during the September blackout, his report found it highlighted the need for a CBD evacuation plan.
Questions on the report to newly sworn-in Emergency Services Minister Chris Picton were responded to by a spokeswoman who said it was not up to the Government alone to safeguard the community.
“We have made very strong progress towards the recommendations. Significant work has been carried out,” the Government spokeswoman said.
“But Government can’t do it alone ... everyone has a role to play to ensure we are prepared for disasters and can get through these events as best we can.
“A draft evacuation plan has been completed by SA Police and is currently undergoing a process of review and consultation.”
Among the work under way, the Govenment had already upgraded more than 40 major arterial intersections with uninterrupted power supply.
Opposition emergency services spokesman Stephan Knoll said the Government was leaving SA vulnerable in the event of a significant blackout this summer.
“The Government was quick to take the headline when the report was released but clearly has not given priority to actually implementing the report,” he said.
“This lack of progress puts people at risk of injury or even death and the Government must urgently assure South Australians as to when these plans will be in place.”
The blackout last September sparked a national debate on energy policy which focused on affordability and reliability.
Earlier this week, the Turnbull Government was handed two reports which warned the country could need almost 20 per cent more gas than would be available next year.
Mr Turnbull met with executives from Origin, Santos and Shell in Sydney yesterday who agreed to supply the domestic market with enough gas to prevent an immediate shortfall.
The deal means the Queensland gas exporters would likely avoid being hit with unprecedented export restrictions the Government had threatened to trigger to avoid a shortage.
“We’ve secured more gas for Australian families, for Australian businesses, securing Australian jobs,” Mr Turnbull said.
“They (the companies) have given us a guarantee that they will offer to the domestic market the gas that was identified as the expected demand shortfall, by AEMO (Australian Energy Market Operator), in 2018.
“They’ve stated that they will provide a similar guarantee over two years ... and will respond further in more detail on 2019 when we meet again next week.”
The exporters have been accused of over-estimating gas production capability and struggling to fulfil overseas contracts, which has contributed to the domestic market squeeze and rising cost of power.
But it seems AGL was less willing to be heavied by the Turnbull Government, as chief Andy Vesey yesterday doubled down on the energy giant’s commitment to close its Liddell coal-fired power station in NSW.
The Government called on AGL to keep Liddell open beyond 2022 or sell it but Mr Vesey revealed the site would be converted to host gas and battery generation.
Federal Opposition energy spokesman Mark Butler questioned why the Government was choosing not to pull the trigger on export controls.
“We were very glad that we finally dragged Malcolm Turnbull kicking and screaming earlier this year to Labor’s position that we needed to control Australia’s gas exports,” he said.
“But since then, all we’ve seen is talk from Malcolm Turnbull and no action.
“The only guarantee available to the Government to cover this shortage ... is to pull the trigger on gas exports. He should have done it today, he should do it tomorrow.”