Victoria Statewide Communications Strategy

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Background
Victoria spans an area of 237,629 square kilometers, encompassing urban, suburban, and rural regions. Beyond the Greater Melbourne area, the state is divided into five regional areas. The Victorian Department of Energy, Environment, and Climate Action (DEECA)—formerly known as DWELP—oversees the state government's initiatives in these regional areas, including environmental protection, climate change, fire management, energy policy, land use planning, wildlife conservation, marine and coastal affairs, heritage preservation, and water resource management. 

Before the implementation of the Victorian Government Emergency Services Communications Strategic Framework (ESCSF), regional services in Victoria struggled with fragmented communication systems, outdated technology, and a lack of interoperability among various agencies.

Strategic Framework

The ESCSF established a comprehensive vision and set of principles aimed at guiding effective and fiscally responsible investments in emergency services telecommunications from 2011 to 2020. Acknowledging the essential role of efficient communication in public safety and administration, the ESCSF emphasizes the modernization and integration of telecommunications systems used by key agencies, including Victoria Police (VicPol), Ambulance Victoria (AV), Country Fire Authority (CFA) and other agencies. The Emergency Services Communications Master Plan (ESCM) was developed to address the strategy's implementation, transition planning, and funding requirements over the medium to long term. However, some concerns were raised over the efficacy of the models presented therein.

The Department of Water, Environment, Land and Parks (DWELP) engaged our services to evaluate how ongoing investments in wireless communication infrastructure can support DWELPS's organizational objectives and form the basis of a multi-layered financial forecast for budgetary allocations.

Strategic Objectives

The primary objectives of the DWELP Telecommunications Strategy were as follows:

• Provide a clear understanding of how DWELP’s telecommunications networks (including Satellite Network, SMR Trunk Radio Network, Incident Channel Network, PSTN, and ICORN network) contributed to organizational goals.

• Outline the strategic planning principles underlying the ESCSF and highlight the challenges hindering the realization of this strategic framework for DWELP.

• Describe a realistic and credible interim wireless communications strategy for DWELP and its NEO partners ( Aboriginal Affairs, DEPI, Melbourne Water, Parks Victoria, and Vic Forests) for the period from 2012 to 2020, framed within the contextual environment of the strategy, while considering operational requirements and the principles of the ESCSF.

Key Activities:

• Analysis of ESCSF Strategic Framework: Conducted a comprehensive review of the      Emergency Services Communications Strategic Framework (ESCSF) documents to gain insights into its objectives, guiding principles, and implementation strategies.

• Stakeholder Needs Assessment: Evaluated how the strategic objectives of the ESCSF align with the operational goals of DWELP, as well as those of its NEO agencies and stakeholders, to ensure comprehensive stakeholder engagement.

• Current System Evaluation: Assessed: DWELP’s telecommunications networks, including the Satellite Network, SMR Trunk Radio Network, Incident Channel Network, PSTN, and ICORN network, to determine their effectiveness in meeting operational goals. A SWOT analysis was performed to identify gaps and limitations in the current infrastructure, leading to targeted recommendations for enhancements based on the evaluation findings.

• Interoperability Assessment: Analysed the current interoperability of existing communication systems, identifying both successful integrations and areas needing improvement. This assessment included identifying technical, organizational, and procedural barriers to effective communication among agencies, along with proposed solutions to address these challenges.

• Contextual Environment Analysis: Conducted a thorough analysis of the contextual environment affecting the communication strategy, focusing on political, economic, social, technological, environmental, and legal (PESTEL) factors, industry dynamics, and government requirements that may influence the implementation and effectiveness of the ESCSF.

Outcomes and Impact

A comprehensive report was developed, summarizing the findings from the analysis and outlining a wireless communication strategy for DWELP, it's NEO agencies, and stakeholders. This effort resulted in several key outcomes:

• Targeted Investment in Existing Infrastructure: Identified specific areas of business deficiencies, leading to strategic investments aimed at enhancing the effectiveness of current systems.

• Budgetary Allocations: Established a framework for ongoing financial support to ensure continued investment in existing networks throughout the planning period.

• Strengthened Strategic Relationships: Fostered collaborations among key stakeholders, enhancing communication and cooperation across agencies.

• Monitoring Technological Developments: Implemented a system for keeping abreast of emerging technologies in the marketplace, ensuring that DWELP remains at the forefront of innovations in emergency communications.

• Integrated Service Delivery Model: Developed a cohesive service delivery model that considers market developments, ensuring that the communication strategy remains responsive to changing needs and technological advancements.

Conclusion

DWELP Wireless Communication Strategy provided a model for investment in day to day business and incident response capability to enhance public safety and emergency response capabilities. By extending existing network lifecycles through targeted investment, and addressing operational deficiencies the overall impact of the strategy was more efficient, and effective radio networks until the strategic objectives of the ESCSF could be fully realised.