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Commissioner Bruce Esplin - Profile

Career

Bruce Esplin was appointed Victoria’s first Emergency Services Commissioner in June 2000.

This role, unique in Australia is responsible for providing independent advice to government relating to emergency issues and ensuring a coordinated approach to emergency management in the state of Victoria.

Bruce has had an impressive career spanning more than twenty years in the emergency management sector. He has played a central role in the whole of government response to many major emergencies in Victoria including bushfires, gas explosions, extreme storms and floods, and critical infrastructure failures. He has also coordinated Victoria’s emergency response to international crises such as the 9/11 terrorist attacks in the United States; the Bali, Madrid and Jakarta embassy bombings; Australia’s response to the tsunami in South East Asia and the London bombings in 2005.

More recently Bruce played a key leadership role in the Victorian response to the 2009 Black Saturday bushfires.

Bruce has conducted a number of independent, highly sensitive inquiries into the activities of government agencies and the appropriateness of the state’s emergency management arrangements, including the Inquiry into the 2002-2003 Bushfires (2003), the Examination of Prescribed Burning Practices - Wilsons Promontory (2005), Improving Emergency Response at Melbourne Airport (2005), the Westpoint Chemical Fire Report to the Community (2008) and the Review of the April 2008 Windstorm.

Bruce works directly with communities before and after emergencies to ensure they have the appropriate opportunity to contribute to the planning and policy of the way emergencies are managed, meeting with more than 500 community members since his 2003 inquiry.

Bruce maintains an ongoing, passionate commitment to the emergency management sector and holds a vision for progressive emergency management arrangements where communities are not passive recipients of services, but active participants in their own safety planning and decision making. He has a strong interest in facilitating change, and is a committed advocate for ensuring Victoria remains a leader, both nationally and internationally with the ongoing development of its emergency management arrangements.

Personal

On a personal level, Bruce enjoys sculpture and has completed a number of pieces inspired by his experiences in regional Victoria and his ongoing interaction with communities affected by emergencies. He is a keen tri-athlete and has completed over 100 triathlons of various distances, including the Australian Ironman. He also enjoys live music, reading and everything Italian.