Last open day held at emergency training institute

The AEMI training facility has been open for more than 50 years but will close following the Federal Government 2014 Budget announcement that it would relocate to Canberra. 

About 60 jobs are expected to be lost when the institute closes.

Federal Member for Bendigo Lisa Chesters, who attended the open day with State Member for Macedon Mary-Anne Thomas, said lots of locals asked questions and raised concerns about the future of the facility.

Ms Chesters called on the government to reverse its decision, stating the facility's closure would be a major blow to public sector disaster response.

"It's disappointing, you talk to anyone about purpose of facility, it makes sense to have a leading world institute in emergency management in central Victoria," she said.

She said there was much uncertainty surrounding the closure, with no date for the relocation set in stone and no understanding of what would happen to the Macedon facility after the institute left.

Ms Chesters was also concerned the tender process for its replacement facility a year later was still ongoing and would not result in the savings initially proposed by the government.

Ms Thomas said the closure represented a significant loss of jobs for the local community.

"The closure of the Australian Emergency Management Institute will have a significant impact on local employment opportunities with the loss of 60 jobs from the centre itself, and countless others from the associated services such as transport, catering and linen providers," she said.

She said the institute also played an active role in implementing the findings of the Royal Commission into the Black Saturday bushfires.

Information on the Attorney-General's Department website says the facility's relocation will be completed by mid-2015.

"EMA-AEMI’s core objective—to build capability through collaboration, innovation and education—will continue to guide the institute as it transitions to a new era, with a new base in Canberra," it reads.

"The institute has played a significant role in driving national emergency management capability and disaster resilience for close to six decades and will do so well into the future, with its influence reaching across Australia and regions of interest."