Fire Rescue Victoria (FRV) is running a Places of Public Entertainment (PoPE) Inspection Program for the 2025/2026 event season, responding to fire safety issues identified at recent events and the ongoing need for strong compliance and risk management at high-occupancy venues and temporary structures. The program focuses on selected events across Victoria, where FRV personnel will attend to conduct inspections and collect data on matters such as compliance with the ABCB Temporary Structures Standard, Essential Safety Measures (ESMs), and broader fire safety risk mitigation.

The key ask of councils right now is simple but important: please ensure your MBS shares FRV’s letter with your Council Events team and anyone involved in event planning and approvals. At this stage, event notifications and visibility of what is happening in your municipality is the main information FRV needs, because “we don’t know what we don’t know” until events are on the radar.

FRV’s project team is also happy to work with councils in a practical way. If your council holds regular event meetings, the team can attend to explain the program, answer questions, and help set up an efficient information-sharing process between relevant departments and FRV.

Finally, this program is not just about inspections on the day. The information and data collected will build an evidence base to support FRV’s future responses to any proposed legislative or regulatory changes affecting temporary structures and PoPEs, and it will also help guide the future development of clearer guidance material for industry and councils.

If you have any questions or would like to discuss the program further, please contact FRV’s Katherine Kolar Senior Technical Advisor (Building Surveying) on 0476 806 147.

You will find FRV’s letter regarding the PoPE Inspection Program here.