While New Year's Eve in Sydney is usually very busy, New Year's Eve 1999 is expected to be a little different for two reasons.

Firstly, many see this year as ushering in the new millennium. It is expected, therefore, to be busier than usual and, because it is likely that many will wish to see in the dawn of the new millennium, celebrations are likely occur as either one long event or in two significant phases ie midnight and dawn.

Secondly, there is the Y2K issue. While the public and private sectors have been active in reviewing Y2K exposure and upgrading contingency plans and there is a high degree of confidence of minimal disruption, prudence dictates that the State's emergency management infrastructure is ready for any eventuality.

Following a meeting of Ministers and senior officials with functions related to the management of New Year's Eve, a number of arrangements have been agreed to meet the challenge of coordinating both these issues concurrently.

A Government Coordination Centre, under the direction of the Director General of the Premier's Department, Dr Col Gellatly, will be established at Governor Macquarie Tower to monitor coordination between New Year's Eve events, Y2K and normal emergency arrangements and to provide coordinated advice to the Premier on any cross jurisdictional issues as necessary.

Each Government organisation operating an event over New Year's Eve will maintain a control centre to monitor their events, and coordination of New Year's Eve Events will be oversighted by John Trevillian, in close cooperation with the City of Sydney and other Sydney Councils. Mr Trevillian will operate out of Governor Macquarie Tower.

The Police Operations Centre (POC), which is located in the Sydney Police Centre and is under the command of Commander Dick Adams, will be operational to command and control all policing functions. The Police strategy will aim to be high visibility and low impact but it will respond quickly to any individual or group intent on causing difficulties for the majority.

The State Emergency Operations Centre (SEOC), also located at the Sydney Police Centre but under the command of State Emergency Operations Controller and Deputy Police Commissioner, Jeff Jarratt, will, in addition to its normal emergency management functions, be operational to:

collate any information pertaining to any Y2K disruption that has the potential to significantly impact on the State;

coordinate any emergency responses required on the night, including normal disruptions that are mistaken for Y2K events; and

provide support to the Police, if required.

The Police Media Unit, located at the Police Headquarters (Level 7, College Street) will coordinate all media comment on the night, with Commander Dick Adams being its chief spokesperson, given that operational matters are the most likely issue.

Any NSW Government agency (ie Departments and State Owned Corporations) proposing to make media comment on New Year's Eve are required, from 6pm New Year's Eve, to have a representative located, with Police and Ministerial media staff, at Police Headquarters, where a media centre will be located. All NSW Government media comment will be coordinated through the Police Media Unit at Police Headquarters to ensure a consistency of information.

The Treasurer, the Hon. Michael Egan, MLC will be the duty Minister for the night and will be located at either the SEOC or Police Headquarters. Contact with Mr Egan will be maintained by the Police Media Unit.

The Department of Information Technology and Management (DITM) is developing a contact database for all coordination centres operational on the night. It is available via the Government's Y2K home page in the restricted section. Agency Y2K coordinators already have agency access and a password. If a password is required, contact Steve Smith on 02-9228-3608 or [email protected]. Please enter your details and monitor its development.

DITM has placed a New Year's Eve Events button on the Government's own home page. Agencies with relevant sites should ensure that there is a direct link to their site at the button on the Government Home Page, www.nsw.gov.au. Contact for the Webmaster is available at the site.

These arrangements are designed to ensure a coordinated response to planning and execution of, and commentary on, New Year's Eve Events

Further information in relation to reporting will be issued shortly.

Col Gellatly
Director General