The Victorian Government provided inaccurate and confusing information to Morwell residents during the Hazelwood mine fire, an inquiry into the blaze has heard.
The fire inside the mine broke out on February 9 and burned for 45 days, covering the town of Morwell in thick smoke and ash
Communications experts Professor Jim Macnamara and Lachlan Drummond criticised the Government and the operator of Hazelwood coal mine, GDF Suez, for the way they communicated with people living there.
They told the inquiry a lack of trust in information provided to residents drove them to social media, where misinformation fed fear and anxiety in the community.
"Where there was loss of control of messaging," Mr Drummond said.
"Social media filled that void to some extent and it was potentially problematical."
Criticism of $100 shopping vouchers given to Morwell residents
The inquiry heard the voluntary relocation advice, issued almost a month after the blaze began, was viewed with scepticism and seen as the Government fulfilling a bureaucratic requirement.
"There were high smoke alerts issued long before that," Professor Macnamara said.
"And then suddenly with one high smoke alert, we've got a temporary relocation. It seemed late."
Professor Macnamara told the inquiry was at least 10 days before the Government had adequate crisis communication and management measures in place.
"Well that would normally be done in a crisis plan strategy long, long before [that]," he said.
He also criticised GDF Suez for handing out $100 shopping vouchers to Morwell households after the fire and for not attending community meetings during the blaze.
"Anytime the CEO of a company in any crisis around the world was not present, there has been criticism of it," he said.
The lawyer for GDF Suez argued the vouchers would provide a financial boost to the Morwell economy and fire authorities had advised the company to stay in the background during the blaze.
A State Government lawyer told the inquiry Professor Macnamara did not have emergency management experience.