Local Government opportunity
At the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in November 2000 the Prime Minister obtained the support of State, Territory and Local Government leaders to the first comprehensive national strategy to address two of the most significant issues confronting Australia’s rural industries, regional communities and our environment – salinity and water quality.
The Federal Government committed $700 million over seven years to implement the Action Plan, with this funding to be matched by the States and Territories.
The key objectives of the Action Plan are to motivate and enable regional communities to: prevent, stabilise and reverse trends in dryland salinity affecting agricultural production, the conservation of our unique environment and community assets; and improve water quality and secure reliable water supplies for human, agricultural and industrial uses and for the environment.
Regional action
The plan’s centrepiece is community driven action to implement accredited regional/catchment management plans.
These plans will build on existing work in the regions, and will include specific targets based on a new national framework for natural resource management standards.
Action will be taken in 20 highly affected catchments and regions across Australia.
The Action Plan will also enable the Commonwealth to support policy changes in the States and Territories for best land, water and vegetation management.
Key features
The key features of the Action Plan are:
- setting standards and targets for natural resources, particularly water quality and flows, and salinity;
- regional communities, with government support, developing and implementing integrated catchment plans for priority catchments/regions to meet the targets;
- technical and scientific support, skills training, information, and market incentives to enable regional communities to develop and implement plans, and to stimulate best managementpractices and private investments by landholders;
- States and Territories introducing changes to land, water and vegetation policy that will provide set caps for all, surface and groundwater allocations; provide more secure property rights for water; improve water pricing and establish effective controls on land-clearing in salinity risk areas;
- clearly articulated roles for the Commonwealth, states, Local Government and community for addressing salinity and water quality problems, and better coordination of decision making across governments through establishing a single Natural Resource Management Council; and
- undertaking a major public education programme to assist adoption of best practices as widely as possible across the community.
Implementation date
An Inter-Governmental agreement is expected to be finalised early in 2001.
It is expected this will lead to bilateral agreements between the Commonwealth and each jurisdiction by mid 2001, and subsequently to partnership agreements with each of the 20 regions.
Action in some regions will commence early in 2001 with an intensive salinity mapping programme to assist in identifying priorities for on-ground action.
Opportunities for Local Government
As the key stakeholder within a region, Local Government can make a significant contribution to the implementation of the Action Plan. The Australian Local Government Association has provided a Local Government position to COAG in the development of the Inter-Governmental Agreement.
Councils in some regions are already recognising opportunities for partnerships within their region to implement the Action Plan.
Councils can directly participate through their involvement in regional bodies and as possible delivery agents for regional implementation.
A communication programme is being planned to inform stakeholders about the Action Plan, and its implications for the 20 highly affected regions. More information for stakeholders will become available over the coming months.
The Action Plan can be viewed on the Prime Minister’s web site at www.pm.gov.au/news/media_releases/2000/media_rel_474_sup.htm
Councils can follow the progress of the Action Plan at www.affa.gov.au/docs/nrm/actionplan/index.html
For further information, contact Peter Creaser, Environment Australia, (02) 6274 2732 or John Pritchard, ALGA (02) 6122 9414.
