Environment Budget Overview 2005-06
Environment and Heritage Portfolio
Whole-of-Government environment expenditure
The Australian Government remains committed to a whole-of-government approach to sustainability through effective environmental policies and their implementation and management-an approach that continues to result in record levels of environmental spending. It is an approach that engages all Government agencies and all sectors of the community in helping to achieve Australia's sustainable future.
Led by the Sustainable Environment Committee of Cabinet, the Department of the Environment and Heritage (DEH) and the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF) are at the forefront of environment policy development and implementation. Other agencies with significant environment-related expenditure include: the Department of Transport and Regional Services; the Australian Customs Service; AusAID; the National Water Commission; the CSIRO; the Department of Education, Science and Training; and the Australian Taxation Office.
Chart 1.1: Whole-of-Government environment-related estimated expenditure
Together, this spending supports initiatives ranging from: on-ground environmental protection and repair; improved institutional arrangements and incentives for management of land and water resources; research and development; collation and provision of data; taxation concessions; and incentives to overseas development assistance.
The Australian Government's environment and heritage agenda is comprehensive and ambitious.
The challenges it addresses include salinity, water use and recycling, the environmental performance of Government operations and sustainable management of Commonwealth land and water. Further challenges include sustainable resource management including energy use, climate change and natural, Indigenous and historic heritage.
The Australian Government's contribution to environment protection is not limited to the Australian continent but includes the oceans, island territories, and Antarctica. The Government also works to protect the environment in our regions, particularly the Asia-Pacific. In Australia, internal assistance for environmental sustainability targets natural resource management, oceans, the atmosphere, biological diversity, deforestation and desertification.
Chart 1.2: Major Agency contributions to environment-related estimated expenditure 2005-06
Note: The extent to which spending can be identified and ascribed to environmental purposes varies across portfolios and programmes. As a result, some expenditure with environmental implications may not be recorded in this statement.
| Department/Agency | 2004-05 $m | 2005-06 $m | 2006-07 $m | 2007-08 $m | 2008-09 $m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DEH | 472.8 | 528.0 | 594.1 | 557.2 | 454.4 |
| DAFF | 137.8 | 187.9 | 192.0 | 155.2 | 34.4 |
| Joint DAFF/DEH | 389.0 | 470.3 | 431.3 | 396.1 | 0.0 |
| Subtotal DAFF/DEH | 999.7 | 1186.1 | 1217.5 | 1108.5 | 488.8 |
| DOTARS | 405.2 | 423.4 | 435.1 | 451.0 | 467.5 |
| AusAID | 278.0 | 305.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| NWC | 56.9 | 283.0 | 570.3 | 560.5 | 200.7 |
| Customs (a) | 279.8 | 270.2 | 41.7 | 42.1 | 42.6 |
| CSIRO | 231.3 | 207.7 | 212.9 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
| ATO | 71.0 | 74.0 | 76.0 | 80.0 | 83.0 |
| DEST | 55.2 | 59.6 | 50.6 | 45.3 | 33.9 |
| Other (Agencies not separately listed) | 308.3 | 343.2 | 332.5 | 309.2 | 287.4 |
| Total | 2685.2 | 3152.2 | 2936.4 | 2596.5 | 1603.8 |
|
(a) Figures for the Civil Maritime Surveillance programme in Customs are available for 2004-05 and 2005-06 only. Remaining years' funding represents Southern Ocean Surveillance programme only. Note: Amounts in this document are generally rounded to one decimal point using the standard rounding conventions. Due to rounding, the aggregation of elements within a table may not match the actual 'total'. |
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Environmental protection, sustainable agricultural production and natural resource management are complementary rather than conflicting goals, which is why the Government's flagship natural resource management programmes - the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP) - are delivered jointly by DEH and DAFF (see Table 1.2).
In 2004, the Government announced the $2 billion Australian Government Water Fund, comprising three new programmes: Water Smart Australia; Raising National Water Standards; and the Australian Government Community Water Grants. The first two programmes will be managed by the newly created National Water Commission, while DEH and DAFF will jointly administer the third.
| Division/ Agency | Description | 2004-05 $m | 2005-06 $m | 2006-07 $m | 2007-08 $m | 2008-09 $m |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Natural Heritage Trust | ||||||
| DEH/DAFF | Bushcare | 105.4 | 105.4 | 102.0 | 102.0 | 0.0 |
| DEH/DAFF | Landcare | 80.6 | 80.6 | 78.0 | 78.0 | 0.0 |
| DEH/DAFF | Rivercare | 83.7 | 83.7 | 81.0 | 81.0 | 0.0 |
| DEH/DAFF | Coastcare | 40.3 | 40.3 | 39.0 | 39.0 | 0.0 |
| Total | 310.0 | 310.0 | 300.0 | 300.0 | 0.0 | |
| Australian Water Fund | ||||||
| NWC | Water Smart Australia | 46.9 | 253.0 | 530.3 | 520.5 | 165.7 |
| NWC | National Water Standards | 10.0 | 30.0 | 40.0 | 40.0 | 35.0 |
| DEH/DAFF | Australian Water Fund - Community Water Grants | 6.3 | 53.9 | 54.9 | 54.9 | 30.0 |
| Total | 63.2 | 336.9 | 625.2 | 615.4 | 230.7 | |
| DEH/DAFF | National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality | 87.4 | 168.4 | 137.9 | 96.1 | 0.0 |
| NOTES ON TABLE 1.2 Australian Water Fund–Water Smart Australia Since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2004-05, $34.8 million of the $46.9 million originally appropriated for 2004-05 will now be largely spent in 2005-06, primarily reflecting the expected timing of grant payments. Australian Water Fund–National Water Standards Since the Mid-Year Economic and Fiscal Outlook 2004-05, $8.7 million of the $10.0 million appropriated for 2004-05 will now be largely spent in 2005-06, primarily reflecting the expected timing of grant payments. |
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