Portfolio Budget Statements 2006-07
Environment and Heritage Portfolio
Budget initiatives and explanations of appropriations specified by outcomes and outputs by agency
Budget Related Paper No. 1.7
ISBN 1 741 77538 8
Agency Budget Statements (continued)
Department of the Environment and Heritage (continued)
Section 3 - Outcomes (continued)
3.3 Outcomes and Performance (continued)
Contributions to achievement of Outcome 1
Outcome 1: The environment, especially those aspects that are matters of national environmental significance, is protected and conserved.
DEH focuses on developing and implementing the Australian Government's policies to protect and conserve the environment and our natural and cultural heritage. The department's work towards these objectives is ongoing and in some cases will only deliver visible results in the long-term. Ultimately DEH's work helps to make Australia more sustainable so that future generations can maintain a high standard of living and enjoy the benefits of a healthy environment. Key focus areas for DEH are:
- responding to climate change through a wide range of activities designed to meet our international obligations and reduce our greenhouse signature, without having a negative impact on Australia's economy;
- undertaking natural resource management activities to conserve our land and inland waters and the diversity of life that is supported by them;
- contributing to the ecologically sustainable management of Australia's coasts and oceans;
- identifying, protecting and conserving natural and cultural heritage, including Indigenous and historic heritage;
- administering the referral, assessment and approval provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act);
- contributing to work to improve the sustainability of our cities and towns, and working with other governments, the community and industry to minimise the impact of industrial processes on the environment;
- advancing Australia's Antarctic interests, helping to protect the Antarctic environment, and undertaking research to ensure Antarctic resource management is based on sound scientific principles; and
- to protect and conserve the environment and our natural and cultural heritage through better people management and services delivery.
Administered activities
The following is a list of administered programmes that are managed by DEH on behalf of the Government. Measures contributing to outcomes can be found at Table 3.2 (page 45).
- Used oil recyclers - transitional funding - provides used oil recyclers sufficient time to adjust to the new market environment following the removal of excise on burner fuel, implemented as part of the Energy White Paper-Securing Australia's Energy Future.
- Fuel quality standards - continuation of funding - conduct fuel quality compliance measures to ensure transport fuels, including ethanol blends, supplied in Australia meet legislated quality standards.
- Increased Fuel Quality Monitoring, Compliance and Enforcement - increase fuel quality compliance measures to ensure transport fuels, including ethanol blends, meet fuel quality standards as part of the Biofuels Package.
- Vehicle testing on E5 and E10 - provides for testing a selection of vehicles in the Australian market to assess their operation with E5 and E10 ethanol blends.
- Ethanol Health Study - provides for a study to be commissioned on the health impact of ethanol blended fuels to assess overseas research under Australian conditions.
- HMAS Sydney (II) Search - provides assistance to locate the wreck of one of our greatest naval vessels which was lost off the West Australian coast in 1941.
- Duyfken voyage - additional funding - provides major sponsorship for the voyage of a replica Dutch ship, Duyfken, to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first documented European contact with Australia.
- Renewable Energy Equity Fund - provides venture capital for small innovative renewable energy companies. This includes companies which are directly commercialising or enabling renewable energy technologies and services.
- Alternative Fuel Conversion Programme - assists operators and manufacturers of heavy commercial vehicles and buses to convert to Natural Gas or Liquefied Petroleum Gas. The programme provides grants to vehicle owners to offset costs of fuel conversions and upgrades and to purchase new vehicles and helps manufacturers develop and test engine technologies that demonstrate greenhouse gas benefits and maintain air quality emissions performance.
- Photovoltaic Rebate Programme - provides cash rebates to householders, owners of community use buildings, display home builders and housing estate developers who install grid-connected or stand-alone photovoltaic systems.
- Renewable Energy Commercialisation Programme - supports commercialisation and use of renewable energy technologies and related industry development.
- Renewable Remote Power Generation Programme - provides financial support to increase the use of renewable generation technologies in remote parts of Australia that presently rely on fossil fuel for electricity generation.
- Greenhouse Gas Abatement Programme - supports activities likely to result in substantial emissions reductions or activities to offset greenhouse emissions.
- Extension of Green Stamp Programme - encourages recycling in the automotive retail industry.
- Action on energy efficiency - contributes to lowering Australia's greenhouse emissions signature and increase the up-take of cost-effective energy efficiency opportunities that will encourage reduced greenhouse emissions, reduce energy demand and improve Australia's competitiveness.
- Local greenhouse action - to help focus on reducing Australia's greenhouse emissions by engaging local government and the community in identifying and implementing practical actions to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
- Greenhouse action to enhance sustainability in regional Australia - provides funds to assist rural communities to reduce emissions from land-based sectors by helping land managers to measure and report on their greenhouse emissions, and by encouraging new abatement technologies.
- Low emissions technology and abatement - encourages ongoing investment in the development, demonstration and deployment of low emission technologies, and other cost-effective abatement activities.
- Influencing international climate change policy - provides specialist technical, analytical and scientific advice to underpin Australia's active participation in international negotiations on climate change and work towards a more comprehensive and effective global response to climate change, consistent with Australia's national interests.
- Climate change science programme - to enhance understanding of the key drivers of climate change in Australia, improve modelling of climate variability and climate change, develop regional climate change projections and foster collaboration in international climate change research.
- Low Emissions Technology Demonstration Fund - supports industry-led projects for large-scale demonstration of low emissions technologies to achieve significant greenhouse abatement over the long-term.
- Solar Cities - provides for trials that will demonstrate the economic and environmental costs and benefits of solar technologies, energy efficiency and smarter electricity meters.
- Advanced Electricity Storage Technologies - supports the development of advanced storage systems for electricity from intermittent generation systems.
- Wind Forecasting capability - supports the development of a wind forecasting system and software for Australian conditions.
- Natural Heritage Trust - provides investment in the restoration and conservation of Australia's environment and natural resources and is managed jointly with the Department of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries (DAFF).
- Australian Government's Community Water Grants - provides grants to eligible applicants for practical on-ground projects that will result in wise water use and involve local communities.
- Strengthening Tasmania - Tamar River Pylons - provides for the replacement of rotting piling with new piles, construction of a river access track and the rebuilding and stabilisation of an unsafe levy.
- Strengthening Tasmania - Low Head Historic Precinct Project - provides for the refurbishment of a building dating from the 1860s in the historical Low Head Precinct near Launceston, Tasmania.
- Commonwealth Environment Research Facilities (CERF) - supports competitively selected public good collaborative research across Australia addressing the challenges facing our environmental assets. The initiative also provides for a Marine and Tropical Sciences Research Facility to support research relating to the Great Barrier Reef and its catchments, tropical rainforests, and Torres Strait.
- Improving Launceston's Air Quality - provides financial incentives for industries in the Tamar Valley area to replace wood-fired technologies with cleaner burning alternatives.
- National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) Service Corporation - assists with the management of environmental issues in Australia. The NEPC ensures Australians enjoy the benefit of equivalent protection from air, water or soil pollution and noise, and that business decisions are not distorted and markets are not fragmented by variations in major environment protection initiatives between member governments.
- Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Scheme (WELS) - provides consumers with information about the water efficiency of water consuming products.
- Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas account - supports the Australian Government's obligations under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989, including effective administration of the Act, management of the Halon Bank and programmes to phase out ozone depleting substances and minimise emissions of ozone depleting substances and synthetic greenhouse gas. Funds are derived from the licensing of imports of ozone depleting and synthetic greenhouse gases and the commercial operations of the National Halon Bank.
- National Heritage Investment Initiative - provides financial incentives to restore and conserve Australia's most important historic heritage.
- Regional Natural Heritage Programme - provides grants to non-government organisations and other relevant agencies to protect outstanding biodiversity in hotspot areas of South-East Asia and the Pacific.
- National Trusts Partnership Programme - supports National Trust activities to restore and conserve Australia's cultural heritage and increase public awareness of this heritage.
- Indigenous Heritage Programme - supports the management, promotion and protection of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage.
- National Cultural Heritage Account - supports the purchase of Australian protected objects, especially those denied an export permit.
- Australian Biological Resources Study Participatory Grants Programme - through strategic partnerships, provides the underlying taxonomic knowledge necessary for the conservation and sustainable use of Australia's biodiversity.
- Great Barrier Reef - Representative Areas Programme Structural Adjustment Package - provides assistance to eligible commercial fishers and others adversely affected by the implementation of the Great Barrier Reef Representative Areas Programme.
- Protecting Australia's Biodiversity Hotspots - protects biodiversity values in hotspots by providing incentives to landholders and assisting the purchase of land to be managed for conservation.
- Development of Sewerage schemes for Boat Harbour and Sisters Beach, Tasmania - development of sewerage schemes for Boat Harbour and Sisters Beach communities.
- A Sustainable Future for Tasmania - Mole Creek - assistance to preserve approximately 2,400 hectares of private forest at Mole Creek.
- Tasmanian Community Forest Agreement - Forest Conservation Fund - to add 43,200 hectares of private forest to the current Tasmanian reserve system.
- A Sustainable Future for Tasmania - Tourism - provides assistance to improve visitor facilities in forest areas of Tasmania.
Departmental outputs
Output 1.1: Response to climate change
Sub–output 1.1.1: International engagement
Engaging with other countries to help to build an effective global response to the environmental challenges posed by climate change, including action at the multilateral, regional and bilateral levels.
Sub–output 1.1.2: Emissions management
Developing and implementing greenhouse gas emission management programmes to:
- build industry partnerships to reduce net emissions;
- encourage action on energy efficiency;
- promote the uptake of renewable energy;
- promote local and regional action to reduce net emissions; and
- help to reduce national greenhouse gas emissions and hence reduce the environmental impacts of climate change due to the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Sub–output 1.1.3: Understanding of climate change
Developing and implementing climate change science programmes to help to build the community’s capacity to adapt to climate change, and deliver robust projections of Australia’s progress in meeting its greenhouse gas emissions target.
Output 1.2: Conservation of the land and inland waters
Sub–output 1.2.1: Land and water strategies
Working with other Australian Government and, State and Territory Government agencies, representative bodies, research bodies and internationally to assist the Australian Government to address land and water issues affecting the environment such as:
- efficiency of water use;
- environmental flows of rivers;
- water quality;
- wetland condition;
- native vegetation quality and extent;
- biodiversity conservation; and
- invasive pests, weeds and diseases.
Sub–output 1.2.2: Land and water investments
Delivering land and water conservation investments through the Australian Government Natural Resource Management Team (a joint arrangement with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry) to help communities work towards:
- recovering threatened species and ecological communities;
- protecting and restoring significant freshwater ecosystems;
- reversing the decline in the extent and quality of Australia’s native vegetation;
- controlling pests, weeds and diseases; and
- increasing understanding of biodiversity.
Sub–output 1.2.3: Terrestrial parks and reserves
Helping to protect and conserve biodiversity by establishing a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of protected areas in Australia.
Establishing an effective legal framework for managing access to genetic resources to protect biodiversity from over-exploitation.
Conducting taxonomic and biogeographic research and training to increase understanding of biodiversity.
Sub–output 1.2.4: Tropical wetlands research
Tropical wetlands research (in collaboration with partners in the National Centre for Tropical Wetland Research) will enhance the protection and conservation of the wetlands of northern Australia, which are necessary for the maintenance of viable populations of many aquatic fauna species.
Output 1.3: Conservation of the coasts and oceans
Sub–output 1.3.1: Coastal strategies
Improve coastal zone environment outcomes by implementing and further developing the national framework for integrated coastal zone management.
Improve water quality outcomes in the Great Barrier Reef by implementing and further developing the Great Barrier Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.
Improve water quality outcomes in other coastal locations through the Coastal Catchment Initiative.
Respond to threats to native marine species from alien invasive marine species.
Sub–output 1.3.2: Coastal investments
Delivery of coastal conservation investments through the Australian Government Natural Resource Management Team (a joint arrangement with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry), to help communities work towards:
- recovering threatened species and ecological communities;
- controlling marine pests; and
- increasing understanding and conservation of biodiversity.
Sub–output 1.3.3: Marine conservation
Developing and implementing strategies to promote marine conservation including by:
- developing and implementing regional marine plans under Section 176 of the EPBC Act;
- establishing a comprehensive, adequate and representative system of marine protected areas in the Australian Exclusive Economic Zone;
- recovering threatened species and conserving marine wildlife; and
- increasing understanding and conservation of biodiversity.
Output 1.4: Conservation of natural, indigenous and historic heritage
Developing and implementing strategies and programmes to identify, protect and celebrate National and World Heritage in Australia.
Output 1.5: Response to the impacts of human settlements
Sub–output 1.5.1: Environmental assessments
Assessing the potential environmental impacts of proposed activities under the provisions of the EPBC Act will help to protect ‘matters of national environmental significance’.
Sub–output 1.5.2: Pollution prevention strategies
Targeting the principal sources of pollution and wastes in collaboration with industry will help to protect human health, animals and plants by:
- improving urban air quality;
- preventing toxic substances entering the natural environment; and
- preventing waste oil, plastics and other wastes entering the natural environment.
Regulating ozone depleting substances will help to prevent the environmental impacts of increased ultraviolet radiation due to the loss of stratospheric ozone. Regulating synthetic greenhouse gases will help to reduce the environmental impacts of climate change due to the enhanced greenhouse effect.
Advising the government on new chemicals and genetically modified organisms will help to prevent potentially harmful substances and organisms from entering the natural environment and reducing biodiversity and impacting upon human health.
Sub–output 1.5.3: Supervision of uranium mines
The supervision of uranium mines will help to protect the environment of the Alligator Rivers Region, including unique tropical wetlands, from the possible impacts of mining.
Sub–output 1.5.4: Wildlife protection
Administering the wildlife protection provisions of the EPBC Act will help to protect Australia’s native wildlife from overexploitation and hence help to conserve biodiversity.
Budget statements
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