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Publications
Resource Assessment Commission, November 1993
ISBN 0 64429457
B.01 Many government programs and initiatives have effects on the resources of the coastal zone. This appendix discusses Commonwealth programs and their connection with the National Coastal Action Program. Table B.1 lists the programs currently being undertaken by Commonwealth agencies that have an impact on the management of coastal zone resources. There are also many state and local programs that seek to improve the coastal environment or mitigate the negative impacts of existing developments; the reports of the case studies conducted by the Inquiry in collaboration with the states provide examples of these state and local initiatives. The following sections describe national programs that are directly relevant to the National Coastal Action Program.
B.02 The objectives of the National Coastal Action Program are generally consistent with the objectives of these programs. The proposals made in this report, particularly those in Chapter 8, provide for the establishment of institutional and administrative arrangements to ensure that these programs can be integrated with the National Coastal Action Program.
B.03 A number of initiatives relevant to urban development in the coastal zone are being administered by the Department of Health, Housing, Local Government and Community Services. The National Urban Development Program has a number of components, among them the following:
B.04 In total, the activities of the Department constitute a significant Commonwealth involvement in the promotion of improved management of urban development and, by association, improved management of the resources affected by urban development. The success of these programs will have a positive influence on the management of the coastal zone because urban development is one of the major factors contributing to degradation of coastal environments.
B.05 The National Urban Development Program focuses on the efficiencies that can be gained by taking a strategic approach to the provision of infrastructure and by adopting new urban and housing forms. The ultimate goal of the Program is to reduce the cost of housing and the cost of servicing urban areas. Other factors such as the impact of new urban areas on remnants of natural habitat, on landscape quality, on productive rural land, or on the environment generally are often secondary considerations. It is proposed that this distortion be rectified by the adoption of a more holistic perspective on the role of urban development in coastal zone resource management.
B.06 The Department of Tourism administers two programs of particular relevance to the management of coastal zone resources: the Regional Tourism Development Program and the Sites of National Tourism Significance Program.
B.07 The Regional Tourism Development Program is designed to facilitate the fair and equitable use of natural resources that support tourism, while maximising the long-term benefit derived from those resources. The Program aims to develop regional tourism facilities and opportunities for visitor experiences to encourage domestic and international tourists to visit regional areas. Grants under the Program focus on projects that develop integrated regional tourism plans, diversify the regional tourism product base, provide infrastructure to increase the capacity of regions to support increased tourism, and coordinate tourism information at a regional level.
B.08 The Sites of National Tourism Significance Program aims to facilitate the protection of sensitive tourist attractions, the sustainability of which is under threat from pressure caused by high levels of tourism demand. The Department of Tourism defines these significant sites as unique or outstanding places in Australia's natural environment that have current or potential domestic or international visitor appeal derived from their environmental, recreational, aesthetic, educational or socio-cultural significance or other special value. Types of eligible projects are management of tourist impacts (for example, viewing platforms), provision of public facilities (for example, wilderness shelters), interpretive and education programs, and applied research projects (for example, research into environmental management techniques).
B.09 The main objectives of the Tourism Program provide for the identification of resource values, consideration of cumulative impacts, assessment of the impacts of tourism, and the conservation of natural ecosystems, biodiversity and the natural processes of the environment. Conservation of resources is one of the major elements of the Program, as is the provision of adequate public access to resources.
B.10 Ocean Rescue 2000 is a 10-year Commonwealth government initiative established in August 1991. It aims to provide a national vision and national objectives and programs for the conservation and sustainable use of Australia's marine environment. The program has six key components.
B.11 The 'state of the marine environment' report being prepared by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority provides information about conservation and management of the marine environment. It comprehensively describes and assesses the marine environment, resources, and human activities, uses and impacts.
B.12 The Australian Marine Conservation Strategy, administered by the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, aims to develop in cooperation with the states a long-term conservation strategy for the marine zone within the 200 nautical mile Exclusive Economic Zone. It is intended to guide the management activities of relevant authorities by providing a policy basis for conservation and sustainable use of Australia's marine resources into the next century.
B.13 The National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas, administered jointly by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories and the Australian Nature Conservation Agency, focuses on expanding Australia's marine reserve system by establishing a national, representative system of marine protected areas. Areas are selected to represent marine biogeographical regions. The Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council's Advisory Committee on Marine Protected Areas was established to develop agreed objectives, criteria and processes to facilitate further development of the National System. Projects are under way in all states to identify marine areas of conservation significance.
B.14 The National Marine Education Program, administered by the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority, aims to inform and educate Australians about the importance of marine conservation and the sustainable use of Australia's marine resources. It is directed towards the general community, schools, the media, industry and recreational groups, providing information based on the latest available research.
B.15 The National Marine Information System, administered by the Environmental Resources Information Network in the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, is an information base that will include important data on marine hydrology, oceanography, geology, biology and climate as well as types and levels of marine resources.
B.16 The Marine and Coastal Community Network is an initiative designed to encourage and facilitate community support for the conservation and ecologically sustainable use of Australia's marine and coastal environments. The network is coordinated by the Australian Littoral Society.
B.17 The Australian Heritage Commission is responsible for several programs that are relevant to the coastal zone. Its research program-the Australian Heritage Research Program-focuses on major national surveys and projects that directly help the Commission carry out its functions. The objectives of the program are to
B.18 The Australian Heritage Commission also administers the National Estate Grants Program. Its objective is to provide financial assistance to projects aimed at the identification, conservation or presentation of information about the National Estate. The Program is the main avenue by which the Commonwealth Government provides assistance to the states to identify and conserve the National Estate.
B.19 The National Wilderness Inventory is a database that allows for an assessment of wilderness values. The Australian Heritage Commission has helped to fund its compilation since 1987. Annual funding for the project has increased substantially since 1989, when the Prime Minister committed the Commission to completion of the Inventory by 1993.
B.20 These Australian Heritage Commission programs are important elements in the management of coastal resources. The identification and assessment of places of natural and cultural heritage value is a fundamental component of resource allocation decisions.
B.21 The Commonwealth Environment Protection Agency, in the Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories, is responsible for the publication of 'state of the environment' reports. The reports provide an analysis and interpretation of data that identifies significant environmental conditions and trends and suggests possible explanations for these trends.
B.22 The reports collate information on all environmental processes and provide a comprehensive assessment of their dynamic nature, their causes, and their interaction with the global environment. They also provide a basis for monitoring the success of policies and programs with significant environmental and natural resource implications, focus attention on potential problems, and thus act as an early warning mechanism.
B.23 The 'state of the environment' reports incorporate information obtained from other related initiatives, such as the National Pollution Inventory, research related to the Great Barrier Reef, scientific and community-based water quality monitoring, studies of uses of natural resources, and identification of areas of significant conservation value. This information helps to identify changes in environmental quality.
B.24 The Department intends to establish data-sharing partnerships for all levels of government, academic and scientific institutions, industry and the community, and it plans to compile an inventory of 'state of the environment' indicators and related research information to enhance the development of national environmental indicators and the acquisition of data related to the state of the environment. It also intends to develop more efficient and effective mechanisms for disseminating information to users such as the community, industry and government, along with establishing consultative arrangements for guiding 'state of the environment' reporting and technical working groups for developing national indicators.
B.25 The successful development of these 'state of the environment' reporting mechanisms will be an important element of the monitoring activities necessary to ensure that the National Coastal Action Program is meeting its objectives.
B.26 The Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories is responsible for the Climate Change and Environmental Liaison Program. One element of this Program is the Climate Change Impacts Program, which funds research into the potential impacts of climate change. The Program focuses on coastal issues and funds studies into the assessment of sea-level rise and other potential impacts. Other elements relating to the coastal zone are assessment of the vulnerability of coastal areas to potential impacts of climate change, establishment of a national sea-level monitoring network, and measurement of oceanic characteristics over long periods to monitor change and verify scientific models.
Program Lead agency Aims
Regional development
Urban and Regional Development Review DHHLGCS Through research and consultation, to allow for the
definition of an Australian vision for internationally
competitive cities and long-term goals and strategies
to effect the major changes required in cities
Regional Development Taskforce DITRD To examine issues in regional development and to
investigate what the private and public sectors can do
to foster regional development
Urban
Building Better Cities DHHLGCS To demonstrate and develop improved urban development
processes
National Urban Development Program DHHLGCS To encourage industry, community, state and local
government acceptance of innovative residential
development techniques to promote the efficient supply
of land and housing
Review of Residential Development DHHLGCS-AHIDC To promote the adoption of the Australian Model Code
Regulations (Triple-R Program) for Residential Development by local governments
through the provision of grants
Residential Land Program DHHLGCS-IPC To monitor and report on land availability and demand
Tourism
Sites of National Tourism Significance DoT To facilitate the protection of sensitive tourist
Program attractions
Regional Tourism Development Program DoT To encourage sustainable tourism and economic growth in
regional areas through the development of regional
tourism facilities and attractive visitor experiences
Fisheries
Recreational Fishing Policy DPIE To ensure quality fishing and maintain and enhance fish
stocks and their habitats
Fisheries Management within the Australian AFMA To manage Australia's fisheries sustainably, equitably
Fishing Zone and efficiently
Research and Development Program in FRDC To enable the Australian mariculture industry to
Aquaculture realise its full potential
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Fisheries (cont'd)
MARINET: networking program
DITRD To facilitate improved communication of marine
information
National aquaculture research programs OCS- To provide a focus for a national research strategy for
Cooperative aquaculture and the ecological basis for a sustainable
Research Centre industry that is internationally competitive and
for Aquaculture environmentally acceptable
Marine development
Marine Industries Development Program DITRD Coordination of marine industries science and
technology and development of marine industries through
specific initiatives and support of liaison groups such
as the Consultative Group on Marine Industries Science
and Technology and the Heads of Marine Agencies
Offshore minerals exploration and DPIE To facilitate the assessment and development of
development offshore mineral resources
Offshore petroleum exploration and DPIE To facilitate the assessment and development of
development offshore petroleum resources
Continental Margins Program AGSO To understand and develop a regional geological
framework
Research and education
National Marine Information System ERIN To develop a marine and coastal information system to
effectively support environmental decision makers in
all spheres of government in integrating principles of
nature conservation with development and use of land.
To provide an information base to aid in identifying
potential marine protected areas
National Marine Education Program GBRMPA To increase Australia's awareness of the need for
conservation and sustainable use of Australia's marine
resources
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Research and education (cont'd)
Understanding Science and Your Environment DEST-CEPA, RACI Aimed at schools, industry and the wider community
through service and community organisations and the
Australian Council of Trade Unions, to raise public
awareness of comparative risks and a broad range of
environmental issues
Australian Heritage Research Program AHC Funds major surveys and other projects that directly
help the Heritage Commission to carry out its statutory
role
National Wilderness Inventory AHC To measure wilderness quality values across a region
and store them in a database
Australian Biological Diversity Study ANCA To provide support for research aimed at determining
Participatory Program what plants and animals are found in Australia and
their distribution
Environmental Education ANCA To foster understanding of natural areas, including
marine parks and reserves and environments
Environmental Resources Information ANCA To draw together, upgrade and supplement information on
Network the distribution of endangered species, vegetation
types and heritage sites. To assist portfolio agencies
in planning and decision making
Marine and Estuarine Protected Areas ANCA Database of all Australian established marine parks and
Inventory reserves
Research and Surveys Program ANCA To make funds available to consultants for specific
services related to national nature conservation issues
Air-sea interaction research Bureau of To improve understanding of processes at the air-sea
Meteorology interface and their role in determining patterns of
Research Centre weather and climate
Marine meteorological and oceanographic Bureau of To provide the database for routine marine services and
data collection Meteorology weather and climate research
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Research and education (cont'd)
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park GBRMPA To initiate and fund research that will assist in the
Authority-Research and Monitoring conservation and management of the Great Barrier Reef
Torres Strait Baseline Study GBRMPA Baseline data on biota and sediments in the Torres
Strait region
Coastal Zone Research Program CSIRO To understand the process by which land use and changes
affect the coastal zone and to use this understanding
to produce appropriate management tools, including an
information base, for management
Industry Research and Development Board's DITRD To fund collaborative research and development projects
Environmental Technology Scheme that have the potential to improve the Australian
environment and the competitiveness of Australian
manufacturing through the adoption of environmentally
sensitive systems
Coastal Processes and Resources AIMS To investigate and understand the physical and
biological factors controlling ecological processes in
coastal zone ecosystems. Emphasis has been on
mangroves. Future emphasis will be on seagrasses,
freshwater wetlands and coastal reefs
Coral Reef Ecosystems AIMS To understand the effects of human disturbance and
exploitation of coral reefs within the context of
natural spatial and temporal variation of coral systems
Environmental Studies and Biotechnology AIMS To investigate selected organisms, to determine how
they respond to and record environmental conditions and
to develop an understanding of their potential for
mariculture or other potential commercial products
Tropical Oceanography AIMS To improve understanding of physical, biological and
chemical processes in Australia's northern coastal
shelf and oceanic waters
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Research and education (cont'd)
Information Management (establishment of DPIE-NRIC To improve the ability of information bases to
the Australian GIS and development of the contribute to policy development, decision making and
National Directory of Australian Resources resource management in coastal and marine environments
to include comprehensive information on
coastal data sets)
Coastal Marine Information System AGSO To improve geological baseline data in selected regions
(COMARIS)
ENVIRODAT AGSO Baseline data on areas of active petroleum industry
interest within offshore continental margins
Environmental Geoscience and Ground Water AGSO To provide the baseline geoscientific data and
Program interpretations necessary for integrated management of
the coastal zone, including conservation, the impacts
of resource use, development and recreational
pressures, and environmental change
Marine Processes and Environment AGSO To develop an understanding of continental margin
(including the Marine Geoscience and depositional processes, climate change and chemical
Petroleum Geology Program ) accumulation in sediments
National Geoscience Mapping Accord AGSO Primary resources
Offshore Resource Map Series-Marine AGSO To publish a series of map sheets at 1:1 000 000 scale
Geoscience and Petroleum Geology Program covering the entire continental margin
Conservation
Historic Shipwrecks Program DEST Provides funding to state and territory authorities to
locate, identify and conserve declared shipwrecks and
associated material
Management Plan for Heard Island and DEST To preserve and manage the external territory so as to
McDonald Islands protect its environment and indigenous wildlife
Ocean Rescue 2000 DEST, ANCA, To provide a national vision, national objectives and
GBRMPA programs for marine conservation in Australia
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Conservation (cont'd)
National Representative System of Marine GBRMPA, ANCA, To develop a national representative system of marine
Park Areas DEST protected areas
National Marine Conservation Strategy DEST To develop a long-term conservation strategy
Torres Strait Marine Conservation Program ICC, GBRMPA To help ICC develop a marine conservation strategy for
Torres Strait
Wessel Islands Project Northern Land To help the Wessel Island Aboriginal Community develop
Council, ANCA a local marine conservation strategy
National Estates Grants Program AHC To provide assistance to the states and territories,
and organisations within them, to identify, conserve
and present the national estate
Endangered Species Program ANCA To prevent the extinction due to human causes of
endangered native species of fauna and flora, including
marine animals such as whales and turtles
Marine Wildlife Conservation ANCA Administration and enforcement of wildlife protection
legislation in Commonwealth waters
National Wetlands Conservation and ANCA To promote the conservation and wise use of wetlands in
Management Program accordance with Australia's obligations under the
Ramsar Convention
One Billion Trees ANCA To help the community plant one billion trees by the
year 2000
Save the Bush ANCA To encourage, facilitate and support programs and
activities associated with the protection, management
and investigation of remnant native vegetation that
directly or indirectly assist with the maintenance of
biological diversity in Australia
States Co-operative Assistance Program ANCA Cooperative conservation projects of national or
international significance related to wildlife,
national parks and reserves in the states and
territories
National Landcare Program DPIE-ANCA Sustainable land management and nature conservation
supported by community-based activities
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Conservation (cont'd)
Sustainable Natural Resource Management DPIE-ANCA Sustainable land management and nature conservation
Program supported by community-based activities
Greenhouse issues
Application of the Intergovernmental Panel DEST To assess vulnerability of coastal areas; review
on Climate Change 'Vulnerability to methodology and techniques
Accelerated Sea-level Rise Assessment
Methodology' to case studies
Evaluation of impacts of climate change DEST To use and build upon existing knowledge of coastal
and sea-level change on coastal environmental phenomena in order to develop a
environment conditions broad-based integrated appreciation of
greenhouse-induced environmental change
A sub-network of high-precision sea-level DEST To gain understanding of the total ocean atmosphere
monitoring stations to be established at environment
appropriate sites around the country to
serve as baseline stations for the
existing tide gauge network.
Measuring thermal structure and sea level DEST To obtain decade-long series of ocean data around
for climate studies Australia that record changes in sea level and thermal
structure and that can be used to verify models
Local government
Local Government Environmental Information DEST To encourage local governments to include environmental
Exchange Program considerations in their decision making and in the long
term to improve the quality of environmental management
at the local government level
Local Government Development Program: DHHLGCS The enhancement of management practices so that
National Local Government Environmental environmental concerns are included in all local
Resource Program government policies and practices
Local Approvals Review Program DHHLGCS To assist local governments to improve development
approval processes
Voluntary Regional Cooperation Program DHHLGCS, local To facilitate regional cooperation between local
governments councils
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Local government (cont'd)
Integrated Local Area Planning DHHLGCS To help local authorities develop strategic approaches
to decision making, planning and delivery of services
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
interests
Aboriginal Employment Development Policy ATSIC To enable Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
Program communities or groups to undertake community
development activities; to provide community
development activities; to provide training to enable
more efficient performance of existing duties and
achieve more effective self-management to promote
self employment opportunities
Aboriginal heritage protection ATSIC To return to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people ownership of significant cultural property; to
ensure their involvement in the administration and
management of protection and conservation programs for
the cultural property of indigenous people; to ensure
effective protection of indigenous sites and objects of
significance
Community development employment projects ATSIC To provide opportunities for employment on a variety of
community development projects and enterprises
Land ownership and management ATSIC To establish for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander
people secure title to land, a significant degree of
control over management of that land, and the capacity
to benefit from resources on that land
Contract Employment Program for ANCA To increase Aboriginal involvement in natural and
Aboriginals in Natural and Cultural cultural resource management and develop Aboriginal
Resource Management employment strategies with state and territory nature
conservation agencies
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Public participation and community
awareness
Promotion of water safety activities DEST To provide financial assistance to water safety
organisations, including Surf Life Saving Australia and
the Royal Life Saving Society, for the development of
safe beach and surf and other water-related activities
and programs
Monitoring and evaluation
'State of the marine environment' report GBRMPA To provide information about conservation and
management of the marine environment
Marine weather services Bureau of To provide information on, and warning of, weather
Meteorology conditions that could endanger life and property in the
coastal zone
Assessment and management of contaminated CEPA, ANZECC, To reduce or eliminate impacts of contaminated sites on
sites NHMRC, NOHSC health and the environment
National Pollutant Inventory CEPA, ANZECC To decrease pollution by increasing awareness of its
extent
National Water Quality Guidelines (part of CEPA-ANZECC, To identify environmental values, criteria and
the National Water Quality Strategy) DPIE-AWRC guidelines for: domestic water supplies; ecosystem
protection (inland and marine); waters for recreation
and aesthetics; agricultural water supplies; industrial
water supplies
'State of the environment' reporting CEPA To identify issues and trends in the condition of the
Australian environment
Royal Australian Navy Hydrographic Program Defence (Navy) To provide services for safety of navigation that help
prevent shipwrecks and consequent pollution of the
coastal zone; manages large database of coastal
information
National Tidal Facility Flinders To manage national sea-level database; monitor
University variations in sea level; provide tide predictions for
port operations; forecast drought cycles; research
long-term variability of sea level and advise on tidal
aspects of coastal management programs
Ballast water DPIE-AQIS To control discharge of water that may introduce exotic
marine organisms
TABLE B.1 (CONT'D) COMMONWEALTH PROGRAMS RELEVANT TO THE COASTAL ZONE: A SUMMARY
Program Lead agency Aims
Monitoring and evaluation (cont'd)
Quarantine DPIE-AQIS To protect the environment and agricultural and aquatic
industries from exotic pests and diseases
Navigational aids DOTAC-AMSA To install and maintain navigational aids to provide
safe passage for coastal vessels and reduce the
likelihood of marine accidents
Port State Control Program DOTAC-AMSA To inspect oil and chemical tankers and randomly
inspect 25 per cent of other vessels visiting
Australian ports
Source: Adapted from DASET (1992b).