Publications

Module 7

• Introduction
• Objectives
• Workshop Outline
• Materials Required
• Further Reading
• Activities
• Overhead Transparancies
• Resources
• Readings

Who Cares for Our Coast? Understanding How Our Coastal Zone is Managed

INTRODUCTION

This module presents a sequence of activities to increase the understanding of the goals, policies and opportunities for participation in the coastal planning process. It seeks to provide answers to the following questions:

• What are the goals that we, as a society, have agreed to about the use of coastal and marine environments?
• What special understandings do we need to interpret these goals?
• What structures, laws, processes and practices are currently in place to ensure the implementation of these goals?
• How can we have our say in the processes of deciding goals, in general, and in making specific decisions on developments that affect coastal and marine environments?

OBJECTIVES

The objectives of this workshop are:

• to explain the objectives of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD);
• to illustrate how ESD principles can be incorporated into coastal planning;
• to provide an overview of the structure of environmental planning processes, including an awareness of the agencies involved in decisions about the use of the coastal zone; and
• to identify opportunities for citizens to participate in the processes of coastal planning and approval of coastal development.

WORKSHOP OUTLINE

There are six activities in this workshop:

1. Introduction to the workshop
   The introduction provides a rationale for the need to understand how coastal policy is made, and the structures and processes in place to implement agreed goals for the future of the coastal zone.
2. What are the Goals of ESD?
   This section presents the terminology and concepts outlined in the Commonwealth Coastal Policy. The activity encourages the participants to become familiar with terms and concepts and, in particular, focuses on an understanding of 'sustainability' in the context of activities and developments within coastal zones.
3. Getting Past the Language
   

   This activity explores the meanings of common words that have particular definitions in the language of policy and planning. In particular, emotive connotations of some words are examined with the goal of promoting understanding of the processes of coastal planning.

4. How does Coastal Planning Work?
   This section examines the overall structure of planning processes and responsibilities, beginning at the Commonwealth level, focusing on the central role of State/Territory governments, and the implementation role of local government. The activity casts participants in the roles of the three levels of government and asks them to identify their involvement in evaluating the suitability of four hypothetical coastal developments. The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) process is discussed and the key tool of the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) is explored.
5. How Can the Public Be Involved?
   This section focuses on the role of the public in the coastal planning process. The activity is an extension of the previous activity, and asks participants to identify the points where public input is possible in the evaluation of four hypothetical development proposals. The various methods of public participation and their effectiveness are evaluated.
6. Summary
   This section provides a synthesis of the ideas in this workshop and an overview of the challenges in teaching the material.

MATERIALS REQUIRED

A. Provided

Overhead Transparencies
OHT 1:	Overview and Objectives of the Workshop
OHT 2:	ESD - Goal, Objectives and Guiding Principles
OHT 3:	Problems with the Present Management of the Coastal Zone
OHT 4:	Approaches to Environmental Planning
OHT 5:	What is Environmental Impact Assessment?
OHT 6:	Some Problems with the Environmental Planning Process
OHT 7:	Some Achievements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process
Resources
Resource 1:	Types of Coastal Developments and Activities
Resource 2:	Planning Terms and Definitions
Resource 3:	A Skin Cancer Policy: An Example of How Planning Terms are Used
Resource 4:	The Sustainability of Coastal Developments and Activities
Resource 5:	The Commonwealth Government Role in Coastal Planning and Management
Resource 6:	The State/Territory Role in Coastal Planning and Management
Resource 7:	The Local Government Role in Coastal Planning and Management
Resource 8:	Northern Territory - Government Agencies
Resource 9:	NSW - Government Agencies
Resource 10:	Victoria - Government Agencies
Resource 11:	Western Australia - Government Agencies
Resource 12:	South Australia - Government Agencies
Resource 13:	ACT - Government Agencies
Resource 14:	Tasmania - Government Agencies
Resource 15:	Queensland - Government Agencies
Resource 16:	Four Hypothetical Coastal Developments
Resource 17:	Generalised EIA Process for Major Developments
Resource 18:	Methods for Public Participation in Coastal Planning
Readings
Reading 1:	Why do We Need to Know about Coastal Planning?
Reading 2:	Terms and Definitions: A List for Facilitators
Reading 3:	How Does Coastal Planning Work?
Reading 4:	The Environmental Impact Assessment Process

B. To be obtained

Activity 2B:

• An atlas topographic map with details of coastal habitats in the chosen study area.
• Butcher paper and light-weight cardboard, blu-tac or similar to mount cardboard.
• Information on specific planning goals/policies of relevant local councils.
• Examples of how a planning process operates using local examples.
• A copy of an EIS for a local development.

Activity 3A:

• An envelope for each group of 3-4 participants containing slips of paper cut up from copies of Resource 3.

ADDITIONAL READING

Brown, A.L. and McDonald, G.T. (1995) From Environmental Impact Assessment to Environmental Design and Planning, Australian Journal of Environmental Management 2 (2).

Department of the Environment, Sport and Territories (1995) Living on the Coast: The Commonwealth Coastal Policy, Canberra.

Manuel, M., McElroy, B. and Smith, R. (1995) Coastal Conflicts, Cambridge University Press, Melbourne.

Resource Assessment Commission: Coastal Zone Inquiry, Final Report of the Resource Assessment Commission, November 1993, Resource Assessment Commission, Canberra.

Underwood, A.J. and Chapman, M.G. (eds) (1995) Coastal Marine Ecology of Temperate Australia, University of New South Wales Press, Sydney.

ACTIVITIES

1. Introduction

A. Workshop Outline

Show OHT 1 to provide an overview of the workshop.

B. Mini-lecture 1

Use Reading 1 to explain:

• why we need to communicate to participants an understanding of how coastal policy is made;
• the structures and processes in place to implement agreed goals; and
• why we need to know where and how the public can contribute to policies that affect the coastal zone.

2. What are the Goals of ESD

A. Mini-lecture 2

• It is important to start this section 'where the participants are at'. The facilitator can begin by canvassing the feelings and understandings of the participants regarding the coastal environment. Display OHT 7 from Module 1 to prompt participants to reflect on local experiences. Slides or photographs could also be used, preferably from your local area.
• What do we want from coastal habitats? Do we want them to stay exactly as they are now? Do we want them to be in better condition than they are now? Do participants want to show them to their children? Do they want to use them for recreation such as fishing?
• To improve the quality of these habitats now, and to have them in the future requires that we set out some goals for them. That is, we must decide what we want to happen to these habitats, and how we are going to achieve these goals. After asking many people what they want from our coastal environment, the Commonwealth and State/Territory Governments have adopted a major goal and some core objectives and guiding principles for our coastal environment. These stem from the National Strategy for Ecologically Sustainable Development.
• Display OHT 2, on the goal, core objectives and guiding principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD). These were incorporated within Living on the Coast: The Commonwealth Coastal policy which was published in 1995. Read out the goal. Explain that this is the first attempt to write out the long term goal for the coastal environment, and we need to understand what it says. Ask participants what they think phrases such as 'improves the quality of life' means and what 'maintains ecological processes' means.
• Read out the core objectives and guiding principles, stopping to ask the participants to define terms as they appear. The facilitator needs to judge the comprehension levels of participants carefully here, using as much time as needed to communicate the goal, objectives and guiding principles. When finished, ask for feedback. If feedback is negative or cynical, reassure participants that they will be learning about processes that will help achieve this goal.
• Explain that these are Australia's goals for all developments (and activities), not just those on the coast, and that some of the terms used here will be explained later.

B. Sustainable Uses of Coastal Habitats

• Ask the participants to make two lists on large pieces of butcher paper attached to a wall. The first will be a list of the coastal habitats in their area. The definition of 'area' should be considered beforehand by the facilitator. A State's coast will suffice in most cases, but for States with extensive coastlines, use a region of the coast. Ask participants to think carefully, then list the most extensive type of coastal habitat first, followed by the habitat that occupies the next greatest area, etc. This information can be verified using a coastal atlas or map that covers your chosen section of coast and other sources of information on the coast in your region.
• Start the second list by asking participants to list, in order of the amount of land they require, coastal developments or uses they know of. It does not matter if these developments or uses actually exist in the chosen coastal region. Participants may need prompting, so use Resource 2 to categorise their examples of developments and activities.
• Some of these activities use coastal resources in a sustainable way: that is, the activity can continue without harming the environment. Which activities are ecologically sustainable, according to the goal, objectives and principles presented earlier? Which are not sustainable? Which could be sustainable if changed in some way from their present practices? These activities can be summarised in a table (see Resource 4).
• Point out and discuss potential conflicts such as between the goal of conservation of marine life and fishing or harvesting from intertidal shores.
• Discuss recently developed or alternative ways that some uses of coastal habitats could be made sustainable. Which of these changes (including those to our lifestyles) could be made now? Which could be made more sustainable with improved technology? Which would require building new factories, processing plants or other large-scale actions that would require a lot of time and expense? Add this information to the table.
• Explain that in order to manage our coastal habitats, we not only need to understand which developments are (or can be) sustainable in which habitats, but how to go about deciding which ones get built. The next sections help to understand about the language and processes used in planning.

3. Getting Past the Language

This section is based around soliciting understandings of common terms and looking at how they are used in 'planning speak'. The overall aim is have participants understand the special uses of everyday terms and definitions of new ones. This section makes the understanding of planning structures and processes possible.

A. What are We Talking about Here?

• Divide the group into pairs and give each pair an envelope containing slips from Resource 3. Ask them to match the terms and their definitions.
• Ask the pairs to match the terms with their definitions, and place them in groups of related terms.
• Using Reading 2 on 'Terms and Definitions: A List for Facilitators', explain that some special meanings of words you already know are used in planning for our coast's future.
• Starting at the beginning of the terms in Reading 2, discuss the terms and definitions and note the connotations attached to some of their usage and definitions. Acknowledge that there may be some variations in the meanings of some terms in practice. Where negative connotations exist, explain the specialist use of the terms and the neutral connotations of the terms in this special application.
• Challenge the participants to apply their understanding of the terms by repeating the above activity using the worked example in Resource 3 (a hypothetical policy on avoiding skin cancer).
• Finally, ask the participants to make up their own policy (e.g. a fishing policy in their coastal zone), indicating goals, objectives, plans, and methods of implementation and enforcement. Prompt them to include various types of options including: no fishing, spearfishing, netting, fishing from boats, and types of gear commonly used for fishing: rod and reel, traps, nets, etc. This activity should be limited by the time available for the workshop .

4. How Does Coastal Planning Work?

A. Mini-lecture 3

• Use Reading 3 and Resource 5, Resource 6 and Resource 7 to explain the division of responsibilities for coastal planning. The following activity provides a practical example of this process - and might be done first, with the mini-lecture used as debriefing.

B. Planning for the Coast

• Divide participants into ten groups. The first group will represent the Commonwealth Government. Give them a copy of Resource 5. Groups 2-9 will represent State Governments. Give them a copy of Resource 6 and one of Resources 8-15 as appropriate. The last group will represent local governments. Give them a copy of Resource 7.
• Display the list of local coastal habitats and the second list of coastal developments that you made for Activity 2B. Distribute copies of Resource 16 which describes four hypothetical coast development proposals to each group. Depending on the amount of time available, ask each group to evaluate 1, 2, 3 or all of the hypothetical proposals. Participants are to assume that development applications have been made for each of the developments. Participants may assume that the proposals would be required to go through relevant Environmental Impact Assessment processes.
• Ask the groups to use the resources provided to identify which agencies and authorities will have a role in the approval of each of the development applications, and what their involvement would be. The local government group has the duty to report to the workshop on which government authorities they would need to consult.
• Debriefing: Did participants have enough information on the proposals? What additional information was needed? Were all the key environmental issues identified? What problems were encountered?

C. Problems With Coastal Planning Processes

• Display OHT 3. Many of the problems listed in OHT 3 relate to the lack of co-operation and communication in coastal planning. Display OHT 4 and, firstly, discuss the traditional approaches to planning. Some of these are still efficient planning tools, but how do they compare to newer techniques listed?
• Describe the Environmental Impact Assessment process using Reading 4, Resource 17 and OHT 5.
• Display OHT 6 and discuss specific problems with the Environmental Impact Assessment process.
• Display OHT 7 and discuss some of the achievements of the Environmental Impact Assessment process.

5. How Can the Public be Involved?

The aim of this section is to invite participants to identify points in the planning process and the Environmental Impact Assessment procedures where the public can have a voice.

• Distribute and explain the summary of the EIA process in Resource 17.
• Ask participants to highlight those steps in the EIA process where the public has input.
• Recall the hypothetical developments from Activity 4B. Were there opportunities for input from the public in the process of approval of those developments?
• The EIS process provides only one direct method for public involvement in planning decisions. Ask participants if they know of other ways the public can have input to decision making that affects the coast.
• Use Resource 18 to summarise the main methods and their relative effectiveness.
• Ask participants to think again about the process of approval for the hypothetical developments from Activity 4B. What kind of effect might each of the methods listed on Resource 18 have on decision makers? Give each one a score (e.g. A, B or C). Remind participants that supporting positive environmental measures may be as important as preventing unsustainable developments and activities. Local councils need support to implement preventive and ameliorative programmes.
• Summarise by acknowledging that while there appear to be few points at which the public can have input to the official planning process, many informal methods exist and can be effective. Ask for examples of these, and of the particular skills and resources a person or group needs.

6. Summary

• Review reasons for learning about coastal planning processes.
• Reinforce the idea that the public needs to understand and use the language, structures and processes involved in coastal planning.
• Acknowledge that there are problems with the way coastal planning currently works, but some of these problems are being addressed, and planning now has a consistent framework in which to operate.
• Review the achievements of, and problems with, our present system for the evaluation of environmental impacts, including the relatively few points at which the public can have a voice.
• Reinforce the idea that public input to the planning and environmental impact assessment processes, whether achieved using formal or informal methods, is vital if we are to achieve ecologically sustainable coastal systems.

OHT 1

Overview and Objectives of the Workshop

• What are the goals that we, as a society, have agreed to about the use of coastal and marine environments?
• What special understandings do we need to interpret these goals?
• What structures, laws, processes and practices are currently in place to ensure the implementation of these goals?
• How can we have our say in the processes of deciding goals, in general, and in making specific decisions on developments that affect coastal and marine environments?

Objectives

• To explain, in simple terms, the objectives of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD).
• To illustrate how ESD principles can be incorporated into coastal planning.
• To provide an overview of the structure of environmental planning processes, including the identification of the agencies involved in regulating the use of the coastal zone.
• To identify opportunities for citizens to participate in the processes of coastal planning and the approval of coastal developments.

OHT 2

Ecologically Sustainable Development: Goal, Objectives and Guiding Principles

The goal of ESD

Development that improves the total quality of life, both now and in the future, in a way that maintains the ecological processes on which life depends.

The core objectives of ESD

• to enhance individual and community well-being by following a path of economic development that safeguards the welfare of future generations;
• to provide for equity within and between generations; and
• to protect biological diversity and maintain essential ecological processes and life support systems.

The guiding principles of ESD

• Decision making processes should effectively integrate both long-term and short-term economic, environmental, social and equity considerations.
• Where there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental damage, lack of full scientific certainty should not be used as a reason for postponing measures to prevent environmental degradation.
• The global dimension of environmental impacts of actions and policies should be recognised and considered.
• The need to develop a strong, growing and diversified economy which can enhance the capacity for environmental protection should be recognised.
• The need to maintain and enhance international competitiveness in an environmentally sound manner should be recognised.
• Cost effective and flexible policy instruments should be adopted, such as improved valuation, pricing and incentive mechanisms.
• Decisions and actions should provide for broad community involvement on issues which affect them.

These guiding principles and core objectives need to be considered as a package. No objective or principle should predominate over the others. A balanced approach is required that takes into account all these objectives and principles to pursue the goal of ESD.

OHT 3

Some Problems with the Present Management of the Coast

The separation of responsibilities of the coastal zone between three levels of government and into separate compartments (eg. lands, forests and fisheries) results in decisions being made in one sector without consideration of the impact of the decision on other sectors. This is because:

• Responsibilities for and jurisdiction over sections of the coast are frequently overlapping and contentious.
• Over 1500 bodies from the three levels of government and over 900 regulatory systems are involved in some way with the regulation of land and building in the coastal zone.
• Approval procedures are often complex and inefficient, and integration and co-ordination between governmental bodies and agencies is frequently poor.
• Lack of 'strategic thinking' at all levels of government has lead to an accumulation of small decisions which, taken in isolation, are unobjectionable but, cumulatively, result in environmental and social problems.
• Lack of long-term planning and fragmentation of planning responsibilities means that large scale and long-term environmental problems are not addressed.
• The division of planning responsibilities along Local, State or Territory boundaries, rather than according to ecological or natural biophysical systems, hinders efforts to create effective conservation or buffer zones for marine organisms. Many marine organisms travel great distances during their juvenile (larval) stages, and others migrate as adults.
• Many local authorities have limited access to expertise over the broad range of areas needed to effectively manage the coastal zone, including engineering, planning, environmental, health sciences and financial expertise.
• Existing systems for approving developments focus on the particular development proposed, in isolation from broader ecological, social, cultural and economic considerations.
• Many people feel that government authorities do not give sufficient weight to the principle of public participation.

OHT 4

Approaches To Environmental Planning

Some Older Tools for Environmental Planning

• Declaration of areas for nature reserves
• Pollution control (attached to the conditions for the licence)
• Local zoning controls to separate incompatible land uses
• Fishing regulations (bag and size limits)

Recent Trends in Environmental Impact Assessment and Planning

• Application of principles and guidelines of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD)
• Strategic Planning
• Bio-regional planning (eg. Total Catchment Management planning)
• Integrated development approval systems, including co-operation between government authorities (as in the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment)
• Green Plans
• Environmental performance and ambient environmental quality standards (eg. ANZECC water quality guidelines)

OHT 5

What is Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA)?

• EIA is a process which involves planners, managers, economists, scientists, engineers and other professionals, ideally interacting with all levels of government and government policy and the community. To make a decision about the effects of a specific development or activity based on the compatibility of the proposed development or activity with mutually agreed goals.
• Specifically, the process involves:

  • Predicting the effects of specific human activities on the natural environment;

  • Evaluating the loss or gain to the natural environment from specific human activities;
  • Measuring the loss or gain to the natural environment resulting from specific human activities (ie monitoring); and
  • Comparing the effects of the proposal on the natural environment with other possible options (including the option of 'no development').
• An important tool in the EIA process is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS), a document that should predict the effects on, and evaluate the loss or gain to, the natural environment due to the proposed development or activity.

Proponents of coastal developments include (listed in order of the number of developments proposed)

• Private companies
• Private citizens
• Government authorities
• Local councils
• Church organisations

Consent authorities (or 'approving authorities') are those governments and government authorities who have the power to accept or reject a particular proposal. They include:

• Local Councils - 85%
• Government Authorities - 14%

  Breakdown (% is given out of 14%):

  • Federal - 5.7%
  • State - 79%
  • Regional - 15.2%

OHT 6

Problems with the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

• Ineffective in terms of the net improvements to environmental outcomes
• Procedurally inefficient with excessive costs and delays
• Based on inadequate scientific validity, particularly in terms of prediction and evaluation of project-induced changes
• Reactive, rather than being anticipatory, preventive and proactive on proposals
• Unsuited to dealing with cumulative effects of activities and decisions
• Often inadequate in terms of public involvement in the process and not seen to be independent
• The focus of the process on one EIS precludes consideration of the cumulative effect of past and future planning decisions.

OHT 7

Achievements of the Environmental Impact Assessment Process

1. Involved new and beneficial players in the planning and design process including:
   • academics not previously involved in planning activities (ecologists, anthropologists, etc)
   • the public, both directly and indirectly
   • non-government organisations.
2. Encouraged the development of predictive and evaluative models (in the pollution area, for example) to assist with assessment.
3. Stimulated the environmental education of many players in the development process, eg. engineers, planners, proponents, lawyers and decision-makers.
4. Encouraged a greening of the boardroom - fewer environmentally unsound projects go on to the drawing board.
5. Facilitated the development of environmental policies, guidelines, principles, ethics, mission statements and responsibilities in a diverse range of organisations, eg. private enterprise, government instrumentalities, and professional organisations.
6. Acted as a vanguard for institutional and corporate mainstreaming of action in the environmental area, laying the foundations for environmental auditing and the adoption of sustainable development policies.

Resource 1

Types of Coastal Developments and Activities

(In alphabetical order by category)

Extractive Industries Mining Dredging Farming Agricultural crops Grazing Intensive animal production Fisheries Commercial Fishing Recreational Fishing Bait Collecting Aquaculture Forestry Wood for Building Industries Wood Products Manufacturing Industrial Goods Goods for domestic consumption or export Export products Chemicals, including medical drugs, paints, plastics, etc. Oil, Gas and Offshore Engineering Oil Production for Domestic and Industrial Uses Petroleum for Domestic and Industrial Uses

Recreation Swimming Boating (sail boats, power boats, jet skis, paddle boats) Surfing Snorkelling and SCUBA Diving Picnicking Bush Walking Camping Bird Watching Golfing Parasailing Services Production of Electricity, Gas and Water Processing and Disposing of Wastes (liquid and solid) Social Services (Education, Health) Tourism Resort Development Domestic or Overseas Tourism Transport and Its Related Infrastructure Roads Railways Shipping Ports Urban Developments Housing Strip developments Commercial developments

Resource 2

Planning Terms and Definitions

Resource 3

A Skin Cancer Policy: An example of how planning terms are used

Goal: We would all agree that avoiding skin cancer is a good idea. We agree that avoiding skin cancer would benefit both individuals, who would be spared suffering and shortened lives, and our society as a whole by avoiding unnecessary medical expenses and social disruption caused by premature deaths.

Medical research indicates clearly that prolonged exposure to the sun which results in sunburn early in life greatly increases the chances of developing skin cancer later in life, so...

Objective: To have participants understand the seriousness of skin cancer and how to prevent it.

Plan: Young children and students should avoid exposure to the sun.

Policy: Students should wear hats and sunscreen when outdoors.

Implementation:

Step 1: Participants will be taught about the dangers of exposure to the sun and how to prevent skin cancer

Step 2: Participants will wear hats and sunscreen to school

Step 3: Free hats and sunscreen will be provide if participants cannot afford to buy them.

Note here that the method of implementation largely depends on the jurisdiction of the implementing agency. A school can only implement this plan when participants are at school: they have no means to implement or enforce this plan when participants are not at school.

Enforcement:

Level 1: Participants without hats on will be asked to put one on when outside.

Level 2: Participants outside without hats must go inside.

Level 3: Participants found outside without hats will have privileges withdrawn.

Level 4: Participants found outside without hats will be punished with some form of detention.

At this point, a healthy discussion may follow about the level to which enforcement of a policy, in pursuit of a goal, should or can be taken in a democratic society. In such a discussion participants will be required to consider different viewpoints and develop rational arguments.

Resource 4

The Sustainability of Coastal Developments and Activities

Coastal Habitat __________________________________

Sustainable Development or Activity	Unsustainable Development or Activity	Major Reason for Lack of Sustainability	Could be Sustainable if Altered (yes/no)	Alterations to Developments and Activities Possible Now	Alterations to Developments and Activities Possible Later

Resource 5

The Commonwealth Government Role in Coastal Planning and Management

Where?

From 3 NM to 12 NM out to sea and beyond to the 200 NM Exclusive Economic Zone.

Responsibility

Interstate and overseas trade and commerce, fisheries in Australian waters beyond state boundaries, defence, lighthouses, quarantine, corporations, petroleum and minerals beyond 3 NM, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander affairs, territories, external affairs such as treaties, taxation and financial assistance to states.

Some Legislation that Affects Coastal Planning and Management

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act, Amendment Act
Whale Protection Act
Endangered Species Protection Act
Australian Fisheries Management Act
Australian Heritage Commission Act
Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act
Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act
Lands Acquisition Act
National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act
National Water Resources (Financial Assistance) Act
Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act
Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act
Environmental Protection (Alligator River Region) Act

Treaties:

• Japan-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement
• China-Australia Migratory Bird Agreement
• MARPOL (International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from ships)
• Ramsar Convention (Wetlands of International Importance)
• Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (Bonn Convention)
• Convention on Biological Diversity
• UN Framework Convention on Climate Change
• Convention for conservation of the Southern Blue Fin Tuna
• Convention on Law of the Sea

Some Commonwealth Agencies that Relate to Coastal Planning and Management

Environment Australia

• Portfolio Marine Group: Marine Programme (including Marine Protected Areas), Oceans Policy, Commonwealth Coastal Policy
  
• Biodiversity Group: Marine Wildlife Conservation Programme, Migratory Species Programme, Wetlands Conservation and Management Program, Endangered Species Program
  
• Australian and World Heritage Group: National Estate Program
  
• Environment Protection Group: Environmental Impact Assessment, National Pollution Inventory, Assessment and management of contaminated sites, Maritime accidents and pollution initiative
  
• Environment Priorities and Coordination Group: ERIN, ANZECC Water Quality Guidelines

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)

• Research, management and conservation of the Great Barrier Reef
  
• State of the Marine Environment Report

Australian Institute of Marine Sciences (AIMS)

• Research and training

Australian Fisheries Management Authority (AFMA)

• Fisheries management in the Australian zone
  
• Fisheries adjustment programme

Fisheries Research and Development Corporation (FRDC)

• Aquaculture programme

Commonwealth Science and Industry Research Organisation (CSIRO)

• Coastal Zone Research Program

Department of Primary Industry and Energy (DPIE)

• Recreational fishing policy
  
• Offshore minerals and petroleum exploration and development
  
• Strategy on Aquaculture
  
• Commonwealth Fisheries Policy
  
• International Fisheries Policy
  
• Fisheries Action Program

Department of Industry, Science and Tourism (DIST)

• MARINET: Marine networking programme
  
• Science and Technology Awareness Program

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Commission (ATSIC)

• Employment development
  
• Land ownership and management
  
• Aboriginal heritage protection

Department of Communication and the Arts (DCA)

• Indigenous cultural heritage protection
  
• Historic shipwrecks programme

Australian Quarantine Inspection Service (AQIS)

• Quarantine research and monitoring (Ballast Water)

Providers of Information and Resources:

• Bureau of Resource Sciences
  
• Bureau of Meteorology: Marine weather, oceanographic data, Hydrographic Services (including nautical charts)

Resource 6

The State/Territory Role in Coastal Planning and Management

Where?

Within State or Territory boundaries which includes the water and seabed up to 3 NM out to sea.

Responsibility

• All areas not specified as Commonwealth Government responsibilities, including: planning, development control, beach protection, fisheries management within the 3 NM boundary (and for specific fisheries co-managed with the Commonwealth Government), forestry, environmental protection, creation of national parks and reserves, aquaculture, port authorities, management of most public land, specific statutes for coastal protection.
• States give power to the relevant authorities and related agencies responsible for: water, sewage, port services, roads, pollution management, national parks and reserves.

Legislation, Planning Powers and Related Activities that Affect Coastal Planning and Management

• 'Lands Acts'
• 'Local Government Acts'
• Making, approving, altering regional environmental plans, directing the making and approval of local environmental plans.
• Hearing appeals against local decisions or conditions of approval.
• Providing system for Environmental Impact Assessment.

Resource 7

Local Government Role in Coastal Planning and Management

Where?

Within boundaries of local government.

Responsibility

• Day-to day implementation of regional and local environmental plans and local aspects of state and federal programmes (eg. Coastcare projects)
• Public health, waste disposal, swimming, foreshore management, tree preservation, management of land (including bush land), building approvals, development approvals, rezoning and subdivision of land (in compliance with state guidelines).

Legislation that Affects Coastal Planning and Management

A wide variety of laws and regulations required to implement and administer their areas of responsibility. Committees with authority to plan and implement coastal policies (which must conform to state guidelines), including representatives from the public.

Resource 8

Northern Territory - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Public land management: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Environment: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

National parks and reserves: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Soil conservation: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Water management: Power and Water Authority

Forest management: Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Ports: Darwin Port Authority

Fisheries: Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries

Mining: Department of Mines and Energy

Pollution Control: Environment Protection Division, Department of Lands, Planning and Environment

Resource 9

New South Wales - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Urban Affairs and Planning

Public land management: Department of Land and Water onservation

Environment: New South Wales Environment Protection Authority

National parks and reserves: Department of Land and Water Conservation - National Parks and Wildlife Service

Soil conservation: Department of Land and Water Conservation

Water management: Department of Land and Water Conservation (policy and planning), Public Works and Services (construction)

Forest management: Department of Land and Water Conservation - Forestry Commission of NSW

Ports: Port Corporations (Wollongong, Sydney, Newcastle), Office of Maritime Safety & Ports Strategy (regional ports)

Waterways: Waterways Authority

Fisheries: NSW Fisheries

Mining: Department of Mineral Resources

Pollution Control: NSW Environment Protection Authority

Resource 10

Victoria - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Ministry for Planning and Environment

Public land management: Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Environment: Victorian Environment Protection Authority

National parks and reserves: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, National Parks Service

Soil conservation: Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Water management: Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Forest management: Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Ports and Waterways: Ministry of Transport, Port Authorities, Victorian Channels Authority

Fisheries: Department of Natural Resources and Environment, Fisheries Branch

Mining: Department of Natural Resources and Environment

Pollution Control: Victorian Environment Protection Authority

Resource 11

Western Australia - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Planning and Urban Development, Department of Land Administration, Department of Conservation and Land Management

Public land management: Department of Conservation and Land Management, Department of Land Administration

Environment: Western Australia Environment Protection Authority

National parks and reserves: Department of Conservation and Land Management

Soil conservation: Department of Conservation and Land Management, Department of Agriculture

Water management: Western Australian Waterways Commission, Water Authority of Western Australia

Forest management: Department of Conservation and Land Management

Ports: Department of Transport and Statutory Port Authorities

Fisheries: Fisheries Department of Western Australia

Mining: Department of Minerals and Energy

Pollution Control: WA Environment Protection Authority

Resource 12

South Australia - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Housing and Urban Development, South Australian Planning Commission

Public land management: Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Environment: Department of Environment and Natural Resources

National parks and reserves: Department of Environment and Natural Resources Soil conservation: Department of Primary Industries

Water management: Engineering and Water Supply Department, Department of Environment and Natural Resources

Forest management: Department of Primary Industries

Ports: Department of Transport

Fisheries: Department of Primary Industries: Fisheries Division

Mining: Department of Mines and Energy

Pollution Control: SA Environment Protection Authority

Resource 13

ACT - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Urban Services: ACT Planning Authority

Public land management: Department of Urban Services, ACT Parks and Conservation Service

Environment: Department of Urban Services: Environment Protection Service

National parks and reserves: ACT Parks and Conservation Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service

Soil conservation: ACT Parks and Conservation Service

Water management: ACT Electricity and Water

Forest management: ACT Forests Conservation Service

Fisheries: Department of Urban Services: Conservation and Land Management: Wildlife Research Unit

Mining: Department of Planning and Land Management

Pollution Control: Department of Urban Services: Environment Protection Service

Resource 14

Tasmania - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Environment and Land Management - Planning Division

Public land management: Department of Environment and Land Management - Tasmanian Property Services Group

Environment: Department of Environment and Land Management - Environmental Management Division

National parks and reserves: Department of Environment and Land Management - Parks and Wildlife Service

Soil conservation: Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries

Water management: Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries - Rivers and Water Supply Commission

Forest management: Department of State Development and Resources

Ports: Marine Boards and Port Authorities

Fisheries: Department of Primary Industry and Fisheries

Mining: Department of State Development and Resources

Pollution Control: Department of Environment and Land Management - Environmental Management Division

Resource 15

Queensland - Government Agencies

Agencies with responsibilities for coastal zone developments

Planning: Department of Housing, Local Government and Planning, Department of Lands

Public land management: Department of Lands

Environment: Department of Environment - Environment Division

National parks and reserves: Department of Environment - Queensland National Parks and Wildlife Service

Soil conservation: Department of Natural Resources, Department of Primary Industries

Water management: Department of Natural Resources

Forest management: Department of Natural Resources

Ports: Department of Transport

Fisheries: Department of Primary Industries

Mining: Department of Minerals and Energy

Pollution Control: Department of Environment - Environment Division

Resource 16

Four Hypothetical Coastal Developments/Activities

1. Proposal to Build a Tourism Resort

• Proposed site is on the bank of a river adjacent to a World Heritage-listed wilderness area.
• Wilderness area contains a wetland which is a feeding area for migratory birds.
• Littoral rainforest covers part of the proposed building site, other parts of the building site have been used as pastureland.
• Fauna recorded upstream of the building site include platypus, but the most recent data are ten years old
• A recent survey of sediments in the catchment of the river indicate a potential for acid sulphate soils

2. Proposal to Build a New Housing Development

• The proposal calls for 400 new houses to be built on land formerly occupied by the military, a multi-purpose indoor recreational facility, additional roads and a small parcel of land set aside to extend the adjacent National Park.
• The land is steep and subject to erosion.
• The land has a high commercial potential as it affords views to a scenic coastal lagoon.
• Existing bushland is partially degraded, but is the last remaining bushland near the city.

3. Proposal to Dredge off the East Coast for Sand for the Building Industry

• Proposal to dredge large sand body off shore by removing top 5 metres in long strips parallel to the coast.
• Little information is available on the role of the sand habitat in the offshore ecosystem.
• There is an incomplete understanding of the dynamics of sand movement on and off shore .
• Beaches adjacent to the proposed dredging operation are famous and a draw card for tourism.
• There is little understanding of the potential for dredged sand to be contaminated with heavy metals.
  

4. Changes to the Operation of a Sewage Treatment Plant

• In response to a growing population the local waste water authority is seeking approval to extend and upgrade the sewage treatment plant currently discharging secondary treated sewage effluent into the estuary.
• The upgraded plant would discharge approximately ten times as much effluent as is currently being disposed.
• The quality of the treated effluent in the upgraded plant would allow the discharge waters to meet Australian and New Zealand Environment and Conservation Council (ANZECC) water quality criteria for estuaries.
• The upgraded plant would have an increased capacity to contain wet water flows, but excess effluent would be discharged into estuary during wet weather.
• Two areas upstream of the discharge point are used to collect spat for the oyster industry. These spat as transferred to other estuaries for grow-out.
• A now disused industrial plant upriver from the treatment plant may have left a legacy of heavy metals in the sediments of the estuary.

Resource 17

Generalised Environmental Impact Assessment Process for Major Developments

Resource 17

Resource 18

Methods that can be Used by the Public to Contribute to the Process of Coastal Planning

Direct Methods	Effectiveness	Indirect Methods	Effectiveness
Respond as a member of the general public to specific developments when Environmental Impact Statements are publicly exhibited.		Participate in appropriate campaigns staged by large environmental / conservation groups.
Respond to specific developments as a member of an organisation dedicated to a particular coastal habitat: eg Dunecare, Bush Regeneration, 'Save Our Local Lagoon', Surf Riders, etc. or dedicated to a particular group of plants or animals (eg. Native plant groups, bird groups, etc.).		Get involved with professional organisations with an interest in the coastal environment.
Participate in community consultation processes at the local level. Main avenue is sitting as a community representative on local management committees such as those for catchments, estuaries, the coast and floodplains.		Write letters or faxes to your local newspaper indicating your support for or objection to particular policies or proposals.
Attend local council meetings and respond to opportunities for public input on decisions that affect the coast.		Encourage education about coastal habitats at your school, and focus on hands-on activities such as Streamwatch or CoastCare.
Volunteer for clean-up and remediation oriented projects organised or supported by your council.		Modify your own lifestyle regarding consumption of coastal resources.
Write letters or faxes to your local council indicating your support for or objection to particular policies or proposals.

Reading 1

Why do We Need to Know about Coastal Planning

We have passed the stage of 'raising awareness' regarding the importance of environmental issues. Indeed, we may have created another demon of modern life: people who are frightened and powerless in the face of what they perceive as a downward spiral of environmental health. The next step in this process is upon us: educating a generation of Australians to have some understanding of how ecosystems work, the threats to them and, perhaps, most importantly, instilling in them an understanding of how they, as informed, concerned citizens, can have a voice in the processes that affect the environment. For the majority of young Australians, this means the changes that affect the coastal environment as over 80% of the Australian population lives within the coastal zone.

We must now address several real and diverse needs of people if we are to educate an informed, thinking populace that can act effectively on issues of concern. These needs can be divided into four broad categories.

1. We need some scientifically based understanding of the way coastal and marine ecosystems work, even if this understanding is selective, localised and incomplete, as it usually will be for most of us.
2. We need an understanding of the overall goals we, as a society, have agreed to, via the election of national, state/territory and local governments, and the interpretation of those goals for coastal and marine environments.
3. We need an understanding of the structures in place to implement these goals. This includes an understanding of how the three levels of governments interact and share responsibilities for formulating goals, plans, policies and implementing agreed goals for coastal and marine environments.
4. Perhaps most importantly, we need an understandings of how we can act as informed, concerned citizens to shape the agreed goals and specific decisions that affect coastal and marine environments.

These educational objectives are essential if we are to consolidate the efforts of the last decades that focused on raising awareness of the changing status of our coastal environment. To fail to do so runs the risk of creating a generation (or more) of Australians with a cynical, powerless outlook on environmental issues. We run the risk of endless apathy if we fail to provide people with the information, both in the environmental and social fields, that they need to work together for social change.

The topic of coastal planning is inherently interdisciplinary. This interdisciplinary approach to coastal and marine topics is to be encouraged as it reflects the reality of life in the coastal zone. The decisions that society makes are not based on one actor alone: they are the result of complex interactions that involve many people and areas of expertise - scientists who provide information about the environment, users of resources such as commercial and recreational fishers, developers, conservationists and the three levels of government whose job it is to manage common resources.

While any level of understanding of the processes involved in decision-making and implementation of agreed policies is desirable, it is recognised that the inherent complexity of the topic requires high level decision making skills. The ideas in this module can serve to equip teachers with the concepts and some strategies for equipping students with the understanding they need to participate in the future of their environment. As such, coastal policy and planning should be considered a priority learning area for all Australian students, particularly for the majority whose livelihood depends on the coast.

Reading 2

Terms and Definitions: A List for Facilitators

This list is a guide to how the language of planners relates to everyday language. The terms are defined not from a dictionary, but by how they are used in practice. Note that the use of the terms will vary depending on common usage. Examples are given from coastal and marine planning to clarify meanings.

Goals: Things we've decided or agreed we would like. A goal is usually considered the endpoint of some endeavour.

Objectives: A list of things we would like to happen, or that need to happen to achieve a goal.

Plan: A list of things to do to achieve the goal(s). A plan sets out intended activities over a specific period of time.

Policy: A set of guidelines or principles for decisions and actions that allow, encourage or cause the goal to be achieved.

Implementation: Specific steps or actions to achieve the goal, or create conditions so that the goal can be achieved.

Enforcement: Monitoring the specific steps and actions to make sure the goal can be achieved and maintained.

Management: A rather broadly used term in planning that means the execution of all the steps involved in coastal planning. Managing a coastal habitat or region involves all the steps defined above, but also specifically refers to the day-to-day implementation and enforcement of policies.

Programmes: These are usually projects or a related group of activities such as research, monitoring, surveying, etc. that are targeted to one particular issue. In planning language, programmes and strategies may be interchangeable terms. A specific, targeted Commonwealth Programme is the Marine Protected Areas Programme, which is one part of the Marine Programme (formerly known as Ocean Rescue 2000), which is overseen by the Marine Portfolio Group of Environment Australia. This programme aims to establish a system of marine protected areas that are representative of all marine habitats Australia-wide.

Strategies: These are usually sets of principles and programmes that steer the development of specific policies, and can be specific or broad in scope. An example of a broad strategy is the Commonwealth Coastal Action Programme which aims to improve the planning and management of Australia's coastal habitats through a number of measures, including better communication amongst government authorities and the improvement of professional education and training for those involved in coastal management. An example of a more specific strategy is the National Strategy on Aquaculture which aims to provide a framework for orderly development of the aquaculture industry to maximise efficiencies and competitive advantages.

Legislation: The act of making laws on statutes; a document describing a law or statute. For example, all fisheries management plans, rules and regulations under the jurisdiction of the Commonwealth Government are legalised under the Fisheries Management Act 1991. Each State/Territory also has legislation that formalises the management of fisheries under their jurisdiction. Some State/Territory governments give the responsibility for everyday management of the coast to local councils. Land Use Zoning, the regulations that set out the details of allowed developments, is a commonly used example of a planning tool or instrument.

Management Plans: These are documents that describe how the agreed goals will be achieved and set out a time table for their completion. They may be broad in scope, such as in a Strategic Plan, or a more specific management plan that applies to one habitat, such as an Estuary Management Plan.

Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA): The term for the process that evaluates the potential effects of a proposed development or activity on the environment. States/Territories are responsible for providing the structures, support and processes involved in EIA, although Commonwealth activities are regulated by the Environment Protection Impact Proposals Act 1974. Ideally, an EIA process should examine the economic, social, cultural and environmental effects of a proposal within the framework of the principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development. The process should involve managers, planners, policy makers, scientists, engineers and the public.

Environmental Impact Statement (EIS): A sub-set of the EIA process - a report that summarises and evaluates the potential effects of a specific development on the environment. Not all developments must have an EIS prepared, but large projects usually require one. Each State/Territory determines which proposals require an EIS to be prepared. In all States and Territories, the public is given an opportunity to comment on the EIS in writing. EISs are paid for by the proponent of the development and usually involve a variety of specialists such as water quality experts, hydrologists, pollution specialists, planners, ecologists and engineers.

Proponent: The 'body' that puts forward a proposal for a development or an activity. Proponents can be individuals, companies, groups of people or authorities from any of the three levels of government.

'Approving Authority' or Consent Authority: This refers to the authority or agency that has the power to decide on the fate of development proposals. For proposals that are assessed to be minor or limited in scope, a local council is usually the consent authority. In such cases the proposed project is planned to be built or carried out on land zoned under a Local Environment Plan (LEP) For larger, more significant proposals that potentially have a great impact, the State/Territory planning authority (usually the Minister for Planning or similar title) appoints the consent authority, based on the nature and scope of the proposal. For example, the consent authority for a major proposal for mining in the coastal zone would be the authority that regulates extractive industries in that State/Territory. In some cases the proponent and the consent authority could be the same body.

Reading 3

How Does Coastal Planning Work?

Coastal management and planning is very complex, involving all three levels of government (Commonwealth, State or Territory and Local) and a stunning number of authorities, agencies, programmes, strategies, policies and regulatory systems. We need first to look at how the present system works, and will examine problems with it later.

The management of our coastal zone reflects the structure and powers of government. The Australian Constitution sets out the specific powers of the Commonwealth Government; powers not specified (or implied) by the Constitution rest with State/Territory governments. Thus, the laws that provide for the planning and management of the coast are mainly made by the States or Territories, given that they are consistent with Commonwealth law. The State/Territory legislature often delegates the day-to-day running of the coastal zone to local councils. However, the Commonwealth Government has responsibilities in the coastal zone because some issues that affect the coastal zone are Australia-wide, or even international in scope, and the Commonwealth Government has jurisdiction over these issues.

Resource 5 presents the Commonwealth Government roles in coastal planning and management, including the area of their jurisdiction, what activities they are responsible for, and some of the Commonwealth legislation affecting coastal planning and management. It also details which agencies have roles in coastal planning and management.

Resource 6 presents the State or Territory Governments roles in coastal planning and management, including the area of their jurisdiction, some of the many activities they are responsible for and some of the legislation which affects coastal planning and management.

Resource 7 presents the Local Government roles in coastal planning and management, including the area of their jurisdiction, what activities they are responsible for. The legislation used by local governments varies greatly from place to place, but the power to pass and act on the legislation is controlled by the State/Territory Government. In effect, Local Government is responsible for the day-to-day implementation of coastal policies. It also are responsible for implementing Commonwealth Government programmes at the local level, such as the Landcare and Coastcare programmes.

Overlaid on this three-part division of responsibilities for the coastal zone is the source of funds to implement coastal policies. The Commonwealth Government has the power to collect taxes and distributes that money to the States and Territories to carry out local policies. Local Government has only limited powers to collect taxes (usually in the form of rates) and, hence to a large extent, is dependent on the allocation of funds from the State and, ultimately, the Commonwealth Government to implement coastal policies. There are, however, increasing numbers of projects that are jointly funded by various combinations of Commonwealth, State and Local Governments.

Given this division of responsibilities and complexities in funding, it is not surprising that there are some significant problems with effective coastal zone management. The Resource Assessment Commission spent several years studying the current status of coastal management and resources in their 'Coastal Zone Inquiry'. OHT 3 summarises its findings regarding the present management of the coast.

The direction coastal management is taking is illustrated in OHT 4. Comparison between the older tools used for environmental planning and those currently being implemented demonstrate that planners and the public are becoming aware that local decisions must be set into a broader framework to ensure the integrity of the coastal zone.

Reading 4

The Environmental Impact Assessment Process

The method by which decisions are made regarding the suitability of specific proposals is called Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA). This is a relatively new process, and supporting legislation for the process is less than twenty years old in most States/Territories, and is still being developed now in others. The goals of an EIA, ideally, should be consistent with those of Ecologically Sustainable Development, but are applied only to the specific proposal under consideration. With respect to the natural environment, they include:

• a complete description of the proposal and the environment(s) likely to be affected;
• a clear indication of the environmental issues that are likely to be important for the development ('scoping');
• an evaluation of all aspects of the proposal on natural environments;
• the prediction of the effects of the specific proposal on the natural environment;
• an evaluation of the loss or gain to the natural environment likely to occur if the proposal proceeds;
• the measurement of change to the natural environment resulting from the proposed activity (ie monitoring);
• methods to be taken to ameliorate environmental impacts; and
• comparison among alternative developments, including the option of no development.

The measurement of potential changes to the natural environment is an important but often ignored aspect of the EIA process. If measurement of change to natural environments is not done after the development or activity commences, then we will never know how that development actually affected the environment. This lack of knowledge about specific impacts means that we are less able to predict the effects on similar proposals in the future.

The end product of the EIA process is advice on decisions to approve or reject a specific development or activity based on the compatibility of the proposal with stated goals and standards. The Commonwealth and State/Territory governments agree with the goals and principles of Ecologically Sustainable Development and are currently drafting and implementing legislation that gives legal support to these goals and principles. Recent efforts have seen policy statements and legislation at the State/Territory and Commonwealth levels that support the implementation of those goals into coastal planning processes. Local governments, also, are responding to the challenge of implementing the goals and principles of ESD. The adoption of ESD goals, principles and objectives has provided a more comprehensive framework in which to plan coastal developments at all levels of government.

Ideally, EIA involves a wide range of professionals (planners, managers, economists, scientists, engineers, etc), levels of government, government legislation and the public. The general process is shown in Resource 17, but it is important to understand that processes in each State/Territory and Commonwealth level do vary (see Resources 5-15). For example, the Commonwealth process is not an approval process, in itself, but one which provides advice and information for other approval processes in order to ensure that matters affecting the environment are fully considered in Government decision making.

A major tool of the EIA process is the Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). This is usually a lengthy, technical document (often with multiple appendices) which compiles the assessment and evaluations of numerous specialists such as planners, traffic engineers, civil engineers, historians, anthropologists, air and water quality specialists, hydrographers, biologists, ecologists, fisheries experts, aquaculture experts, specialists in sewage pollution, wetland remediation, ground water pollution, and others. For large proposals EISs may take more than a year to complete. They are paid for by the proponent of the proposed development or activity. The completed EIS is exhibited publicly and comments can be made in written form by any person or organisation. The proponents are required to respond to the public comments as part of the approval process. If the planning authority assesses the EIS to be inadequate in some way, or the proposal has initiated a high level of public concern, it may request a hearing of further information in the form of a Commission of Inquiry (this term varies). A final decision is then made to allow the proposal to proceed, or to prevent the development or activity. The consent authority usually imposes conditions to approved proposals. There may include measures to reduce environmental impacts during construction or, less frequently, monitor the effects of the development on the environment.

Not all proposals require an EIS. For proposals that are likely to have small or limited environmental effects, approval of the development may require no EIS-type study. In some other states, the decision regarding the requirement for an EIS is made on a case by case basis. In general, large developments and activities require the preparation of an EIS as part of the approval process.

The process of EIA and, specifically, the key role of the EIS is less than perfect. Many criticisms have been made of the process, and some of these are listed in OHT 6. Perhaps one of the most important criticisms in light of the widespread adoption of the goals and principles of ESD is that the process focuses too narrowly on the quality of the EIS, making the process a reactive one which responds on an ad hoc basis to submitted proposals, rather than being anticipatory, preventive and proactive. A second important flaw is that the opportunity for input to the process by the public is generally seen to be too little too late. However, there are some important achievements of EIA, notable when the relatively short history of the process is considered. Some of these are summarised in OHT 7. In summary, EIA is a necessary, if flawed, process that has the potential to improve the nature of coastal management throughout Australia.