Program 5.1: Environment Protection and Heritage Conservation
Deliverables
2011–12 Results
Provision of funding to assist the protection, conservation and promotion of nationally significant heritage places.
$20 million provided to the Victorian Government for the protection and promotion of the Royal Exhibition Building. $4.5 million for the eradication of rodents on Lord Howe Island. Grant programs were successfully administered, delivering funding to support heritage protection, conservation and interpretation. $7.9 million was provided to 235 projects to assist the protection, conservation and promotion of nationally significant heritage places.
Development of an Australian Heritage Strategy, which provides national leadership in heritage management, conservation and celebration.
Consultation continues on the development of the Australian Heritage Strategy. It is anticipated that the final strategy will be released in the final quarter of 2012–13.
Provision of advice and direction on effective management practices for nationally significant heritage places.
Advice provided to New South Wales and Queensland governments to facilitate the drafting of a Strategic Overview for management of the Gondwana Rainforests of Australia World and National Heritage place.
Fund the state and territory National Trusts to enhance and promote Australia’s heritage.
$970,000 provided for 10 projects in 2011–12.
Assist Papua New Guinea to identify and protect the values of the Kokoda Track and surrounding region.
Under the Kokoda Initiative, $4.391 million was provided to meet the long-term objective of the sustainable development of the Owen Stanley Ranges, Brown River Catchment and Kokoda Track Region and protection of its special natural, cultural and historical values by working towards the five goals set out in the Second Joint Understanding (2010–15) between Papua New Guinea and Australia.
Assist Pacific Island countries to manage and protect their World Heritage sites.
Assistance provided through the Australian Funds-In-Trust for projects in 4 countries (Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Cambodia). Activities also included a regional workshop on World Heritage, and support for attendance of representatives from Pacific Island Countries to the World Heritage Committee meeting. Pacific Public Sector Linkage Program activities for strengthening World Heritage and protected area governance are being successfully implemented in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
Funding provided for projects to celebrate nationally significant historical places [$].
$4.425m
$8.49 million was provided to 235 projects to assist the protection, conservation and promotion of nationally significant heritage places.
Countries assisted in our region to identify or protect their World Heritage [#].
3
Assistance provided through the Australian Funds-In-Trust for projects in four countries (Vanuatu, Papua New Guinea, Tonga and Cambodia). Activities also included a regional workshop on World Heritage and support for attendance of representatives from Pacific Island Countries to the World Heritage Committee meeting. Pacific Public Sector Linkage Program activities for strengthening World Heritage and protected area governance are being successfully implemented in Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea.
Projects funded to protect and conserve nationally significant historical heritage places (including memorials to eminent Australians) [#].
20
45 (consisting of 33 places for Protecting National Historic sites, 6 for Commemorating Eminent Australians and six for Recovering from Natural Disasters).
Funding provided to state and territory agencies to help protect and manage shipwrecks and their relics that are in waters covered by the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 [$].
$0.44m
Nationally, a significant amount of work was delivered in 2011–12 against the Historic Shipwreck Program’s 6 objectives of: administration; Australian national shipwreck database; shipwreck survey, site monitoring and fieldwork; community engagement; conservation, research and publication; and other activities.
Grants provided to identify, conserve and protect Australia’s Indigenous Heritage [#] [$].
The Indigenous Heritage Program provided $3.6 million to 45 projects to identify, conserve and promote Indigenous heritage places. The program was successfully administered, delivering funding to Indigenous communities to support heritage protection, conservation and interpretation of places important to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people. The program contributes to the Australian Government policy of Closing the Gap on Indigenous disadvantage.
Key Performance Indicators
2011–12 Results
Grants are awarded, executed and acquitted in line with the government’s standards and legislative requirements.
$8.49 million was provided to 235 projects to assist the protection, conservation and promotion of nationally significant heritage places.
Places added to the Commonwealth Heritage List or National Heritage List are assessed in a rigorous and timely manner.
46 places added to the Commonwealth Heritage List. 3 places added to the National Heritage List.
An Australian Heritage Strategy is launched by 30 June 2012.
The Australian Heritage Strategy was not launched by 30 June 2012 due to extended periods of consultation. A final strategy will be released by the final quarter of 2012–13.
Australian Heritage Week takes place in April 2012 in conjunction with the National Trust of Australia.
387 events registered on the Australian Heritage Week website . This website won the international Interactive Media Award for Outstanding Achievement for a government website, and the site received over 7000 hits following its launch in March 2012.
The Kokoda Track remains safe and accessible, and regional values are protected.
Funding provided to the Kokoda Track Authority to manage track operations, including funding for the Livelihoods program, safety activities and organisational support. Assistance was also provided to the Papua New Guinea Department of Environment and Conservation for the implementation of activities that contribute to achieving the goals of the Second Joint Understanding.
Governance systems and management plans for East Rennell (Solomon Islands) and Chief Roi Mata’s Domain (Vanuatu) World Heritage sites are improved.
Multiple activities implemented to improve governance systems for protected area management, enabling Vanuatu, Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea to better meet their obligations under the World Heritage Convention. This included implementing effective governance mechanisms, which allow for community management of World Heritage sites while ensuring the State Party can meet international obligations under the World Heritage Convention. Key achievements included election of the community management committee for the East Rennell World Heritage site, establishment of Vanuatu World Heritage Advisory Group, and establishment of networks between regional World Heritage properties (including Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Kiribati and Vanuatu).
Program 5.2: Environmental Regulation
Deliverables
2011–12 Results
Develop a draft government response to the EPBC Act review for government consideration and implementation.
The Australian Government’s response to the report of the independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act1999can be viewed at .
Develop information and tools to make it easier for stakeholders to comply with the EPBC Act and the Sea Dumping Act 1981.
131 new or updated profiles of threatened species developed for the SPRAT database.
4 draft and two final EPBC Act referral guidelines published.
Guidelines/Landholder factsheets for seven ecological communities published.
Maintain and improve our legislative and administrative systems to increase the efficiency of our business processes and deliver increasingly high-quality, legally robust and consistent decisions.
As detailed in this chapter and the report on the operation of the EPBC Act, the department placed a major emphasis during 2011–12 on progressing the broad regulatory reform package detailed by the minister in August 2011 which aims to reduce regulatory burdens and duplication within and across jurisdictions. This work has included:
the development of amendments to the EPBC Act
progressing the regulatory reforms endorsed by COAG
investigating options to increase the protection of national parks.
The department has ensured that the EPBC Act continues to fully meet Australia’s environmental protection and sustainable development needs.
Develop scientifically rigorous and appropriate environmental performance criteria for the operation, closure and rehabilitation of uranium mines in the Alligator Rivers Region.
A final round of aquatic macroinvertebrate sampling was completed for five Ranger mine-impacted and eight reference water bodies elsewhere in the Alligator Rivers Region. Analysis of results from this work was completed and provisional water quality closure criteria have been produced for the Ranger mine.
Develop bilateral agreements and strategic assessments with state and territory governments, in accordance with EPBC Act requirements, to increase the effectiveness of cooperative environmental protection efforts.
Assessment bilateral agreements are being maintained with all states and territories. These allow states and territories to assess project impacts on matters of national environmental significance on behalf of the Commonwealth.
Key Performance Indicators
2011–12 Results
EPBC Act assessments are completed within statutory timelines.
86% of all statutory decisions under the EPBC Act were made within statutory timeframes. This includes permits, listings, recovery plans and environmental impact assessments. Further detail can be found in the report on the operation of the EPBC Act.
Assess or investigate all reported compliance incidences under the EPBC Act.
The department considered all allegations of non-compliance under the EPBC Act. 448 incidents or activities representing potential breaches of Part 3 of the EPBC Act were examined by the department. Additionally, 2425 potential breaches of Part 13A of the EPBC Act were received and assessed, involving issuance of 1600 seizure notices and 825 caution notices.
State and territory government accredited processes are recognised and incorporated into the operation of the EPBC Act.
The department commenced work to deliver the COAG agreement of April 2012 to fast-track the development arrangements for accreditation of state and territory assessment and approval processes with agreements finalised by March 2013.
Key Performance Indicators
2011–12 Budget Target
2011–12 Results
Statutory decisions under the EPBC Act made within statutory timeframe [%].
95%
86% of all statutory decisions under the EPBC Act were made within statutory timeframes. This includes permits, listings, recovery plans and environmental impact assessments. Further detail can be found in the report on the operation of the EPBC Act.
Instances of uranium concentration of surface water downstream of Ranger mine exceeding six micrograms per litre [%].
0%
No instances
The department has historically met its KPIs for Programs 5.1 and 5.2.
