Welcome to the Australian Local Food System Policy Database. This is a collection of policies from New South Wales (NSW) and Victorian local governments that relate to healthy, sustainable, and equitable food systems.
For further information about using the database and how it was created see How to use the database. You can search the database by using the fields below. Domain refers to eight broad categories under which various topics are situated. The domains and topics are based on a framework of recommendations for local government action on creating a healthy, sustainable, and equitable food system (also located on the ‘How to use the database’ page linked above).
To cite the database: Reeve B, Carrad A, Rose N, Charlton K & Aguirre-Bielschowsky I (2021) Australian Local Food System Policy Database. Available at: https://law-food-systems.sydney.edu.au/policy-database (access date).
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Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
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| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Objective Restrict opportunities for development in the green wedge except for those that are required to complement its primary values of agriculture, horticulture, biodiversity, major infrastructure, maintain viable settlements and for tourism-related purposes. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | ongoing protection of this important agricultural asset is critical to the future of the green wedge. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Opportunities for new, innovative or more intensive agriculture and horticulture and soil-based food production will be supported to ensure that the rich agricultural potential of the precinct is realised. It will integrate biodiversity and agricultural outcomes by recognising ecosystem services which can improve agricultural efficiency. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Precinct 1: Agriculture, horticulture and soil based food production Land area Precinct 1 identifies land that is suitable for agriculture, horticulture and soil based food production due to its highly versatile, fertile soils and the application of the SUZ1. The precinct as a whole has a strong focus on the beef and dairy industry, supports an existing poultry sector and a range of other rural uses. In addition to the above, the rich soils throughout the SUZ1 are particularly valued for asparagus and other horticultural produce. It has ready access to water supply, the potential to utilise recycled water and is within close proximity to the Melbourne market | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Principle 1 Agriculture, horticulture and soil based food production will be prioritised and protected. Opportunities for new soil-based agriculture and horticulture will be encouraged and promoted. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Principle 2 Continue to support the principles of a local food system and advocate for and promote healthy and sustainable food production for primary food producers. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Principle 3 Proposals for local and state infrastructure should respond to the key values of the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge, and Cardinia Shire Council Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan any potential impacts on the values of the green wedge should be minimised and mitigated, while taking into account the needs of the local community. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Principle 8 Biodiversity and agricultural outcomes will be integrated by recognising ecosystem services which can improve agricultural efficiency. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Pursue the implementation of a UGB for those townships without a boundary as part of the development of a full township strategy. Continue to lobby the Victorian Government to ensure the implementation of a permanent UGB as part of the submission process to any relevant strategic documents. 35. Address appropriate locations for places of worship and schools to locate in the green wedge as part of a local Green Wedge policy in the Cardinia Planning Scheme. Tran | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Soils and land capability 19. 20. Responsible agency Undertake soil type mapping of the land within and adjacent to the SUZ1. Based on the findings of the soil mapping, review the extent of the SUZ1 and the schedules to the Green Wedge Zones. Undertake a planning scheme amendment to adjust the boundaries of the SUZ1 and amend the Schedules to the Green Wedge Zones. *Dependant on Action 19 21. Continue to work with the WPCMA and DEDJTR to develop a sustainable planning and management framework for food production, agriculture and other uses on green wedge soils. Water 2 | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Strategies Protect the values and assets of the green wedge by preventing further encroachment of urban development into the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge. Provide clear guidance as to where places of worship and schools can be located to ensure that their adverse impacts on the green wedge are minimised and the overall purpose of the green wedge is protected. Allow only limited growth for all green wedge settlements, where supported by an adopted township strategy and/or policy. Ensure that appropriate land use zones are applied at the edge of townships that ensure a low density/rural transition to the surrounding green wedge land. Minimise the opportunity for the fragmentation of agricultural land through subdivisions, boundary realignments and excisions. Restrict rural living and hobby farms. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Submissions made to relevant strategic plans and policies prepared and released by the Victorian Government. Implementation of a permanent UGB. Approval of the planning scheme amendment by the Minister for Planning. App | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Support Agribusiness Gippsland in providing information in relation to improving farm and land management; discuss alternative farming methods, succession planning and other relevant topics. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Support and protect the existing vegetable industry, in particular the asparagus growing region. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Support farmers to stay on the land by facilitating information sessions, and educate farmers by addressing matters such as improving farm and land management; generating additional farm income through programs such as EcoTender; discussing alternative farming methods, succession planning and other relevant topics. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | The management plan achieves: identifies the values and features of the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge across a range of thematic areas, including biodiversity, agriculture and horticulture, water, climate change, cultural heritage and more provides objectives, strategies and actions to protect and improve the quality of these important assets | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | The purposes of the SUZ1 are to: preserve land of high agricultural quality for horticulture and other farming activities discourage non-agricultural uses and non-soil based uses establishing on soil of high agricultural value | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | The vision is: The Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge will be a permanent green and rural area. It will remain an internationally significant biodiversity habitat, while also strengthening its agricultural and horticultural role to become a truly innovative and productive farming district. Agriculture, horticulture and soil based food production for the long-term food security of Victoria is at the heart of this vision. Best practice integrated water management will lead to improved water quality and a reduced risk of flooding with improved ecological conditions in Western Port Bay and local biodiversity will be protected, as will habitats for threatened species. The green wedge will be home to small, clearly defined settlements that have a strong identity, provide jobs and services for the local community and support the agricultural and horticultural pursuits of the green wedge. The local economy will be driven by its agriculture, horticulture and extractive industry. The Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge provides the opportunity to accommodate a further third airport to serve the long-term needs of Southeast Melbourne and Gippsland as identified in Plan Melbourne. The Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge will be the permanent edge to Melbourne’s southeast. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | The Westernport Catchment Landcare Network (WPCLN) is a non-profit organisation supporting Landcare groups, landholders, government agencies and local businesses to protect and enhance the Western Port Catchment in order to achieve improved environmental and sustainable agricultural outcomes. They are a key component on several delivery components that have been addressed in this plan. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | This precinct has recently obtained the ability to access Class A recycled water, is in close proximity to the Melbourne market, Port of Hastings, the transport network and urban services. It has high biodiversity values, with high value habitats for the southern brown bandicoot and growling grass frog. The success of this precinct relies heavily on a healthy eco system and it is important that agricultural activities are undertaken with consideration and implement mitigation techniques in order to reduce the negative impact on the biodiversity values of the precinct. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | This precinct will seek to ensure that UGBs are defensible in the long term and that there is a clear edge to metropolitan growth. G | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Urban uses such as schools and places of worship will be discouraged from locating anywhere within the SUZ1 to ensure that this highly valuable soil is preserved for soil based agriculture and horticulture and the right to farm for existing and future farmers is protected. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Urban uses such as schools and places of worship will be discouraged from locating within the precinct, with the preferred location being within the existing townships and along the UGB, subject to strategic justification. The preferred locations protect the intent of the precinct, safeguarding agricultural, horticultural and rural pursuits which are important not only for the municipality but also for Victoria. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Urban uses such as schools and places of worship will be discouraged from this area, with the preferred location being within townships and along the UGB subject to strategic justification. The preferred location protects the intent of the precinct, safeguarding the agricultural and horticultural production which is important not only for the municipality but for Victoria. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Vision Precinct 1 will be the hub of, agriculture, horticulture and soil-based food production within the Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge, taking advantage of its highly versatile soils, vegetable production (in particular asparagus), dairy and beef farming, other agricultural pursuits, potential access to Class A recycled water and the important role this precinct plays in food security. Land within the SUZ1 part of the precinct will be prioritised for soil-based agricultural and horticultural use and soil based food production with a focus on the consolidation of lots to support the economic viability of the agricultural and horticultural industry. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Visitation It is important that proposed visitor uses within the green wedge make a positive contribution to the local economy and provide local employment opportunities. There needs to be a balanced approach between supporting new and growing businesses and protecting the green wedge environment and rural assets on which the business is based. Ca | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Within this precinct the Restructure Overlay (RO) exists, most notably around Bunyip and Garfield in order to restructure inappropriate old subdivisions on what is viable and important agricultural land. The retention and creation of larger lots is a significant factor supporting sustainable agricultural businesses, diversification and ongoing agricultural production. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Encourage lot consolidation through the entire precinct to increase the economic viability of agricultural land | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | providing land for agricultural use recognising and protecting land that has agricultural and environmental values | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan | Council is seeking funding from the Victorian and Australian governments to create a water plan to better use and deliver underutilised recycled water. This water plan will assess the likely supply of water over the next 20 years and how this water might be used most productively to meet the present and future demand. The new Clyde Sewage Treatment Plant (2022) (site to be confirmed) provides an opportunity to Cardinia Western Port Green Wedge Management Plan address this. It is critical that sustainable and efficient water use is available to deliver agriculture and horticulture to the region. Access to Class A recycled water is important and the opportunities this presents is essential in increasing agricultural and horticultural production | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |