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).
Suggested search terms
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | unity Gardens – Groundswell and Pines Patch A partnership between Council and a local community group started the Groundswell Community Garden in 2006 as part of a food security program. Located in Frankston next to a preschool, playgroup and scout hall, it prides itself on building fences, plot edges and garden furniture using recycled materials. Pines Patch Community Garden started in late 2003, and is located in Frankston North beside a community centre. It maintains a library of tools so that new members do not need to purchase their own set. This demonstrates the benefits of sharing to reduce resource consumption. Both community gardens have installed water tanks to be self-sufficient with water supply | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | We are in it together; already steps have been made to build community resiliencecommunity gardens, food access networks, Community Kitchens and enormous support for local area planning and strong Environmental Friends Groups- the groundwork is there to build on. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | Both community gardens have installed water tanks to be self-sufficient with water supply | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | Both community gardens have installed water tanks to be self-sufficient with water supply. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | Continue supporting community gardens and the Frankston Food Access Network | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | Potential new or emerging areas of community engagement/support • Community Gardens • Composting/Worm Farming Workshops | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Impacts and Adaptation Plan | unity Gardens – Groundswell and Pines Patch A partnership between Council and a local community group started the Groundswell Community Garden in 2006 as part of a food security program. Located in Frankston next to a preschool, playgroup and scout hall, it prides itself on building fences, plot edges and garden furniture using recycled materials. Pines Patch Community Garden started in late 2003, and is located in Frankston North beside a community centre. It maintains a library of tools so that new members do not need to purchase their own set. This demonstrates the benefits of sharing to reduce resource consumption. Both community gardens have installed water tanks to be self-sufficient with water supply | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGY TO 2050 MELBOURNE TOGETHER FOR 1.5°C | Case study: Diverting food waste from Degraves Street cafes One of Melbourne’s most iconic laneways is now one of its greenest, thanks to the Degraves Street Recycling Facility. Waste audits at Degraves Street indicated that 90 per cent of waste was either recycling or food waste and could be diverted from landfill. So in collaboration with local businesses, the City of Melbourne introduced a shared commercial recycling program and a food dehydrator to turn food waste into a compost-like soil conditioner. The program successfully diverted 237,600 litres of recyclable material from landfill. The organic waste was treated on site and used in the city’s parks and gardens. Businesses on Degraves street also noticeably improved their efforts to reduce waste. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Melbourne | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGY TO 2050 MELBOURNE TOGETHER FOR 1.5°C | Description Strategic Priority 4: Reducing the impact of waste OUTCOMES 1: Diversion of residential, commercial and industrial waste from landfill. 4.1 Continue to promote and facilitate waste avoidance, recycling, recovery and diversion of waste from landfill by implementing a waste and resource recovery strategy Implement actions from the waste and resource recovery strategy with the greatest impact on emissions, such as: • developing and implementing an organic waste segregation and collection plan that covers residential and commercial and industrial properties • investigate an alternative waste processing facility • continuing to reduce waste from council operations and events • establishing a Waste Minimisation and Innovation Fund and delivering annual grant program | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Melbourne | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGY TO 2050 MELBOURNE TOGETHER FOR 1.5°C | emissions generated At the end of the day the café workers separate organic waste and recycling and donate left over food to charity so only a small amount of waste is sent to landfill. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Melbourne | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE MITIGATION STRATEGY TO 2050 MELBOURNE TOGETHER FOR 1.5°C | Queen Victoria Market precinct renewal. | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Melbourne | Metropolitan |
| CLIMATE CHANGE POLICY | Investigate climate vulnerability of develop plans and strategies to support the local agricultural sector and food availability and security in partnership with the relevant agencies and industry. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Central Coast | Regional |
| Climate Change Response Plan 2012 – 2022 | Develop partnerships with existing Community groups to identify further opportunities for Community Gardens and local food production sites. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Response Plan 2012 – 2022 | Develop partnerships with existing Community groups to identify further opportunities for Community Gardens and local food production sites. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Response Plan 2012 – 2022 | Develop partnerships with existing Community groups to identify further opportunities for Community Gardens and local food production sites. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Response Plan 2012 – 2022 | Knox Council developed the Knox Heatwave Action Plan in 2009 to reduce the impacts of a heatwave event on the Knox community. The Council has identified that people over the age of 65 and those involved in structured strenuous exercise as the two key sectors of the community most at risk from the effects of a heatwave. Early warning, provision of information and assistance through existing support services, such as Food Services, form the core of Council’s response in such events. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Risk and Adaptation Strategy 2018/19 – 2021/22 | Reduced water availability leads to increased water and fresh food costs leading to broad economic impacts on community. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Climate Change Risk Assessment & Adaptation Plan | Recommended actions for Gloucester Shire Council Action C1 Case study into the impacts of climate change on stock condition Council, with financial support from Meat and Livestock Australia, should seek to undertake a study into the impact of climate change on stock in saleyards, using the Gloucester Livestock Exchange as a case study. The case study would assess the potential impacts of climate change on stock condition and life, considering changes to relevant climate variables including humidity, average and peak temperatures and runs of hot days. Outcomes from this assessment would be used examine strategies, including the costs and benefits of alternative actions, to build Gloucester Shire Council Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Planning Report 38 HCCREMS Regional approach to climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning by Councils resilience of the saleyards to potential impacts. Council should also consider collaboration with Upper Hunter Shire Council on this risk. The assessment would be initiated by Technical Services in the short to medium term and involve minor to moderate costs. | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | NSW | Mid-Coast | Regional |
| Climate Change Risk Assessment & Adaptation Plan | The Gloucester Livestock Exchange comprises saleyards that are owned and maintained by Gloucester Shire Council for the selling and buying of livestock. Significant stock losses can occur during heatwaves due to heat stress, with Council being subject to claims for those losses. Persistently raised temperatures could lead to increases in the frequency and magnitude of heatwaves and associated stress to stock and stock losses. | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | NSW | Mid-Coast | Regional |
| Climate Change Risk Assessment & Adaptation Plan | Recommended actions for Gloucester Shire Council Action C1 Case study into the impacts of climate change on stock condition Council, with financial support from Meat and Livestock Australia, should seek to undertake a study into the impact of climate change on stock in saleyards, using the Gloucester Livestock Exchange as a case study. The case study would assess the potential impacts of climate change on stock condition and life, considering changes to relevant climate variables including humidity, average and peak temperatures and runs of hot days. Outcomes from this assessment would be used examine strategies, including the costs and benefits of alternative actions, to build Gloucester Shire Council Climate Change Risk Assessment and Adaptation Planning Report 38 HCCREMS Regional approach to climate change risk assessment and adaptation planning by Councils resilience of the saleyards to potential impacts. Council should also consider collaboration with Upper Hunter Shire Council on this risk. The assessment would be initiated by Technical Services in the short to medium term and involve minor to moderate costs. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Mid-Coast | Regional |
| Climate Change Risk Assessment & Adaptation Plan | Action G3 Options to increase diversion of organic waste MIDWASTE should investigate options by member councils to increase diversion of organic waste from landfills. Options include but are not limited to: investment in and provision of technology by operators on site to divert and treat and organic waste from landfill; and adjustments by councils to their waste collection regime to enable households to put organic food waste into „green bins‟ along with garden waste, for regular collection. Investigation of options can be undertaken in the short to medium term. Implementation of option(s) is a long term action and is likely to involve major costs. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Mid-Coast | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Accompanying these climatic changes, local water authorities have implemented water restrictions across Loddon Shire, reducing the amount of water available for irrigation of farms, residences and sports grounds | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Accompanying these climatic changes, local water authorities have implemented water restrictions across Loddon Shire, reducing the amount of water available for irrigation of farms, residences and sports grounds | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Identified and addressed all health, safety and regulatory requirements, e.g. food handling regulations, sports field dimensions, etc | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Agricultural Shows | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Boort Agricultural Show Society A | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| CLIMATE PROOFING SPORT & RECREATION FACILITIES STRATEGY | Consider the development of a farmer’s market | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Loddon | Regional |
| Climate Ready Whittlesea Climate change adaptation plan | combined the knowledge of local farmers with scientific modelling in order to increase the quality of the research and build both the community and Council’s capacity in understanding the implications of climate change on the local agricultural sector. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Whittlesea | Metropolitan |
| Climate Ready Whittlesea Climate change adaptation plan | Whittlesea Council is working in partnership with Deakin University and the local farming community. The aim of the project is to investigate the potential of agriculture in the rural north of the municipality and its role in supporting the economic and environmental sustainability, and social wellbeing of our community both now and into the future. To do this the project has modelled two separate climate change scenarios and the impact these have on a number of different commodity types. This has been tied to local farmers’ knowledge and other environmental conditions to provide robust localised data on the potential for agriculture in the municipality. This project is still underway however it has already resulted in the release of Story Maps. These Story Maps represent this modelling and allow local landholders, farmers, residents and other interested individuals and organisations to have access to this study via an interactive platform. It also gives Council the information to formulate policy and strategy to strengthen the agricultural sector, as well as advocate to other levels of government to do the same. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Whittlesea | Metropolitan |
| Climate Ready Whittlesea Climate change adaptation plan | combined the knowledge of local farmers with scientific modelling in order to increase the quality of the research and build both the community and Council’s capacity in understanding the implications of climate change on the local agricultural sector. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Whittlesea | Metropolitan |