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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Community Strategic Plan Walcha – 2027 | Prevent agricultural land from being developed in ways that reduce its productivity | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Walcha | Regional |
| Community Strategic Plan Walcha – 2027 | Provide additional off creek storage capacity to drought proof Walcha while minimising the impact of water extraction from the Macdonald River. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Walcha | Regional |
| Community Strategic Plan Walcha – 2027 | CSP 5.3 Walcha’s cultural identity will be enhanced. 5.3.1 5.3.2 5.3.3 5.3.4 Promote and support Walcha as the premier agricultural area of New England | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Walcha | Regional |
| Community Strengthening Strategy 2018 – 2022 Supporting the Community and Volunteer Sector | Council provides grants, direct officer advice and planning assistance to a wide range of locally based organisations including playgroups, progress /community associations, sporting clubs of all sorts, service clubs, Men’s sheds, community houses, community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| Community Strengthening Strategy 2018 – 2022 Supporting the Community and Volunteer Sector | Council provides grants, direct officer advice and planning assistance to a wide range of locally based organisations including playgroups, progress /community associations, sporting clubs of all sorts, service clubs, Men’s sheds, community houses, community gardens | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | South Gippsland | Regional |
| COMMUNITY TRANSPORT POLICY | Priority use of Council vehicles is given at all times to Council’s own programs. These include: 5.4.1 Community Transport Shopping Shuttles 5.4.2 Transport to Senior Citizens Centres 5.4.3 Transport to centre-based meals programs | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Hume | Metropolitan |
| COMMUNITY VISION | What State Government, Local Organisations and statistics tell us is important… ‚Ä¢ Improve the resiliency of the Wellington economy to adapt to unforeseen downturn in industries. ‚Ä¢ Work with the State and Federal Governments to maximise Wellington Shire‚Äôs competitive strengths in industries such as food and Ô¨Åbre. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Wellington | Regional |
| Community Wellbeing Plan 2017-21 | Work to create a city of 20-minute neighbourhoods to enable access to local services. (PLACE) | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| Compliance | 3.6 This Policy applies to all areas where Council has a compliance and enforcement role under the various Acts and Regulations, it includes but is not limited to: abandoned vehicles development and building control pollution control environmental health public health and safety sewage management septic systems control over animals swimming pool audits food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Wollondilly | Metropolitan |
| Compliance & Enforcement | Public health and safety – food safety, mobile food vendors, | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Shellharbour | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT POLICY | This policy applies to Councils regulatory responsibilities including, but not limited to: • development and building control (refer to appendix 2) • pollution control • environmental health • public health and safety • noxious weeds • water and sewer matters • septic systems • control over animals (refer to appendix 4) • food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Canada Bay | Metropolitan |
| COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT POLICY | Application This policy applies to the investigation and enforcement of complaints about unlawful activity or failure to comply with the terms or conditions of approvals and orders. This policy applies to all compliance and enforcement action where Council has regulatory responsibility under NSW legislation. This policy is directed at the regulation of: Development activity Pollution control Roads, footpaths and parking Control of animals Unauthorised development (including non-compliance with consent conditions) Food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Murrumbidgee | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 2. What activities does council regulate: The following activities, but not limited to, are regulated by Council through various forms of legislation: development and building control pollution control environmental health public health and safety biosecurity weed control water and sewer on-site sewer management waste water (septic) systems companion animals food safety compliance | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Narromine | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 3.3 The application of the Policy includes but is not limited to: Abandoned vehicles Asbestos management Boarding houses Brothels Public/ commercial/ private swimming pools Development control Compliance & Enforcement Policy Adopted by Council: 13/08/2019 Effective: 25/09/2019 Next Review Date: 30/09/2022 EDMS #: 16/137442 Page 3 of 20 Environmental and pollution control issues Failure to comply with a condition of an approval, an Order or Notice Fire safety Food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Camden | Metropolitan |
| COMPLIANCE & ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 7. Application This policy applies to regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility including, but not limited to: development and building control pollution control environmental health public health and safety parking Biosecurity functions water and sewer septic systems Companion animals and wandering stock food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Bourke | Regional |
| Compliance & Enforcement Policy | 6. Application This policy applies to regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility including, but not limited to: Development and building control Pollution control Environmental health Public health and safety Noxious weeds Water and sewer Septic systems Control over animals Federation Council – CPOL 19/1334 Version No: 1.0 Page 4 Food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Federation | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | APPLICATION This policy applies to the management and investigation of unlawful activity, and any resultant enforcement action required in relation to unlawful activity, within the Cobar Local Government Area for which Council is the appropriate regulatory authority. The unlawful activity to which this policy applies includes, without limitation, any unlawful activity in relation to: • Building & development. • Pollution including air, land and water. • Fire safety. • Food safety. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Cobar | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement | Application This policy applies to regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility including, but not limited to: development and building control pollution control environmental health public health and safety noxious weeds water and sewer septic systems control over animals food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement | 4. Application This Policy applies to regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility including, but not limited to: • development and building control • • • pollution control and environmental degradation or damage environmental health public health and safety • waste water systems • • • • • control over companion animals food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Northern Beaches | Metropolitan |
| Compliance and Enforcement | This Policy applies to all the compliance and enforcement activities carried out by CN, associated with the broad range of legislation, regulations, guidelines, codes and standards that CN is delegated and responsible to administer and enforce. Specific legislation and delegations are outlined in CN's register of delegations and authorisations. 2.2 This includes regulatory functions, including, but not limited to: 2.2.1 development and building control 2.2.2 pollution control 2.2.3 environmental health 2.2.4 public health and safety 2.2.5 animal control 2.2.6 food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Newcastle | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT FOOD PREMISES POLICY | BACKGROUND This policy sets out how Council fulfils its obligations under the Food Act 2003 in relation to compliance and enforcement impacting on food premises. OBJECTIVE The objectives of this policy are to: provide transparency to consumers and industry on how the Council will make decisions on enforcement action guide decision making and action by staff in the use of enforcement options use regulatory implements in such a way as to best achieve organisational objectives. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Lachlan | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 3. POLICY SCOPE This Policy applies to all areas where Council has a compliance and enforcement role under the various Acts and Regulations. The application of the Policy includes, but is not limited to: a) Abandoned vehicles; b) Asbestos management; c) Boarding houses; d) Brothels; e) Commercial/ private swimming pools; f) Caravan parks, camp grounds and primitive camp grounds; g) Development (building work, carrying out of a work, subdivision, use of land and demolitions); h) Environmental and pollution control issues; i) Failure to comply with a condition of an approval, an Order or Notice; j) Fire safety; k) Food safety; | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | Food safety Cessnock City Council supports proactive and routine inspections of food businesses to prevent food borne illness and ensure compliance with the Food Act 2003 and NSW Food Safety Standards. It is considered this preventative approach has contributed to a high standard of hygiene in food businesses and to a low incidence of food borne illness in the Cessnock Local Government Area. Under the Food Act 2003 Council has delegated authority to act as an Enforcement Agency. Council’s authorised Environmental Health Officers carry out food safety inspections in all food premises in accordance with Council’s adopted program and inspection fees are charged in accordance with Council’s adopted Fees and Charges. This is to ensure we fulfil the requirements of a Category B Enforcement Agency under the food regulation partnership with the NSW Food Authority and under relevant food legislation. Fees are graduated according to the risk assessment of the premises and the cost of carrying out the service. This is as recommended by the Food Authority and in keeping with other Council’s in NSW. The legislation provides for a range of compliance and enforcement options where breaches are found. Council will implement the legislative provisions fairly and consistently in accordance with the minimal tolerance approach outlined in this policy. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Cessnock | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | This policy applies to authorised Council staff who receive and respond to reports about alleged unlawful activities and regulatory matters. Council staff are not limited by this policy in their use of discretion and exercise of official functions. Some regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility include, but are not limited to: development and building approvals pollution control fire safety food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Waverley | Metropolitan |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | SCOPE This Policy applies to all areas within the Inner West local government area and the officers who are authorised to investigate unlawful activity including but not limited to: development and building control pollution control environmental health public health and safety weeds control (Biosecurity) companion animals roads and footpaths parks and reserves food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Inner West | Metropolitan |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | 5 Application This policy applies to regulatory issues within Council’s area of responsibility including, but not limited to: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. development control building control swimming pool safety unauthorised vegetation removal pollution control environmental health public health and safety water and sewer septic systems 10. control over animals 11. 12. food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Coffs Harbour | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | 3. Application of the Policy The policy applies to the investigation and enforcement of regulatory matters and unlawful activities associated with; Compliance and Enforcement Policy Page 4 of 26 • Consents, approvals, applications, certificates, permits and orders • Air, noise and water pollution • Fire safety • Food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | SHARED ENFORCEMENT RESPONSIBILITIES Some reports will raise matters involving shared regulatory responsibilities between Council and other authorities such as the Environment Protection Authority, the NSW Police Force, Liquor and Gaming NSW, NSW Fair Trading, NSW Food Authority | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Edward River | Regional |
| Compliance and Enforcement Policy | This policy is to be read in conjunction with Council’s Code of Conduct and applies to the investigation and enforcement of unlawful activity or failure to comply with the terms or conditions of approvals, licences and orders. While primarily directed at the regulation of development activity, the policy is also applicable to:- Pollution control Regulation of parking Regulation as to the keeping of animals Environmental health Public health and safety Noxious Weeds Water and sewer Septic systems Food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Shoalhaven | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 1.1 3. Our Future Planning This Policy aims to provide consistency in enforcement action in matters of food safety, public health, environmental and development non-compliance and ensures natural justice principles are respected. The enforcement action taken will be dependent upon the circumstances in each case and consideration will be given to the various questions, as specified within Section 4.5 of this Policy. 1.2 Council’s core values relating to responsive and responsible regulation, and fairness and equity also apply to any action taken in accordance with this Policy. 1.3 Council acknowledges that it has an obligation under s.8 of the Local Government Act 1993 to ensure that the exercise of its regulatory powers is carried out consistently and without bias. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | North Sydney | Metropolitan |