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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT POLICY | 2. SCOPE This policy applies to the investigation and enforcement of complaints about unlawful activity or failure to comply with the acts, regulations, terms or conditions of approvals, licences and/ or orders as regulated by the Bellingen Shire Council’s Authorised Officers. While primarily directed at the regulation of development activity, the policy is also applicable to (but not limited to) pollution control, regulation of parking, control over animals, food safety, | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Bellingen | Regional |
| COMPLIANCE AND ENFORCEMENT POLICY – FOOD SAFETY IN FAIRFIELD CITY | 2. 2.1 OBJECTIVES Scope The NSW Food Authority administers the NSW Food Act 2003. Fairfield City Council has entered into a Partnership Agreement with the NSW Food Authority and the Authority has appointed the Council to undertake those obligations set out in Category “B” in respect to its food regulation role as an enforcement agency under the NSW Food Act 2003, as amended. Categories are not mentioned in the legislation and food enforcement activities are categorised by the NSW Food Authority merely to identify the various responsibility levels that Councils may elect to undertake. Category “B” in respect to Fairfield City Council’s regulation and responsibility role includes the intended standards food regulation responsibility and: (a) urgent food safety matters; (b) urgent food recall investigations; (c) annual reporting on food regulation activities; (d) routine inspection and enforcement of the retail and food service sector; (e) medium and low risk food complaint investigations; (f) investigation of single-case foodborne illness investigations Mandatory protocols providing detail around these Council responsibilities have been formulated. The partnership’s objectives are: • safer food for consumers – reduce the impact of foodborne illness caused by the retail food sector • strengthen the food safety response capacity of NSW State and Council • better use of Council’s and the State government resources, including avoiding duplication of food regulation services. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Fairfield | Metropolitan |
| Compliance Policy | The City undertakes proactive compliance to monitor activities that are sensitive or potentially of high-risk to the community. These activities include, but are not limited to, food preparation inspections, inspections of cooling towers, and the monitoring and inspection of late night and licensed venues. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Compliance Policy | 1. Application This policy applies to regulatory issues within council’s area of responsibility including but not limited to: • • pollution control • development and building control environmental health • public health and safety • bio security • water and sewer • • • septic systems companion animals Stock on roads • food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Carrathool | Regional |
| Compliance Policy | food safety | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Ku-ring-gai | Metropolitan |
| COMPLIANCE, ENFORCEMENT AND PROSECUTION POLICY | Council has the authority to regulate many activities, 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 | Nambucca | Regional |
| Consolidated Community Local Law | Keeping of Animals 48. Unless permitted under the Kingston Planning Scheme, a person must not, without a permit, keep or allow to be kept on any premises any more of each species or group of animals than is stated in the following table: | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Kingston | Metropolitan |
| CONSOLIDATED LOCAL LAW NO. 2 ‘Neighbourhood Amenity’ | KEEPING ANIMALS (1) An owner or occupier of land must not, without a Permit, keep or allow to be kept more than six (6) different types of Animals on any one parcel of land at any time and must not keep or allow to be kept any more in number for each type of Animal than is set out in the following table: | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Bayside | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Deliver targeted education programs aimed at reducing food waste and promoting home organics recycling | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Waste Education A comprehensive waste education program is delivered to local schools and the community, to encourage waste minimisation and recycling and to support Council’s waste management services. The program is supported through combined funding from Council’s recycling receivables contractor and kerbside collection contactor, allowing for specialised industry input into all waste education. Council is also an active participant in applying for and undertaking grant projects focusing on community education. The majority of grant programs are awarded, administered and funded by either the Metropolitan Waste & Resource Recovery Group or Sustainability Victoria, who draw on the income generated by the Environmental Protection Landfill Levy applied to all waste going to landfill. The key aim of waste education within Greater Dandenong is to promote the adoption of sustainable waste practices within the community, through the provision of innovative and engaging education programs which foster a better understanding of: Council’s kerbside recycling service and other recycling opportunities Council’s hard waste collection service and public place recycling programs waste minimisation and sustainable lifestyle choices home composting and worm farming principals. Education | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| contents | advocate for an increase in social and affordable housing | Social Policy | Affordable housing | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Waste and litter milestones and achievements Time frame 2002 – Present Achievements Details Garden waste diversion from landfill Greater Dandenong introduced the garden waste kerbside collection service in 2002 and was one of the initial Councils to provide this service. Over the past ten years the collection of garden waste has been increasing and Council’s garden waste collection tonnage in 2013/14 was well above the state average. The production and use of compost derived from this waste stream has been beneficial to improving soil for horticultural and agricultural applications within the municipality | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Waste Education A comprehensive waste education program is delivered to local schools and the community, to encourage waste minimisation and recycling and to support Council’s waste management services. The program is supported through combined funding from Council’s recycling receivables contractor and kerbside collection contactor, allowing for specialised industry input into all waste education. Council is also an active participant in applying for and undertaking grant projects focusing on community education. The majority of grant programs are awarded, administered and funded by either the Metropolitan Waste & Resource Recovery Group or Sustainability Victoria, who draw on the income generated by the Environmental Protection Landfill Levy applied to all waste going to landfill. The key aim of waste education within Greater Dandenong is to promote the adoption of sustainable waste practices within the community, through the provision of innovative and engaging education programs which foster a better understanding of: Council’s kerbside recycling service and other recycling opportunities Council’s hard waste collection service and public place recycling programs waste minimisation and sustainable lifestyle choices home composting and worm farming principals. Education | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| contents | Number of requests for homelessness assistance responded to by Council Deliver the Social and Affordable Housing Strategy | Social Policy | Affordable housing | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| Contents | 2.2 Increase resource recovery and reduce waste to landfill from the kerbside collection service | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Conduct a service review to explore opportunities to increase the range of recyclables accepted through the kerbside collection Review conducted Waste & Cleansing Services Annually Within the 2016-20 Long Term Financial Strategy & resources. Monitor food waste and garden waste collection and processing developments at the state level for future consideration by Council Attendance at waste forums and networking sessions Waste & Cleansing Services Ongoing Within the 2016-20 Long Term Financial Strategy | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| contents | Promote and facilitate urban agriculture with a focus on increasing scale and uptake in the community | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Deliver targeted education programs aimed at reducing food waste and promoting home organics recycling | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| Contents | landfill services, we will need to consider the financial implications, as well as community and Council expectations in considering ARRT in | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| contents | Yarra has a responsibility to protect its natural environmental assets from the impacts of urban densification. Urban consolidation has gained support in Melbourne as a principle for containing urban sprawl, protecting green wedges and urban agriculture | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| Contents | Waste Education A comprehensive waste education program is delivered to local schools and the community, to encourage waste minimisation and recycling and to support Council’s waste management services. The program is supported through combined funding from Council’s recycling receivables contractor and kerbside collection contactor, allowing for specialised industry input into all waste education. Council is also an active participant in applying for and undertaking grant projects focusing on community education. The majority of grant programs are awarded, administered and funded by either the Metropolitan Waste & Resource Recovery Group or Sustainability Victoria, who draw on the income generated by the Environmental Protection Landfill Levy applied to all waste going to landfill. The key aim of waste education within Greater Dandenong is to promote the adoption of sustainable waste practices within the community, through the provision of innovative and engaging education programs which foster a better understanding of: Council’s kerbside recycling service and other recycling opportunities Council’s hard waste collection service and public place recycling programs waste minimisation and sustainable lifestyle choices home composting and worm farming principals. Education | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |
| contents | Promote and facilitate urban agriculture with a focus on increasing scale and uptake in the community | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Strategic Indicators 1.3 Provide health promoting environments that encourage healthy eating and active living Community satisfaction with Council’s Leisure facilities9 Proportion of registered premises that are inspected annually in accordance with the Food Act 1984 Number of community garden initiatives implemented Percentage of adults consuming recommended intake of vegetables7 | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Minimising waste and increasing recycling and reuse are important environmental priorities for Council. In particular, Council is working to reduce the amount of food waste going to landfill. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Reduce the amount of waste-to-landfill with a focus on improved recycling and organic waste disposal. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | food premises inspections | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Regulation and enforcement (e.g. local laws, permits, food premises inspections) | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Strategic Indicators 1.3 Provide health promoting environments that encourage healthy eating and active living Community satisfaction with Council’s Leisure facilities9 Proportion of registered premises that are inspected annually in accordance with the Food Act 1984 | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| contents | Water and food sampling | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Yarra | Metropolitan |
| Contents | The municipality is valued for its cosmopolitan and multicultural lifestyle, and is renowned for its shopping and food experiences in the retail precincts including the Dandenong Market, as well as state of the art cultural and sporting facilities. There are over 50 primary and secondary | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Greater Dandenong | Metropolitan |