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.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Support and promote Traditional Owner food harvesting – Understand what plants and animals exist on country – Increase and promote planting of naturally occuring bush foods (staples, berries and fruits) in urban plantings. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | resources. We need to use water efficiently in our buildings, | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | 20 YEAR GOALS GREATER BENDIGO IS A HUB FOR RESOURCE EFFICIENT FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS THAT DON'T DAMAGE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS TOP ACTIONS What Council will do: • Support quality commercial scale agriculture and horticulture – Supportive planning decisions – Encourage innovation and the development of sustainable high intensity food production • Support local urban food production – Community gardens and nature strip gardens – Community orchards in community spaces – Encourage networks that promote local producers – Preference caterers who source locally produced food THE GREATER BENDIGO COMMUNITY HAS HIGH AWARENESS OF THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO PRODUCE FOOD AND HOW THEY CAN INFLUENCE FOOD SYSTEMS – People choose to eat local and in-season foods daily – Households waste less food. – Increased amount of locally produced food retailed locally – Increase participation in growing food in urban spaces | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Connect people to nature by learning, growing and sharing together – Promote publications such as Home Grown, a guide to growing fresh food – Support and connect community and school gardens across Greater Bendigo – Promote ways to share excess fruit and vegetables with neighbours | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Greater Bendigo can support the growth of local and home food production, with several farmers’ markets, community gardens and local food networks already well established. The City has also produced the Home Grown booklet, providing a practical guide to growing fresh food at the home scale as well as Food in Greater Bendigo, which provides the location of community gardens. The City will build upon this existing foundation to increase and encourage the production of local and sustainable food in Greater Bendigo. 9 | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Raise awareness of the benefits of home gardening and local fresh food | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Local and | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | – Encourage networks that promote local producers – Preference caterers who source locally produced food | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Increased amount of locally produced food retailed locally | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Local and | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | 20 YEAR GOALS GREATER BENDIGO IS A HUB FOR RESOURCE EFFICIENT FOOD PRODUCTION SYSTEMS THAT DON'T DAMAGE NATURAL ECOSYSTEMS TOP ACTIONS What Council will do: • Support quality commercial scale agriculture and horticulture – Supportive planning decisions – Encourage innovation and the development of sustainable high intensity food production • Support local urban food production – Community gardens and nature strip gardens – Community orchards in community spaces – Encourage networks that promote local producers – Preference caterers who source locally produced food THE GREATER BENDIGO COMMUNITY HAS HIGH AWARENESS OF THE RESOURCES REQUIRED TO PRODUCE FOOD AND HOW THEY CAN INFLUENCE FOOD SYSTEMS – People choose to eat local and in-season foods daily – Households waste less food. – Increased amount of locally produced food retailed locally – Increase participation in growing food in urban spaces | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | in public places and a garden and food organics collection. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Environment Strategy, please | Local and | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Food System Strategy 2020-2030 | Food System Strategy 2020-2030 | Food System Policy | Dedicated food system policy/strategy | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 | Reduce socio-economic disadvantage by increasing access to affordable: – Nutritious food – Diverse housing | Social Policy | Affordable housing | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 | Promote healthy lifestyles – Healthy eating | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Health and Wellbeing Plan 2017-2021 | Average number of days it takes for Council to action food complaints received from members of the public | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy | • To provide and support affordable housing opportunities. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy | 10 Minute Neighbourhoods The City has mapped the 10 minute (800m) walking catchment around the “Main Activity Centres” which include the City Centre, the Activity Centres and the major activity nodes of the Bendigo Hospital and La Trobe University. In addition to these areas a further area has been identified in Golden Square that has the potential to be a 10 Minute Neighbourhood. This area would include the Golden Square Train Station, the Neighbourhood Activity Centre, Safeway Supermarket, Chum Street mine and Southern Cross Austereo (both Key Development sites), the Fortuna site and the former Laurel Street Primary School that is now surplus to the government requirements and earmarked for sale. These areas generally have a good range of shops and services | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| Greater Bendigo Housing Strategy | the establishment of 10 minute neighbourhoods. | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Investigate opportunities to increase the amount of fresh produce available at markets | Health and Wellbeing | Encourage existing retailers/caterers to sell healthy, sustainable and affordable food | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | The Victorian Government’s Healthy Choices Guidelines adopted for catering, food service outlets and vending machines | Health and Wellbeing | Encourage existing retailers/caterers to sell healthy, sustainable and affordable food | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Victorian Healthy Supermarkets Project Deakin University in partnership with City of Greater Bendigo, Champions IGA and VicHealth, have conducted several controlled trials over the past five years to test the effect of small changes to supermarket shopping environments designed to encourage healthier purchasing behaviour. The project was initiated by Champions IGA through discussions with the City of Greater Bendigo. The aim of the research was to work with local retailers to improve the health of residents and to demonstrate that healthy changes in supermarkets can be Trial 8-week trial of shelf tags for all packaged food with 4.5 or 5 health star rating 8-week trial of healthy signage in shopping trolleys and baskets 8-week trial of healthy end of aisle, checkout and island bin displays 12 month trial of a multi-component intervention in 14 stores, involving shelf tags, trolley/basket signs, media and social media, advertising, posters, shelf wobblers | Health and Wellbeing | Encourage existing retailers/caterers to sell healthy, sustainable and affordable food | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 1.15 Support the installation of water fountains in locations of need 1.16 Map all water fountains in Greater Bendigo and make publically available | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Promote and encourage water trailers and drinking fountains over single use plastic bottles at community and Council supported events | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Support the installation of water fountains in locations of need | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Water in Sport Project and the Healthy Choices Guidelines in sport and recreation facilities | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | 1.26 Improve access to healthy food by supporting the community to access produce from local suppliers i.e. coordinate a regular Farmers Market | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Develop a food security factsheet that incorporates the location of food deserts to guide organisations work and target areas to support food security locally | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |
| GREATER BENDIGO’S FOOD SYSTEM STRATEGY 2020-2030 | Identify ways to increase the regular, affordable supply of fresh, local foods to communities where this may be currently lacking | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | Victoria | Greater Bendigo | Regional |