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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The Warrnambool Community Garden, Unpackaged, SWAPIT and Loop Studio are four local community organisations dedicated to the reduction and minimisation of waste. The community garden and HUB are living examples of projects which promote sustainable living. The Garden runs workshops on many different topics related to sustainable lifestyles and welcomes members of the public to these events. At the Garden, the HUB and the new shelter exemplify sustainable building principles including orientation of the buildings, building materials and even a worm composting toilet on-site. All organic material generated at the site is composted or fed to the numerous chickens and the chicken manure and compost are used on the gardens, contributing to the bountiful crops harvested from the individual and community plots. Vegetables from the community plot are shared with the community during cooking lessons and community lunches. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The Garden runs workshops on many different topics related to sustainable lifestyles and welcomes members of the public to these events. At the Garden, the HUB and the new shelter exemplify sustainable building principles including orientation of the buildings, building materials and even a worm composting toilet on-site. All organic material generated at the site is composted or fed to the numerous chickens and the chicken manure and compost are used on the gardens, contributing to the bountiful crops harvested from the individual and community plots. | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | 12. Support the reduction in plastic bag use and encourage the City’s retailers to implement more environmentally friendly reusable or recyclable shopping bag options. Advocate to state and federal governments on the issue. Support, empower and promote community-driven initiatives to reduce plastic bag use and raise awareness about the issue including the Boomerang Bag initiative the Plastic Free Alliance and Unpackaged. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | 7. Undertake a FOGO collection trial in Autumn 2018. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | 8. Following a successful FOGO trial Council will develop a business plan to rollout a FOGO collection for all households. 9. Replace the ageing bin fleet at the beginning of the new kerbside collection contract. 10. Install RFID tagging in its new kerbside bin fleet and the bins used for the FOGO trial. 11. Include a condition for developers, requiring the submission of a waste management plan as part of the planning process. This will be applied to all multi-unit development applications. Council will reserve the right to not provide the kerbside collection service to any development deemed not compliant with this condition. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Almost half (46%) of the contents of the waste bin consisted of Food Organics and Garden Organics (FOGO) | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Community Garden hosted the Dirty Weekend over a sixyear period and continues to provide workshops educating the community about composting, worm farming and other waste reduction and recycling initiatives especially related to foodwaste. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council has also worked with the Plastic Free Alliance, comprising many local environmental groups including Fishcare South West and Friends of the Merri Marine Sanctuary (FOMMS) to raise awareness about the impact of single use plastics, such as plastic bags, plastic straws and plastic water bottles on our marine environment. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council is striving to improve communication with businesses to increase promotion of local recycling services. For example a food organics collection is available for businesses. This would significantly reduce the amount of material going to landfill from local restaurants and cafes. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council will also support any community driven initiatives to reduce plastic bag use and raise awareness about the issue. The Boomerang Bag initiative will be explored and supported as a grass roots initiative to empower community groups and provide a practical alternative to single use plastic bags. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council will continue to strongly support the reduction in plastic bag use and encourage the City’s retailers to implement more environmentally friendly reusable or recyclable shopping bag options. It will lobby state and federal governments about the issue. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council will continue to support the work of environmental and community groups which are raising awareness of the problem and will continue involvement in the Plastic Free Alliance, lobby the Ban the Bag campaign and support development of a Boomerang Bag initiative in Warrnambool. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | FOGO kerbside collection trial | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Funding for a FOGO trial is included in the 2017-2018 Council budget. The trial will occur in the following autumn and will provide invaluable information regarding: • volumes of FOGO generated, bin, kitchen caddy and bin liner specifications • logistics including consolidation site and transport to processing facility • education successes and key considerations • community acceptance and engagement • organics processing options. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | If a FOGO collection was introduced the total potential diversion from landfill increases to 80.4%. The audit results showed 7.2kg weekly household generation of waste and 4.9 kg weekly generation of recycling. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Investigate the container deposit legislation debate while continuing to promote and encourage greater community participation in public place and kerbside recycling. This will include contributing to research efforts of the regional group and State Government to quantify the impact on kerbside recycling and obtain objective data regarding litter reduction. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The council also actively supports the Ban the Bag campaign and The Plastic Free Alliance; community groups working collaboratively to reduce the amount of single use plastics consumed and ending up in our waterways. A new project that the council is excited to facilitate is the development of a Boomerang Bag community (discussed later in this document). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The development and implementation plan will address specific campaigns and the most appropriate method of delivering these. The plan will also allow for flexibility when grant opportunities arise in this area and provide a program for ongoing and regular education in some areas such as use of kerbside recycling and FOGO bins (should FOGO collections be permanently introduced following the trial). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | the most significant action to undertake is the introduction of a Food Organics Garden Organics (FOGO) kerbside collection service. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The past two festivals have been waste free events, where a ‘Wash Against Waste’ trailer has provided reusable crockery, cups and cutlery and a system to wash and sterilise these so that the food vendors did not have to use throwaway items for their food. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The plan will also allow for flexibility when grant opportunities arise in this area and provide a program for ongoing and regular education in some areas such as use of kerbside recycling and FOGO bins, should FOGO collections be permanently introduced following the trial. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The Plastic Free Alliance is another example where the council has worked with local environmental groups, including Fishcare South West and Friends of the Merri River Marine Sanctuary to run events and work with schools to raise awareness of the impact of single-use plastics on the marine environment. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The Warrnambool Community Garden, Unpackaged, SWAPIT and Loop Studio are four local community organisations dedicated to the reduction and minimisation of waste. The community garden and HUB are living examples of projects which promote sustainable living. The Garden runs workshops on many different topics related to sustainable lifestyles and welcomes members of the public to these events. At the Garden, the HUB and the new shelter exemplify sustainable building principles including orientation of the buildings, building materials and even a worm composting toilet on-site. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Undertake a food organics and garden organics trial to divert material from landfill. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Work with the community to advocate for Warrnambool to be a plastic bag free city. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Community Garden hosted the Dirty Weekend over a sixyear period and continues to provide workshops educating the community about composting, worm farming and other waste reduction and recycling initiatives especially related to foodwaste. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | Council has also worked with the Plastic Free Alliance, comprising many local environmental groups including Fishcare South West and Friends of the Merri Marine Sanctuary (FOMMS) to raise awareness about the impact of single use plastics, such as plastic bags, plastic straws and plastic water bottles on our marine environment. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Resource Recovery, Waste Minimisation and Management Strategy | The development and implementation plan will address specific campaigns and the most appropriate method of delivering these. The plan will also allow for flexibility when grant opportunities arise in this area and provide a program for ongoing and regular education in some areas such as use of kerbside recycling and FOGO bins (should FOGO collections be permanently introduced following the trial). | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Warrnambool | Regional |
| Retail Centres Strategy | In order to function as an active centre, higher density residential development needs to be encouraged to be developed within and on the fringes of the centre. Opportunities to provide seniors housing and affordable housing (with appropriate incentives for the provision of such housing types) could also be explored. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Central Coast | Regional |
| Retail Centres Strategy | Currently, the Wadalba village centre comprises only a single supermarket development of approximately 1,500m2. Currently functions as a neighbourhood centre. Development of a medical centre and specialty retail floorspace has been approved. A planning proposal for land adjoining the centre to accommodate another supermarket has recently been issued gateway approval. | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | NSW | Central Coast | Regional |