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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | Significant development applications approved included the $4.9 million construction of the new Evans Head HealthOne, $10 million renovations and enhancements of the Richmond Lodge aged care facility in Casino, stage two upgrades to the Northern Rivers Livestock Exchange totalling $6.5 million, | Sustainability and Environment | Animal husbandry | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | Blue-Green Algae The Richmond River experienced a blue-green algae event due to drought, heightened water restrictions and a hot summer. Photos taken at the boat ramp at McDonald Park show the river in bloom in early February 2019, together with two weeks later showing the difference to the water body after decent rain. Collaboration between Council’s water treatment plant and environmental health staff ensured this event was closely monitored and processes were continually adjusted to ensure safe water delivery. This event required on-going communication with various stakeholders including NSW Public Health Unit, Water NSW (North Coast Regional Algal Coordinating Committee) and the general public whose concerns were for recreational water use and the aesthetics of the drinking water. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | Drought Convoy Richmond Valley Council partnered with Kyogle and Lismore councils to transport hay and make water deliveries to drought-stricken farmers in and around Narrabri in August 2018. Council decided to be part of the convoy after staff came forward wanting to help farmers in the west of the State, which led to talks with local business and community groups to facilitate the best approach. Richmond Valley Council Mayor Robert Mustow was proud of Council staff’s involvement and stated it was the perfect example of mates helping mates. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | Educational garden at Casino Library designed to create awareness and highlight the problems associated with contamination from collection through to processing | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | HIGHLIGHTS • Launch by the Casino branch of the RichmondUpper Clarence Library of a seed library (a bank of seeds held in trust for the community can be borrowed, planted and then harvested and returned) in a joint initiative with Council’s FOGO (food and organics) project. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018-2019 | HIGHLIGHTS • Weekly food and garden organics collection service now available for all businesses in the Richmond Valley | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Richmond Valley | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | being a trusted destination for fresh, organic, free range and whole food; 5 | Health and Wellbeing | Dietary guidelinse for external settings | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | • Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival 2019 | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | • March – Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival (see Major Events) | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | • South Melbourne Night Market Jan-Feb 2019 • Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival 2019 | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | In December 2018 the Market banned plastic straws with our Say No to Straws campaign. This milk bottle recycling program now complements the rest of the Market’s sustainable initiatives including: organic waste program; recycling water, polystyrene, oil, cardboard and glass; educating the community on environmental ways to shop via Market tours and Sustainable September program; and working with traders to improve their environmental footprint. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Market E-Newsletter (EDM) The Market sends monthly electronic mail to promote upcoming events and news to a Market database of over 45,000 subscribers, and promote upcoming cooking and master classes in The Neff Market Kitchen to a database of over 40,000 subscribers. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Market Tours: The Market conducts guided tours on a monthly basis where participants get to sample the Market delights, meet specialist traders and have a Market adventure that is unrivalled and unforgettable. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival in March. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival The Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival took place 9 and 10 March 2019 on Cecil Street at the Market. Record crowds enjoyed feasting, dancing and celebrating seafood, all to the sounds of Melbourne’s hottest jazz musicians. Sangria and piping hot mussel paella, wok cooked drunken mussels and craft beer, mussels cooked in a light buttermilk batter served with crispy cos lettuce and chimichurri were on offer, and artisan ice-cream and fun for the kids. Some of Melbourne’s top chefs and restaurants take part each year, as well as our own South Melbourne Market restaurants Bambu, Claypots Evening Star, Paco y Lola, Köy and Simply Spanish. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival The Port Phillip Mussel & Jazz Festival took place 9 and 10 March 2019 on Cecil Street at the Market. Record crowds enjoyed feasting, dancing and celebrating seafood, all to the sounds of Melbourne’s hottest jazz musicians. Sangria and piping hot mussel paella, wok cooked drunken mussels and craft beer, mussels cooked in a light buttermilk batter served with crispy cos lettuce and chimichurri were on offer, and artisan ice-cream and fun for the kids. Some of Melbourne’s top chefs and restaurants take part each year, as well as our own South Melbourne Market restaurants Bambu, Claypots Evening Star, Paco y Lola, Köy and Simply Spanish. T | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | saying goodbye to plastic with a sustainable beeswax wrap workshop; and Market trader, Field Barnes & Co showing their loyal customers how to transform their ethical eggs and cream into a delicious Greek galaktoboureko. TNMK was used for classes or other events over 300 times throughout the financial year, 128 of which were during Market hours. This year the Market and the cooking school’s sponsor NEFF agreed to continue their successful relationship for another term. As part of the agreement NEFF have started running tours of the Market for their corporate clients, taking them to visit food favourites such as Atypic Chocolate, Georgie’s Harvest and Emerald Deli. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | School Holiday program – Encouraging kids to get involved in cooking | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | School Holiday program – Encouraging kids to get involved in cooking | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | School Holiday program – Encouraging kids to get involved in cooking • | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | • Point Lonsdale Primary School received funding to introduce china mugs to the community market and encourage patrons to use a reusable cup to reduce the detrimental effects of plastics in the environment. The project includes construction of cup trees by the Men’s Shed, while students will design posters to promote the project. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Queenscliff | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | School Holiday program – Encouraging kids to get involved in cooking with our Kids Can Cook program, hosted on Market days. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Council’s inaugural Transition Towns Queenscliffe Sustainable Living Show proved a resounding success when it drew in more than 500 visitors to the Queenscliff Community Hall in March 2019. This volunteer-organised event attracted attendees from throughout the Bellarine, Melbourne, and even interstate to learn more about how to incorporate sustainable practices in everyday life. The six-hour expo included displays, demonstrations and quick talks covering a range of topics including solar power, worm farms, beekeeping and tiny homes, to name a few. One of the sustainability initiatives that was implemented on the day saw more than 150 jars distributed to attendees to take home and replace their plastic containers. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Queenscliff | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | School Holiday program – Encouraging kids to get involved in cooking with our Kids Can Cook program, hosted on Market days. • | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Following the success of our Community Environment Alliance grants program last year, Council continued the program and awarded $3,712.40 in funds to three community groups to reduce their impact on the environment. Grant recipients were announced in June 2019, and are as follows: • Weed reduction continues Council continues to engage with organisations such as the Bellarine Catchment Network, Conversation Volunteers Australia, and Corrections Victoria to undertake weed reduction and revegetation across sites throughout the Borough. Throughout 2018–19, work was chiefly conducted in the Point Lonsdale Lighthouse Reserve, the Point Lonsdale Foreshore, Queenscliff Front Beach, and The Narrows. Queenscliff Uniting Church received funding to organise and host workshops in household waste minimisation, particularly plastics during the SacredEdge Festival, as well as composting all food waste and associated tableware used at the festival. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Queenscliff | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | The daily operation of the Market is managed by 10.6 FTE staff looking after key areas such as licencing, operations, marketing, events, administration, customer service and the cooking school. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Sustainable Living Show 2019 More than 500 people braved the wet and windy conditions to attend the inaugural Sustainable Living Show in Queenscliff in March 2019. Organised by volunteers from Transition Towns Queenscliffe, the event was a one-stop shop for smart, simple, sustainable living. Displays, demonstrations, quick talks and market stalls covered a range of topics such as growing your own food, solar power, worm farming at home, upcycling, and beekeeping, to name a few. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Queenscliff | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | The Neff Market Kitchen Over 2,400 participants attended The Neff Market Kitchen (TNMK) in 201819 with the cooking classes achieving an average occupancy rate of 96.6%, with 98% of participating rating their experience very good / excellent. The number of classes held in TNMK increased by 8.5% on the previous year, with 65 Master Classes, 69 Cooking Classes, 29 Market2Table and 30 Kids Can Cook classes held. The range of classes offered in 2018-19 reflected the dynamic, changing trends of Melbourne’s food scene: Argentinean has taken over from Mexican as the new favourite Latin American cuisine, with classes from San Telmo and Asado selling out quickly, while the everincreasing interest in plant-based eating has seen a growing demand for meatfree classes. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | In all Council policies and practices there shall be no discrimination relating to age; disability; sex; sexual orientation; race; employment activity; gender identity; lawful sexual activity; marital status; industrial activity; political belief or activity; physical features; breastfeeding; pregnancy; parental status or status as a carer; religious belief or activity; and personal association with a person who is identified by reference to any of these attributes. | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | Victoria | Queenscliff | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | This year the Market conducted 19 Sustainable Food Systems school tours. The tours visit a range of stalls, using their produce as a launch pad to explore the sustainability of our food systems, from how and where our food is grown, through to how we can transform our waste into valuable resources. The tours are a popular tie-in with the Year 9 Biomes and Food Security Geography unit and VCE Food Studies Unit Food Issues, Challenges and Futures, as they give the students the opportunity to see the theory of the class room in practice. The students love the passion of the traders, learning about the Market’s organic waste management program, and trying a range of foods they may not have experienced before including oysters, which is always a great photo opportunity. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Port Phillip | Metropolitan |