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 | Continue advocacy to the Victorian Government calling for the use and transparency of landfill levy funds, banning of single-use plastics, introduction of container deposit legislation and the need for urgent action on recycling issues. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Council has trialled a new food and organic waste collection which will begin across Darebin in the coming year. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Fourteen new drinking fountains were installed across the municipality. These fountains reduce the need for residents to buy bottled water. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Roll out food waste collection service in the spring of 2019 to all households that have a green waste bin. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Roll-out food waste collection service in the spring of 2019 to all households that have a green waste bin. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Seven cafes joined our Cafe to Garden Program to recycle coffee grounds. Other businesses were supported with organic waste recycling options. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | the start of a food waste collection service across Darebin, reducing landfill and creating a useful product for gardens. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Trialed a food waste recycling service, with more than 1,000 households in Kingsbury invited to participate. Council resolved to introduce the new service to Darebin residents in the spring of 2019. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | City development and health Provides support and advice to Council with respect to the Darebin Planning Scheme (Strategic Planning) as well as delivering services to ensure compliance with building legislation and industry standards (Statutory Planning). Responsible for Council’s environmental health service (enforcement of the Food Act, Health Act, Tobacco Act and Environmental Protection Act and associated regulations). | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Food and health business registrations and regulation | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | FOOD SAFETY FS4 Critical and major noncompliance notifications [Number of critical non-compliance notifications and major noncompliance notifications about a food premises followed up / Number of critical non-compliance notifications and major noncompliance notifications about food premises] x100 | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Food safety regulation programs | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–2019 | Food Safety Timeliness Time taken to action food complaints [Number of days between receipt and first response action for all food complaints/Number of food complaints] Service standard Food safety assessments [Number of registered Class 1 food premises and Class 2 food premises that receive an annual food safety assessment in accordance with the Food Act 1984/Number of registered Class 1 food premises and Class 2 food premises that require an annual food safety assessment in accordance with the Food Act 1984] x100 Service cost Cost of food safety service [Direct cost of the food safety service/Number of food premises registered or notified in accordance with the Food Act 1984] Health and safety Critical and major noncompliance outcome notifications Number of critical non-compliance outcome notifications and major non-compliance notifications about a food premises followed up/ Number of critical non-compliance outcome notifications and major non-compliance notifications about a food premises] x100 90.21% 99.16% 98.39% 95.39% Council completed the vast majority of scheduled food safety assessments in the financial year. Any outstanding assessments were made a priority for completion. 1.50 2.09 2.14 2.14 $537.75 $527.66 $530.59 $512.14 Increased registerable business growth across the municipality resulted in a lower cost per premise than in the previous reporting period. 100.00% 92.13% 100.00% 100.00% Darebin achieved a 100% result again in 2018–2019, thereby demonstrating Council’s commitment to addressing high-risk, noncompliant premises. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Darebin | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | Strategy 2.3: Support the delivery of a range of housing that addresses housing and living affordability needs What we are aiming for An increase in social and affordable housing in Knox How we measure our impact The amount of social housing that is affordable to low-income households in Knox The amount of rental housing that is affordable to low-income households in Knox 2017-18 Result 2% 2018-19 Result Comment 2% In 2018-19, social housing accounted for 2% of total housing stock in Knox. This figure remained stable from 2017-18. 2.9% 3.1% 3.1% of rental stock in Knox was considered affordable to low-income households in 2018-19, a slight increase from 2017-18. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | What we are aiming for How we measure our impact An increase in the number of multicultural groups engaging in Council events and festivals The number of multicultural groups participating in Council-run community festivals and events. 2017-18 Result 151 2018-19 Result Comment 113 A total of 113 people attended Sorry Day on Sunday 26 May 2019. 150 160 A total of 160 people attended the NAIDOC event held at the Ferntree Gully library and enjoyed story time, cultural dancing, band and badge making, bush tucker, the Aboriginal women’s display and Indigenous books. 2017-18 Result 19 2018-19 Result Comment 36 The targeted engagement of local cultural groups was rewarded with high levels of participation from multicultural clubs, performers and artists across all three keynote events. Many participated as both stallholders and performers, or took part in cooking demonstrations or workshops. The focus was shifted from primarily engaging professional cultural groups to the primary objective of being an exercise in local multicultural engagement. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | What we are aiming for How we measure our impact An increase in the number of multicultural groups engaging in Council events and festivals The number of multicultural groups participating in Council-run community festivals and events. 2017-18 Result 151 2018-19 Result Comment 113 A total of 113 people attended Sorry Day on Sunday 26 May 2019. 150 160 A total of 160 people attended the NAIDOC event held at the Ferntree Gully library and enjoyed story time, cultural dancing, band and badge making, bush tucker, the Aboriginal women’s display and Indigenous books. 2017-18 Result 19 2018-19 Result Comment 36 The targeted engagement of local cultural groups was rewarded with high levels of participation from multicultural clubs, performers and artists across all three keynote events. Many participated as both stallholders and performers, or took part in cooking demonstrations or workshops. The focus was shifted from primarily engaging professional cultural groups to the primary objective of being an exercise in local multicultural engagement. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | Council received the 2018 Wellness@Work Index results which provide a baseline reading of the current wellbeing status of Council employees. This has provided Council with a sound knowledge base for areas of focus and improvement that will have a positive impact on staff wellbeing, namely sleep, diet, activity and workplace factors. Mor | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy eating by LG staff | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | The Wellness@Knox committee flourished in 2018-19, with the Healthy Workplace Charter being finalised. The committee has facilitated a number of health and wellness initiatives, including the provision of exercise bikes for casual use, the popular Food4Life program, a healthy-cooking demonstration, a soccer team, table tennis tournaments, walking groups, bicycle maintenance classes, Pilates and yoga. | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy eating by LG staff | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | 1.16 days 1.88 days In 2018, Council had a number of complaints, which had been initially notified to other councils and consequently took up to 10 days to forward to Knox for follow-up. This was in addition to complaints lodged just prior to long weekends, such as Easter, which resulted in a four- to five-day response time. These anomalies impacted on the overall result, where the norm is for same- or next-day turnaround. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | 2014-15 2015-16 94.73% 91.95% 2016-17 90.50% 2017-18 2018-19 90.16% 100.00% All premises subject to major or critical non-compliances are followed up in accordance with the officers’ directions notice. There were 229 Major Non-Compliances and 10 Critical Non Compliances in calendar year 2018, all of which were followed up as required. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | Approximately 70 per cent of the work of Council’s environmental health officers relates to food compliance functions at premises including restaurants, takeaway food outlets, hotels, cafes and supermarkets. Officers promptly react to food-related complaints with a same-day or next-day response to commence an investigation. Council’s emphasis is primarily aimed at educating proprietors of their responsibilities; however, escalating enforcement action is applied to those proprietors who continually breach food standards. Food safety programs for relevant premises are monitored by the Environmental Health team, who also oversees the external third-party food audit system. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | Food Safety Service/Indicator/Measure Timeliness Time taken to action food complaints [Number of days between receipt of first response action for all food complaints/ Number of food complaints] 2014-15 2015-16 2016-17 2017-18 0.00 1.35 1.62 2018-19 Material Variation Comment 1.16 1.88 In 2018-19, Council received a number of complaints that had been initially notified to other councils and took up to 10 days to be sent to Knox for follow-up. This was in addition to complaints lodged just prior to long weekends, such as Easter, which resulted in a four- to five-day response time. These anomalies impacted on the overall result where the norm is for same-day or next-day turnaround. Service standard Food safety assessments [Number of registered class1 food premises and class 2 food premises that receive an annual food safety assessment in accordance with the Food Act 1984/ Number of registered class 1 food premises and class 2 food premises that require an annual food safety assessment in accordance with the Food Act 1984] x100 Service cost Cost of food safety service [Direct cost of the food safety service/ Number of food premises registered or notified in accordance with the Food Act 1984] Health and safety Critical and major noncompliance outcome notifications [Number of critical noncompliance outcome notifications and major non-compliance outcome notifications about a food premises followed up/ Number of critical noncompliance outcome notifications and major non-compliance outcome notifications about food premises] x100 94.73% 91.95% 90.50% 90.16% 100.00% All premises subject to major or critical non-compliances are followed up in accordance with the officers’ directions notice. There were 229 Major NonCompliances and 10 Critical Non Compliances in calendar year 2018, all of which were followed up as required. $480.51 $393.61 $635.51 $420.10 $453.64 97.45% 100.00% 99.55% 100.00% 100.00% | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018—19 | Health Services This service aims to mitigate adverse community health outcomes through: • Monitoring, surveillance and enforcement activities that are aimed at food safety and controlling the spread of infectious disease. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Knox | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Four local people received funding to undertake the Farmer Incubator Program. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | With its valuable agricultural areas, Cardinia Sire  n irn re in rviding  ignificn food supply. Council is committed to leveraging this to attract investment, employment opportunities and securing fertile land required for food supply. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | We want to achieve: To achieve this we will: Action Tender documentation and consideration includes weighting for local products and services. A local economy supporting the improved health and wellbeing of our communities. Encourage the procurement and consumption of local food. Result Cardinia Council applied a 5 per cent weighting for local products and services on all tenders in 2018–19. Business unit Finance Completion Completed | Economic Development | Local food initiatives for economic development | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Action Advocate for easier access to markets via regional food plan and enabling infrastructure including airports, Bunyip Food Belt and Thompsons Road extension. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Advocate for the development of roads and infrastructure required for primary production. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Identify a hierarchy of roads directly related to primary production that require advocacy. Advocate to the relevant authority for the development of the priority roads identified to support primary production. We want to achieve: To achieve this we will: The hierarchy of roads directly related to primary production that require advocacy has been established. Council was successful in obtaining funding for Island Road, Koo Wee Rup. However, the project will not continue due to limited interest in residents contributing to the works. Future advocacy to be undertaken based on a newly developed priority list. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018–19 | Identify innovative ways to value–add to the region’s primary production and transportation. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |