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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Two new hydration stations were installed on the town circle route. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Leeton | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | drop-off textiles and clothing at the upgraded Perry Street Recycling Centre. All of Council’s 25,551 tonnes of household waste was processed at an Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) facility with 8,928 tonnes recovered. Food waste collection in our ongoing trial with approximately 3,500 multi-unit apartments was down marginally to 58.6 tonnes from the previous year. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | An agricultural region of excellence in innovation, technology and high-quality local produce 3.2.1 Promote diversification of the agriculture sector to increase innovation and adaption | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Water security remains a key priority for Leeton Shire Council and we have continued to advocate for no more loss of productive water from the system. Council has continued to be an active member of the Murray Darling Association (MDA), having hosted a successful Annual Conference and AGM in August 2018. Almost 200 delegates attended, and the Productivity Commission used this opportunity to announce its five-year assessment on the implementation of associated recommendations | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Leeton | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | More than 60 different courses, workshops, excursions, and volunteer days are also held throughout the year attracting between 3,000 and 4,000 participants, young and old, to become more sustainable around their homes, schools, gardens and in their workplace. From composting and worm farming, growing your own food on balconies or backyards, bike maintenance, keeping bees and chickens, and bringing birds and | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Anecdotal evidence gathered through interaction with local business suggested there are opportunities for value-adding facilities to be established within the Hilltops. For example, a multi species processing facility for pigs, sheep or poultry would be well suited to establishment in the Hilltops as many animals travel long distances away from Hilltops for processing. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | A community that thrives with irrigated agriculture Leeton Shire Council has made the following Delivery Program commitments to support the achievement of a community that thrives with irrigated agriculture: 11a. Advocate for continued access to irrigation supply for our agricultural industries. Following is a summary of Council’s actions during 2018-19 to support these outcomes: Leeton Shire Council has been an active member of the Murray Darling Association and hosted its Annual Conference in August 2018. Council made submissions to the Murray Darling Basin Royal Commission and on the draft Productivity Commission findings. In May 2019, Council released its ‘Water Policy Position Statement’, which was widely distributed, including being hand-delivered to the NSW Minister for Water and the Deputy Premier. The Mayor represents Council on the Murrumbidgee Environmental Water Advisory Group, which seeks to maximise ecological benefits, and identify and mitigate risks or adverse impacts. In drought, and on the advice of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder, the focus was on providing smaller volumes of environmental water to maintain refuge habitats. Ongoing monitoring suggests this has successfully benefited bird, fish and frog populations. Key outcomes of Council’s (and others’) advocacy during this year have included: o an ongoing commitment to achieve a healthy river system by not pausing or abandoning the Murray Darling Basin Plan, o a commitment to socio and economic neutrality testing before future water saving programs are implemented, o increased resourcing of compliance activities to reduce water theft, o increased awareness of how an unregulated water trading environment may be exacerbating the effects of the Basin Plan on communities. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | NSW | Leeton | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Sustainable waste management In 2018-19, Council’s waste diversion from landfill achieved 60 per cent landfill diversion, slightly down from 62 per cent diversion in 2017-18. This landfill diversion rate reflects Council’s continuing efforts to increase community understanding of best practice recovery of unwanted items across various waste streams, including recycling in yellow-lid recycling bins, garden waste in green-lid garden waste bins, and for selected multi-unit dwellings, food waste in specific food organics bins. This positive effort is in contrast to the many issues facing local councils across the country in the face of the difficulties Australia has been experiencing in the processing of recycled waste materials overseas, particularly in China and Indonesia. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Council works actively with partners and other levels of Government to facilitate seminars to aid our agricultural base, including: • “Export to Asia’ seminar in April. • Canberra Region Export Seminar in July, including representatives of the NSW and ACT Governments • NAB Agribusiness Chief Economist visit | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Water security remains a key priority for Leeton Shire Council and we have continued to advocate for no more loss of productive water from the system. Council has continued to be an active member of the Murray Darling Association (MDA), having hosted a successful Annual Conference and AGM in August 2018. Almost 200 delegates attended, and the Productivity Commission used this opportunity to announce its five-year assessment on the implementation of associated recommendations | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Leeton | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Sustainable waste management Randwick Council completed separate Waste Education and Waste Management Plans over the past 12 months provided a sound basis for tackling future waste issues. Diversion of waste from landfill is currently at 60 per cent, a strong lift from the previous 58 per cent, and most likely an outcome of all of Council’s household waste being processed and sorted at an Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) facility. Kerbside collection services results in the recovery and recycling of garden organics, some food waste organics, clean paper, cardboard and containers in a commingled collection as well as other household items for re-use contributing to reducing this material ending up in landfill. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Employment lands audit undertaken. Business events held for Agriculture, export and climate adaption. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Council has seen a significant decline in household recycling collected by the contractor due to the increased utilisation of the Container Deposit Scheme by the community | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Leeton | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | The 25.551 tonnes of household garbage collected in 2018-19 was processed via Alternative Waste Treatment (AWT) facilities with a total recovery of 8.928 tonnes. Our food waste processing and collection trial continued for approximately 3,500 multi-unit apartments collecting 70 tonnes in 2018-19, which is 17% higher than last year. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Environmental Citizen of the year to Blantyre Farms. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | The 3-Council Regional Environment Program’s Compost Revolution program continues to achieve major savings in food waste by enabling householders to purchase compost bins and worm farms and our free mulch service saw hundreds of residents choose to pick | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | has commenced on the development of a connected work and learning space in the Hilltops which could be pivotal to the delivery of training in the agricultural sector. Council has also had close contact with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) at Boorowa and through the development of these relationships and programs hopes to foster a program of learning to support the Agricultural sector and the business community of Hilltops in general. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | up and re-use parts of the green waste collected from homes and gardens around Randwick. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | WELLBEING PILLAR: BUILDING A STRONG AND ROBUST REGIONAL ECONOMY OUTCOME: Hilltops is a connected region, with both the local society and economy driven by a culture of innovation and collaboration, capitalising on our agricultural strength. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | • Provision of end-user equipment (e.g. tablets) for regulatory staff and food inspection staff. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 ANNUAL REPORT | Work has commenced on the development of a connected work and learning space in the Hilltops which could be pivotal to the delivery of training in the agricultural sector. Council has also had close contact with Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation at Boorowa and through the development of these relationships and programs hopes to foster a program of learning to support the Agricultural sector and the business community of Hilltops. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Hilltops | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Community safety, health and wellbeing Randwick City Council is committed to ensuring our community’s safety and helping to provide for its health and wellbeing. Council’s regulatory officers implemented a range of inspection and enforcement programs, including: • 10,351 customer action requests • 1,082 food business inspections | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Council’s Environmental Health Officers continued with the Scores-on-Doors food safety program, with 356 participants and provided food safety training to local business operators | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Randwick | Metropolitan |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Providing administrative support for the Memorial Rooms User Groups like the Wentworth Senior Citizens, Sunraysia Knitters Association, Wentworth District RSL Branch, Wentworth District Ladies Auxiliary, One Vine Community Church Group, Dareton Primary Health Services, Wentworth Uniting Church Exercise Group, GP Group, Darling Junction Country Women’s Auxiliary, Wentworth Meals on Wheels, | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Caring in crisis Drought support Council has been actively involved in assisting our community through this time of drought. We commenced water carting in August 2018 and have carted a total of 2,404,532 kilolitres of potable water to property owners. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Drinking Fountains Installation (Shire wide) | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Throughout the past year we have had a strong focus on the wellbeing of our communities. With the declaration of the drought we instigated emergency water carting which, with the support of the Federal Government, we have been able to continue throughout the year. Additionally, we have tirelessly lobbied for improved water security and ongoing drought support for our residents. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Caring in crisis Drought support Council has been actively involved in assisting our community through this time of drought. We commenced water carting in August 2018 and have carted a total of 2,404,532 kilolitres of potable water to property owners. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Throughout the past year we have had a strong focus on the wellbeing of our communities. With the declaration of the drought we instigated emergency water carting which, with the support of the Federal Government, we have been able to continue throughout the year. Additionally, we have tirelessly lobbied for improved water security and ongoing drought support for our residents. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Wentworth | Regional |
| 2018-19 Annual Report | Anglicare Food Fair Queanbeyan | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Queanbeyan-Palerang | Regional |