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 2018/19 | Water Potable (treated) and raw (untreated) water supplies continued to be provided to the townships of Wilcannia and Ivanhoe in accordance with NSW Office of Water and Department of Health regulations and guidelines in conjunction with a testing regime undertaken by Council operators in consultation with these government agencies. Wilcannia and Ivanhoe Water Supply is sourced from a combination of river and bore supplies. In the past year, Wilcannia was serviced predominately from Darling River flows and Ivanhoe has been serviced from Morrisons Lake Reservoir fed from Willandra Creek. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | 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 $353.66 $415.82 $314.88 59.17% 80% 87.04% 97.98% The data in Streatrader has been improved by removing multiple entries for the same premises and several old premises, this has resulted in a reduction in the number of Class 1 & 2 premises. 1 day 1 day 1 day 1 day 8 | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Menindee Drought Relief Menindee has been in the news with fish kills and blue green algae in the towns water supply leading to the State Government having to provide the delivery of drinking water to some 95 Menindee Environs and station residents traversing distances of up to 180klm round-trips. The Menindee Transaction Centre staff coordinate the day-to-day runnings of the delivery of water, reporting to Shire Management and Essential Water on a monthly basis. The Centre has also been the main contact for donations of water from various outlets from local, ex-local (Mal HIghet – Menindee Water Run), state and interstate. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Strategy 1.2.3 Make available diverse, sustainable, adaptable and affordable housing options through effective land use planning. STRATEGY Ongoing monitoring of land release and development Regular updating of the Comprehensive Land Use Strategy Promote affordable housing options within the region ACTION Review and release land for development as required Conduct annual review of Comprehensive Land Use Strategy Provide funding to lease emergency housing for women and children leaving family violence COMMENTS Council utilises a Land Use Monitoring tool to monitor building approvals, subdivision approvals, construction and subdivision certificates against Council’s Urban Release Strategy. Reports are provided to Council on a six monthly basis. Council has undertaken a review of the Comprehensive Land Use Strategy inline with the Urban Release Strategy and the Land Use Monitoring details. Council has engaged a consultant to strategically identifying rural lifestyle opportunities with a minimum lot area of 2 hectares. This study will be reported to Council for consideration. Council works with Housing Plus and Barnardos to provide short term crisis accommodation to homeless families, women and children escaping domestic violence and young people that do not have somewhere safe to stay. Prior to this service being available, motel accommodation was sourced to support homeless families and individuals at a higher expense. During 2018/19, the property was accessed for 252 nights by single parent families with referrals from Housing Plus, Family and Community Services and NSW Police. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | FOOD SAFETY Heath and safety Critical and major non-compliance notifications Number of critical non-compliance notifications and major non-compliance notifications about a food premises followed up / Number of critical non-compliance notifications and major non-compliance notifications about food premises x100 | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | 3.1.3 Plastic Bag reduction | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Accessible services for which Council is responsible are listed on Council’s website, including Meals on Wheels | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | Percentage of required food safety assessments undertaken | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Benalla | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Council has assisted Cleanaway Pty Ltd with the possible appointment of an operator to manage an Over the Counter – Container Deposit Scheme to enable residents to recycle cans/bottles etc. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Council continues to auspice the Community Transport and Meals on Wheels services which would not be possible to run without the assistance of a team of over 150 dedicated volunteers. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Decline in plastic bag supply and use | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Provide comprehensive community support programs and services that embrace social justice, access and equity Provide Meals on Wheels service Council continues to auspice the Mudgee Meals on Wheels service wiht the assistance of 160 volunteers. The majority of meals are delivered to clients in their homes, with frozen meals available to community members living outside of the CBD. Whilst the service has not met target quotas for meal provision for the year, it meets all service requests for eligible customers. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Investigate strategies to eradicate plastic bags from all communities | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Volunteer opportunities exist within Council’s Meals on Wheels and Community Transport services. In the past, people with disability have opted to volunteer with the Meals on Wheels service and continue to be welcome to do so. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Lobby government for re-introduction of container deposit levy | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Provide education on managing green waste Ongoing promotion of new FOGO collection service through Council’s Facebook with posts and short clips. TV and radio advertising and a schools education program were rolled out to 9 schools in the region, reaching over 1,000 students. Through the FOGO system in 2018/19, 1800 tonnes of organics waste was diverted from landfill. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Central Darling Shire Council is classified as Category B under the Food Regulation Partnership as per agreements with NSW Food Authority. Under this arrangement food premises are inspected annually. The following table demonstrates Council food premises activities over the past 12 months. During the reporting period one business required a second inspection and was found to be satisfactory. On reinspection it complied with the Food Act 2003 and Food Regulation 2010. No of inspections undertaken 20 No of food outlets No of non-compliance 20 0 No of food business requiring reinspection 0 | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Work under FOGO grant continued this financial year. Funding from the EPA grant was used for TV and radio advertising. In addition a schools education program was rolled out to 9 schools in the region, reaching over 1,000 students. Through the FOGO system in 2018/19, 1,800 tonnes of organics waste was diverted from landfill. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Food Inspections Food Inspections Performance Requirement To provide level of services as per Category B To implement food premises inspections to Category B level To investigate complaints to Category B level | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Central Darling | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | ACTION Implement an Integrated Water Cycle Management Strategy Ongoing implementation and review of the Drinking Water Management System | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Council maintains ongoing dialogue with the State Government regarding water security. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Council’s DWMS has been implemented. Regular review and ongoing improvements have been implemented. The DWMS is now being independently audited by NSW Health Consultant. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Number of instances drinking water guidelines not met Number of drinking water complaints | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Work to secure water for agriculture and urban use | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Education continues as part of the inspection program. New resources have been created for distribution with rates notices. Staff attended Mudgee Small Farm Field Days with weeds education trailer and display. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Exceedances of license discharge consent recorded (number) Erosion & Sediment Control complaints received by council (number) | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Food and Garden Organic Waste Collection Implemented Collection of Food and Garden Waste successfully commenced across the region� Organic waste is transported to the Dubbo Regional Organics Processing Plant (DROPP) where it is transformed into compost as part of the joint regional waste project between MidWestern Regional Council, Dubbo Regional Council and Narromine Shire Council� The resulting compost is now available for purchase� | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Load Based Licencing volume (kg) | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Loss of primary agricultural land through rezoning (ha) | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | No action currently due to a lack of community requests for the program. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |