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 | Households, businesses and schools across the region were encouraged to reduce their consumption of single-use plastics during Plastic Free July� Council offered reuseable glass coffee mugs at a reduced rate to encourage people to avoid using disposable cups which make their way to landfill� | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | Implementation of affordable housing • A draft affordable rental housing scheme has been prepared for exhibition with rezoning documentation for Frenchs Forest in 2019. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Northern Beaches | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | The social and financial challenges currently being faced by our community due to this devastating drought are indeed heartfelt. Over the past year we have tried to help at the local level, albeit in a small way, including free standpipe water to farmers, facilitated the Drought Response Oicer and free entry to the Shire's pools, improvements to community halls and places while remaining committed to ensuring our community is well supported by a diverse economy as we capitalise on our strategic position at the "crossroads of the nation". | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Parkes | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | prosecutions] Food Safety Timeliness FS1 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 FS2 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 FS3 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 81 Moonee Valley City Council – Annual Report 2018/19 $557.68 $547.69 $536.29 $578.85 95.49% 96.45% 99.86% 99.46% 1.94 2.47 1.82 1.41 Moonee | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Moonee Valley | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/19 | Promote home composting initiatives for green waste | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | The Policy and Action Plan are being implemented. As part of developing our Housing Strategy, Council is analysing the supply and demand for affordable housing. For the Frenchs Forest Planned Precinct, a draft Affordable Housing Contribution Scheme has been submitted to the Department of Planning for approval. This would provide formal opportunities for increasing the area’s stock of affordable housing, an identified need for those with a disability, seniors and key workers. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Northern Beaches | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | With more pressure placed on our urban water supply during these dry times, the commencement of construction of the Recycled Water Scheme (RWS) was opportune. Once fully operational the RWS, which forms part of the award-winning Parkes Integrated Water Infrastructure Renewal Program, will supply high quality recycled water for the Advanced Water Recycling Facility to our public green spaces for irrigation. The scheme strengthens Parkes’ water security by providing an additional source of water for non-potable (nondrinking) use, reducing the demands on treated drinking water and lower Council’s operational costs. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Parkes | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | To provide services and programs to protect the general health of the community, including food safety and immunisation. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Moonee Valley | Metropolitan |
| 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. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | Council’s Meals on Wheels service supports carers in their role by providing nutritional and affordable meal options as well as coordinating community restaurants in three different locations across the Northern Beaches. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Northern Beaches | Metropolitan |
| 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. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Mid-Western Regional | Regional |
| Annual Report 2018/19 | Expansion of the Meals on Wheels service | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Northern Beaches | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | HEALTH ADMINISTRATION AND INSPECTIONS Council carried out 98 routine food business assessments of fixed, high and medium risk food businesses; 14 temporary food stall assessments; and one mobile food vehicle assessment during 2018/19. There were six complaints relating to food that were investigated by Council’s Environmental Health Officer. No foodborne illnesses were reported to Council during 2018/19. FOOD BUSINESS ASSESSMENT OUTCOMES A range of enforcement actions taken between complaint investigation and food businesses receiving No Grade during their routine food assessment included: • Re-inspections = 15 • Warning Letters = 9 • Improvement Notices = 1 • PINs (Penalty Infringement Notices) = 2 • Prohibition Orders = 0 Inspections of registered premises including food premises, public swimming pools, skin penetration, caravan parks, boarding houses, cooling towers and mortuaries and crematoriums will continue in 2019/2020. SCORES ON DOORS PROGRAM The Scores on Doors program offers participating businesses in Broken Hill a great opportunity to show customers just how seriously they take food hygiene and the results they have achieved by displaying a rating certificate on their shop front door. Of the 98 food businesses assessed, 78 food businesses were awarded Scores on Doors certificates for their star rating. Not all food businesses that require a food business assessment are eligible to participate in the Scores on Doors Program. The graph below depicts the assessment scores achieved for the 78 fixed food businesses: I’M ALERT FOOD SAFETY – TRAINING FOR FOOD HANDLERS I'M ALERT Food Safety is a free online food safety training program sponsored by Broken Hill City Council. The program enables a consistent and efficient delivery of Food Safety Training. Twenty-four local food handlers completed the course during 2018/19 and seventyseven returning users used I’M ALERT for refresher training. There is no legal obligation for food businesses to enrol and complete I’M ALERT Food Safety Training however, food businesses have a legal obligation to ensure that food handlers are trained in Food Safety. Therefore, I’M ALERT is an ideal platform to comply with this legal obligation and it is free. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | WASTE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS Through our Waste Smart Litter Program we ran a composting program at Hurstville Public School and a worm farming workshop at St George Girls High School in May 2019. We also ran composting and no-dig gardening workshops for the community in May 2019. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Implementing and promoting a voluntary food safety ‘Scores on Doors’ program, with a 75% participation rate in the program. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | DONATIONS Name of Recipient Purpose Bravehearts Aussie Helpers Rural Aid Buy a Bale Drought Angels Australian Lions Foundation- Need for Feed | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Provided public health and safety initiatives and carried out compliance activities by: • Conducting inspections of food premises. – High Risk food premises inspected during report period. – All enforcement actions were undertaken in two business days or less. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | BAN ON SINGLE USE PLASTICS Following our plastic-free July initiative with Georges Riverkeeper team, we introduced a ban on single-use plastic carry bags and straws at Council-owned venues and facilities and Council-run functions and events. Our staff have researched and reviewed policies and strategies to create a Georges River Council Sustainable Events Management Guideline. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Council also coordinated a litter audit program at a local public school, composting and worm farming workshops for the community | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Council provided composting and worm farming workshops, presented at the Litter Congress 2019, presented to community groups regarding waste education and a worm farming practices workshop. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | OTHER KEY INDICATORS – 4 composting and worm farming workshops for 80 residents | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Other sustainable initiatives include families bringing in their soft plastics for collection by Coles | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Reduction in single-use plastics | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018/2019 | Cootamundra Saleyards: Truck Wash Facility & Electrical/Lighting Upgrade Project: Funding for the $330,000 Project has come from the Australian Federal Government, NSW State Government and CootamundraGundagai Regional Council. Overall the projects bring the Cootamundra Saleyards in line with other facilities of similar size and have addressed Workplace, Health and Safety, environmental and economic issues. Electrical upgrades to the lighting and security systems were undertaken with lights positioned to give even light over ramps, races, yards and pens to avoid glare and to minimise shadows. The new wash out facilities ensure consistent measures are in place to deliver against bio-security, community health and animal welfare requirements. Driver safety and fatigue issues are addressed as carriers do not have to travel longer distances to wash out. The minimising of environmental issues such as weed management and effluent run off will have long term benefits. | Economic Development | Local food producers | NSW | Cootamundra-Gundagai | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | SINGLE USE PLASTICS In August 2018, we introduced a ban on single use plastic carry bags and straws at Council-owned venues and facilities and Council-run functions and events. Stallholders and sponsors to Council events must agree to terms and conditions that prevent the use of single use plastics, including balloons. We hope this approach will then encourage local businesses and other organisations to implement a similar ban. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | the introduction of composting at the Centres, | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | The Library Homegrown living program taught day to day sustainability principles, including sessions on wax wrapping, soap making and general tips to avoid the use of plastics | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018/2019 | The 2018/19 rate in the Capital Improved Valuation dollar was General 0.6597, Farm 0.3628, Commercial 0.8246, and Industrial 0.8246 (2017/18 General 0.7328, Farm 0.4030, Commercial 1.1725, and Industrial 0.9526). | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Ararat | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | WASTE EDUCATION WORKSHOPS Through our Waste Smart Litter Program we ran a composting program at Hurstville Public School and a worm farming workshop at St George Girls High School in May 2019. We also ran composting and no-dig gardening workshops for the community in May 2019. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Georges River | Metropolitan |
| Annual Report 2018/2019 | Street tree planting program, including introduction of edible species. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Ararat | Regional |