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).
Suggested search terms
Hold Ctrl to select multiple terms. Using ‘any words’ functions as an “OR” search. Using ‘all words’ functions as and “AND” search.
Search Criteria:
| Document title | Relevant text in the policy | Domain | Topic | State | Local Government name | Council type |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Continue to encourage community waste reduction through composting and worm farms, reducing rubbish collection requirements. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Council currently supports the Sustainable Homes program that is run through SECCCA. A local facilitator runs sessions covering water and energy efficiency, waste reduction and sustainable gardening. These workshops provide valuable information to the community to assist with sustainable living. Council will continue to support these and other sustainability workshops to catalyse sustainable living across the Shire. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Encourage local food production through community education and establishing and supporting community gardens. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Generate awareness about organic waste recycling. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Establish a local food security coalition of food producers, distributors and consumers to strengthen food security. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Support local food distribution | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Supporting local suppliers to provide economically accessible locally produced food. | Sustainability and Environment | Strengthen food chain connections/distribution | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Support and promote to farmers the five objectives from the National Plan for Greenhouse and Agriculture in collaboration with the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) and the Sustainable Energy Authority, including improved information on agriculture emissions and implications of greenhouse, climate change and appropriate adaptive responses. | Sustainability and Environment | Food supply and food system resilience | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Continue to encourage community waste reduction through composting and worm farms, reducing rubbish collection requirements. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Develop and trial a food waste program within Council’s main administration building. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Generate awareness about organic waste recycling. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| Aspirational Energy Transition Plan 2014–24 | Supporting local suppliers to provide economically accessible locally produced food. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Cardinia | Metropolitan |
| ATMOSPHERE POLICY | 2. To limit the impact of noise and odour within the LGA Noise and odour are a significant source of complaints to Council. Complaints usually occur between neighbours in the urban zone, but also regularly occur at the interface between land use zones such as agriculture or industrial areas and residential areas. Strategies for implementation a) Provide up to date and accurate information on noise and odour issues for the Lismore community; b) Monitor number and nature of complaints to Council regarding noise and odour to identify major sources of emissions; and c) Ensure industries adopt best management practices for control of noise and odour d) Investigate better use of planning controls to reduce conflict between varying land uses and practices (Link to Land Policy); e) Promote good neighbour behaviour and awareness of existing land uses | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Lismore | Regional |
| ATMOSPHERE POLICY | 3. To manage and improve air quality within the LGA As development continues within the LGA there is likely to be increased pressures placed on air quality. Council’s role has traditionally been to record and respond to complaints about air quality. There are also industries in Lismore licenced with the Dept. of Environment & Conservation (DEC) for air emission discharges. Strategies for implementation a) Monitor number and nature of complaints to Council regarding air quality to identify major sources of emissions. b) Provide up to date and accurate information on air quality issues, focussing on local industry; c) Ensure industrial and commercial premises are compliant with legislative requirements through audit programs and other means; and d) Encourage partnerships with industry and agriculture for adoption of best management practices for control of emissions. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Lismore | Regional |
| Authority to Undertake Enforcement Actions | STATEMENT OF INTENT Lockhart Shire Council has a considered approach to responding to unlawful activity. This Policy aims to provide consistency in enforcement action in matters relating to health and safety, pollution, roads, animal control, food safety as well as environmental and development non-compliance and ensure natural justice principles are respected. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | NSW | Lockhart | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | 20 children per day accessing the breakfast program | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Bathurst Meals on Wheels Service | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Breakfast program continuing three days per week during school terms. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | The following programs, activities and celebrations were held at Kelso Community Hub throughout June: • Young people were serviced by the Breakfast Program (2018/2019 1,948). • The Breakfast Program has operated for 119 days year-to-date with an average attendance of 16 students each day. | Health and Wellbeing | Nutrition in vulnerable populations | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Conduct Sustainable Living Expo in March 2019 Co | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Council to continue education and promotion of appropriate WasteWise behaviours with regard to green waste and recycling. Promote recycling to maximise diversion from landfill. Combined diversion target is 5,000 tonnes. The roll out of information and education will continue throughout 2018 /19. For 2018/2019 to the end of May, food and garden tonnage is 3,774 and recycling is 2,117, giving a total of 5,892 tonnes. 11,889 tonnes of food and garden waste have been sent for composting in the first 38 months (April 2016 to May 2019). Combined with recycling totals show a diversion from landfill of over 19,836 tonnes, or 19.8 million kilograms in the first 3 years. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Environmental Projects cover a broad range of issues from sustainability initiatives in the home to land rehabilitation works in our local waterways. Key activities include the annual Sustainable Living Expo held on 23 March 2019 which was attended by 3500 people | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | SUSTAINABLE LIVING 2019 Held on 23 March 2019 this year’s Expo had the theme of Sustainability and Waste Management and featured Craig Reucassel from “War on Waste”. Over 3,800 people attended the event which was held in conjunction with the local Farmer’s Markets. I | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | The SLE was held on 23 March 2019 with an excellent crowd in attendance, supported by a record number of stallholders. Keynote speakers and workshops were very well received. Thi | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Celebrations around Harmony Day occurred in March 2019 with an event featuring multicultural food and entertainment in the forecourt of Bathurst Library/Art Gallery. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | HARMONY DAY 2019 Held on 23 March 2019, a free community event at the Bathurst Library/Art Gallery forecourt to celebrate Harmony Day. The event featured multicultural food, coffee, live acts and entertainment, with a key theme that “Everyone Belongs”. Over 350 people, from a range of cultural backgrounds, came to celebrate the rich diversity of cultures in the Bathurst Region and the importance of inclusiveness, respect and acceptance. | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | A Drinking Water Management System (DWMS) document has been completed and is in effect. Details on addressing the actions to ensure continuous improvement are being documented. A weekly internal review takes place, along with an external check of water quality results through the NSW Health laboratory. No breaches of the Bathurst DWMS critical limits occurred in 2018/2019. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Achieve the Australian Drinking Water Standards 90% of the time. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | Australian Drinking Water Guidelines & DWMS compliance, reviewed weekly. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |
| B ATHURST REGIONAL COUNCIL ANNUAL REPORT 2018/2019 | High risk septic systems within the water supply catchment area were also identified and assessed to reduce the risk on the drinking water quality. Council continues to work with landholders to increase the number of systems which have a current approval to operate in place. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Bathurst | Regional |