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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 – 2022 | State Government – Council to advocate for investment and delivery of organic waste treatment (e.g. regional compost facilities) and facilitates the development of a market for compost. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 – 2022 | Yarra Valley Water (water retailer, manages and maintains local water and sewage system) and Melbourne Water (manages Melbourne’s bulk water system) – Council to continue to undertake joint programs and projects to reduce wasteful consumption of potable water, improve the quality of local creeks and waterways, encourage the drinking of tap water rather than bottled water and encourage the installation of water-efficient devices and appliances | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 – 2022 | Efficient and resilient Improved access to local food Selects and maintains trees for Council-managed open spaces and street trees Sets local laws on keeping poultry Registers and supervises food-related businesses Provides information on sustainable gardening, including food gardening Assists in establishing and maintaining community gardens and encourages local food production initiatives Other local governments – Council to draw on local food experience and resources of other local governments Community-run programs – Council to continue to promote community-run programs such as community gardens, harvest swaps and permaculture interest groups. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Whitehorse | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | As part of its ongoing service delivery to the community, Council undertakes a range of day to day activities that incorporate sustainable practices as outlined below: • Delivering environmental events and forums, often in partnership with other organisations. • Waste reduction education and internal waste education and composting. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Opportunities for local food production, sustainable food choices, education, community gardens and food related partnerships will build resilience within the community and will be more formally considered in a review of the Sustainability Strategy | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Opportunities for local food production, sustainable food choices, education, community gardens and food related partnerships will build resilience within the community and will be more formally considered in a review of the Sustainability Strategy | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Work in partnership with local communities to encourage thriving community gardens and promote sustainably grown local produce. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Community gardens and community nurseries | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Opportunities for local food production, sustainable food choices, education, community gardens and food related partnerships will build resilience within the community and will be more formally considered in a review of the Sustainability Strategy | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Work in partnership with local communities to encourage thriving community gardens and promote sustainably grown local produce. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Community gardens and community nurseries | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Opportunities for local food production, sustainable food choices, education, community gardens and food related partnerships will build resilience within the community and will be more formally considered in a review of the Sustainability Strategy | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | Work in partnership with local communities to encourage thriving community gardens and promote sustainably grown local produce. | Sustainability and Environment | Home and community gardening | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | A food waste and potentially other organics collection is being considered by councils in the eastern region and would address methane emissions from this source. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| Sustainability Strategy 2016 to 2020 Working towards a clean, green and sustainable community | As part of its ongoing service delivery to the community, Council undertakes a range of day to day activities that incorporate sustainable practices as outlined below: • Delivering environmental events and forums, often in partnership with other organisations. • Waste reduction education and internal waste education and composting. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Maroondah | Metropolitan |
| SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY 2018 – 2023 | Develop/formalise partnerships with the Container Deposit Scheme, | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| SUSTAINABILITY STRATEGY 2018 – 2023 | Waste, food and organic waste; investigate opportunities for a Circular Economy. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Broken Hill | Regional |
| SUSTAINABILITY, VIABILITY AND AMENITY OF RURAL AND URBAN LAND POLICY | 1. To create a social and planning environment that reduces conflict and uncertainty in rural zones. A wide variety of activities can take place within the agricultural zone without Council’s consent. However, efforts can be made to promote the long-term viability of productive farmland and reduce conflict between neighbours in rural zones. Landuse conflict often relates to air quality (e.g. smoke or spray drift) and/or noise at the rural-residential interface. To address this Council has a DCP requiring landuse buffers although there is a lack of specific information to better manage or pre-empt conflict, including the location of intensive industries. The protection of ‘locally significant agricultural land’ has not been addressed through the regional Farmland Protection Project. Strategies for implementation a) Ensure Council has and maintains local and accurate landuse information and adequate processes to identify potential landuse conflict at the strategy, rezoning and development assessment stage; b) Ensure adjoining land-uses do not impact on farming activities | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Lismore | Regional |
| SUSTAINABILITY, VIABILITY AND AMENITY OF RURAL AND URBAN LAND POLICY | 2. To encourage sustainable land-use practices and partnerships All members of the community, including Council, have a responsibility and duty of care to properly manage and look after the land. As agricultural activity covers the major area of the Lismore LGA, it is important to ensure that negative impacts of these activities are minimised. It is also important to ensure that other practices within the community are not harmful to the environment. Strategies for implementation a) Encourage agricultural and other rural-based enterprises to adopt and review industry codes of practice that emphasise duty of care to the environment; b) Ensure all residents in the LGA are made aware of their duty of care in relation to natural resources; c) Support innovation and implementation of sustainable land management practices through partnerships with agencies and industry bodies d) Ensure all development activities, including Council activities, comply with best practices in the management of soil, especially reducing the mobilisation and movement of soil; | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Lismore | Regional |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Promote opportunities for a broader range of housing providers to finance, develop and manage affordable housing within the local area. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Secure resources to innovate, trial and implement a range of measures to directly increase the supply of affordable housing in the local area, and where barriers to supply exist, advocate for policy or regulatory reform. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Support the planning of urban renewal schemes which provide affordable and social housing renewal and diverse new communities. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Sydney in 2030 Affordable rental housing is delivered by community housing providers and other not-for-profit organisations across the city. Low to moderate income earners have access to affordable housing to rent or own close to their jobs. The City has enacted all planning and policy levers to increase the supply of affordable housing and support the growth and sustainability of the affordable housing sector. The City and other government organisations and industry partners facilitate affordable housing supply in the inner city and on government land. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Sydney in 2030 There is ongoing investment and increasing supply of social housing in the city and surrounding local government areas. Secure tenancies and quality housing are available to members of the community who are disadvantaged and/or unable to afford market priced housing. State and federal governments continue to invest in social housing in recognition of its vital role in meeting social needs, providing people who are disadvantaged with a secure and stable platform to access opportunities, and prevent homelessness. Social housing precincts have been renewed through the development of mixed tenure communities catering for diverse housing needs and supported by social services. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | The City of Sydney’s role Advocate to other levels of government, the notfor-profit and business sectors to for increased investment in affordable rental and social housing. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | The supply of affordable housing continues to be an area of focus for the City. Efforts to increase supply include: • Levies on development in Green Square and Pyrmont Ultimo and Southern Employment Lands which have realised more than 750 units in the City. It is estimated that a further 800 affordable dwellings will result from these levies to 2030. • Strategic planning mechanisms including preferential zoning that permits affordable housing but not market housing on some sites in the Southern Employment Lands; and securing affordable housing where there is a change to planning controls. For example in Harold Park where 80 affordable dwellings will be provided. • Direct delivery through partnerships and subsidised land sales including at the old South Sydney Hospital site at Zetland where 100 affordable dwellings have been built; and the Green Square to Ashmore connector road. • Advocacy to the NSW Government for the inclusion of mandatory targets in all new development, particularly development that occurs on public land. In 2016, as part of the Central Sydney planning review the City has proposed a levy for affordable housing which will deliver over 500 affordable dwellings. The Central Sydney levy is awaiting NSW Government approval. In 2017, the City proposed a broader expansion of its levies to all areas of the city where there is no levy already in place or proposed to be in place. If approved by the NSW Government it is estimated to deliver an additional 590 affordable dwellings | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | The supply of affordable housing supports a diverse and sustainable community and economy | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Crucial features in the network include traffic calming measures, widened footpaths and more pedestrian crossings, wayfinding, planting for shade and amenity, bubblers, seats, cycleways, bike parking and lighting. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | residents, our target is to ensure that everyone lives within a reasonable walking distance to most local services including fresh 56 | Sustainable Sydney 2030 food, childcare, health services and social, learning, recreational and cultural infrastructure | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Sustainable Sydney 2030 Community Strategic Plan 2017– 2021 | Every resident will be within reasonable walking distance to most local services, including fresh food, childcare, health services and leisure, social, learning and cultural infrastructure. | Health and Wellbeing | Accessible healthy food retail | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |