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 | › Saleyards | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | National Saleyards uality Assurance Inc | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Delegation visits China, Hong Kong and Jakarta attending Asia Fruit Logistica with positive reports on potential business growth for the Goulburn Valley’s food industry. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Obtained funding for the Warracknabeal Regional Livestock Exchange was through the Building Better Regions Fund (Round 3) for ÓÄá204,137 | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Saleyards | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | The Hopetoun Aerodrome has been a hive of activity during the last fortnight as a major resurfacing and upgrade of the facility has been undertaken. The total cost of works is 530,000, with 250,000 being sourced from the Federal Government via the Regional Aviation Access Program. Council tendered the works and the successful contractor was Centre State Asphalting who worked closely with Council to achieve the best possible finish. This is the second part of the upgrade with the lighting system being replaced a couple of years ago at a cost of 250,000. Council’s Manager Asset Operations was delighted with the quality of the job. “It’s top notch and will be a tremendous facility for years to come enabling air ambulance, crop sprayers, commuter aircraft and hobbyists to utilise a quality facility”. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| ANNUAL REPORT | Shepparton Regional Saleyards Advisory Committee | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Greater Shepparton | Regional |
| Annual Report | Yarriambiack Councillors voted unanimously to reallocate funding from the 2018-19 capital works program to four separate local projects including the Warracknabeal Town Hall, Warracknabeal Depot lunch room, Warracknabeal Saleyards and Wimmera Mallee Tourism Trail at the monthly Council meeting. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| Annual Report | 4.2.1.1 Investigate and implement planning controls to encourage an increase in the supply of affordable and inclusive housing stock 4.2.1.2 Identify opportunities and partners to facilitate the provision of housing diversity/affordability in the Shire | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Yarriambiack Shire Council is currently seeking funding for upgrades to the Warracknabeal Regional Livestock Exchange. A Project Plan has been developed to improve the general amenity of the saleyards site to offer greater flexibility of use, extend the operational hours, increase revenue and provide a safe environment for users and livestock. The project aligns with Yarriambiack Shire’s Council Plan in regard to meeting future needs by supporting sustainable economic, social and environmental objectives. The livestock exchange is an important meeting space which fosters social inclusion and promotes knowledge sharing which is essential for ongoing improvement in the competitive agricultural environment. | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| Annual Report | Affordable housing, or lack of it, continued to be a major topic of conversation both in the community and at Council, and we continue to set the agenda in this space, holding a forum to shine the spotlight on our housing challenge. Three of Australia’s experts in the field of affordable and social housing shared their expertise and provided plenty of food for thought for the Byron Shire which is one of Australia’s least affordable areas. | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Yarriambiack Shire Councillors were pleased to receive funding of 1 million as part of the Drought Communities Program (DCP) and heard of the plans at the monthly Council meeting on Wednesday. Council made applications for 13 projects across the Shire totalling a cost for the full 1 million. In April the Federal Government, whilst in caretaker mode, made the declaration that the Shire is eligible to apply for funding under the Drought Communities Program. The fund is designed to support local infrastructure and other projects for communities and businesses that have been impacted by drought. The DCP funding guidelines state that funding will be targeted at infrastructure projects that provide employment for people whose work opportunities have been impacted by drought; stimulate local community spending; use local resources, businesses and suppliers and or provide a long-lasting benefit to communities and the agricultural industries on which they depend. It is expected that all projects will increase employment, economic activity, productivity, as well as the retention of business, services and facilities. Yarriambiack Shire Mayor, Graeme Massey, said “This is ‘bonus money’ for us, which is excellent”. Councillor Tom Hamilton said, “This is a great outcome by Council to receive this funding”. “I am happy for the money to go back into region. It’s not just funding for the farmers, it is a great outcome for everyone,” | Economic Development | Local food producers | Victoria | Yarriambiack | Regional |
| Annual Report | Three of Australia’s experts in the field of affordable and social housing headlined a free forum hosted by Byron Shire Council on 10 May 2019. Peter Mares (author of No Place Like Home: Repairing Australia’s housing crisis), Tim Riley (Founder – Property Collectives) and Dr Kathleen Flanagan (Deputy Director of Housing and Community Research, University of Tasmania) addressed the forum called Our Housing Challenge: local communities, local solutions – a Byron perspective, at the Byron Community Centre in Byron Bay. Housing and accommodation in the Byron Shire is a significant challenge because of a range of factors including: A demand for, and high investment return on, tourist accommodation including the use of platforms such as Airbnb. The Byron Shire is a desirable place to live with the population forecast to grow by approximately 5,500 by 2036, requiring 3,150 additional dwellings. Compared to the Northern Rivers region, Byron Shire has a higher proportion of low income earners (earning less than $500/week) and a lower proportion earning more than $1,750 a week. There is limited stock of social housing (1.7% of housing stock, or 223 dwellings in the Shire is social housing). There is a 10-year waiting list for social housing in the onethree bedroom range. Compared to the Northern Rivers and NSW generally there are high median house prices, high median rents and high levels of household stress (17.2% rental stress, 8.5% mortgage stress). | Social Policy | Affordable housing | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Review Ethical Catering Policy and Sustainable Purchasing Standard | Health and Wellbeing | Healthy/sustainable LG food procurement policies | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Affordable housing, or lack of it, continued to be a major topic of conversation both in the community and at Council, and we continue to set the agenda in this space, holding a forum to shine the spotlight on our housing challenge. Three of Australia’s experts in the field of affordable and social housing shared their expertise and provided plenty of food for thought for the Byron Shire which is one of Australia’s least affordable areas. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Mansfield Easter Bush Market. | Economic Development | Public food markets and distributors | Victoria | Mansfield | Regional |
| Annual Report | Another pre-school introduced programs for parents and children, e.g. Parent Pod Program, Food Program and Dance and Movement Program. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Northern Rivers Food Harvest Festival | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Three of Australia’s experts in the field of affordable and social housing headlined a free forum hosted by Byron Shire Council on 10 May 2019. Peter Mares (author of No Place Like Home: Repairing Australia’s housing crisis), Tim Riley (Founder – Property Collectives) and Dr Kathleen Flanagan (Deputy Director of Housing and Community Research, University of Tasmania) addressed the forum called Our Housing Challenge: local communities, local solutions – a Byron perspective, at the Byron Community Centre in Byron Bay. Housing and accommodation in the Byron Shire is a significant challenge because of a range of factors including: A demand for, and high investment return on, tourist accommodation including the use of platforms such as Airbnb. The Byron Shire is a desirable place to live with the population forecast to grow by approximately 5,500 by 2036, requiring 3,150 additional dwellings. Compared to the Northern Rivers region, Byron Shire has a higher proportion of low income earners (earning less than $500/week) and a lower proportion earning more than $1,750 a week. There is limited stock of social housing (1.7% of housing stock, or 223 dwellings in the Shire is social housing). There is a 10-year waiting list for social housing in the onethree bedroom range. Compared to the Northern Rivers and NSW generally there are high median house prices, high median rents and high levels of household stress (17.2% rental stress, 8.5% mortgage stress). | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Council received more than $18 million in grant funding allowing us to deliver a diverse range of projects ranging from $15,000 for a refill drinking fountain program, | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Refill Here Drinking Fountain Program | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | We also replaced five old timber bridges in the Bangalow area to improve access for locals, as well as farmers, businesses, emergency services and water carriers. We dismantled the old bridges and installed steel bridges, over nine months, which was a major undertaking | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | 3.4.1.1 Implement priority actions of the Rural Land Use Strategy | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | A holistic grazing workshop was held on a local grazier’s farm in Myocum. The holistic grazing workshop was focused on training and consultation in the principles of Holistic Management including grazing and environmental management, goal setting, sustainable living, holistic financial planning and decision making. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Bush tucker day at Euroa Arboretum with Taungurung Traditional Owners | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | Victoria | Strathbogie | Regional |
| Annual Report | At the Myocum Resource and Recovery Centre we installed a mobile aerated floor, or MAF, that is turning 3,000 tonnes of green waste into high quality beautiful compost that is being sold to the public and businesses. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Additional actions supporting principles of the Equal Opportunity Program include Council’s Parental Leave Kit, which provides management with practical tools to support staff in ensuring gender equality in areas such as breastfeeding | Health and Wellbeing | Breastfeeding | Victoria | Strathbogie | Regional |
| Annual Report | 1.4.3.2 Coordinate a working group of agriculture and extractive industry representatives to assist in identifying local industry training requirements. | Economic Development | Food related job creation | NSW | Narrabri | Regional |
| Annual Report | Anneliese Simke from Nourish Backyard Food Gardens standing proudly in front of our healthy and bountiful food garden outside the Council Chambers in Mullumbimby. This is part of the Food Production on Public Land Project. In the garden Anneliese looks after a number of different edible plants, including lemongrass, makrut limes (leaf used in cooking), mint, oregano, violet and chives. | Sustainability and Environment | Food production on LG land | NSW | Byron | Regional |
| Annual Report | Develop a program to provide incentives for improved farm management through use of whole farm plans, mitigation of effects of climate change 100% Council has partnered with the Arboretum, Landcare and CMN February – June 2019 offering facilities and the venue, to assist with the new Healthy Hectares course for small lot landowners new to the municipality. Team Leader Climate Change and Environment is attending North Eastern Dry Seasonal Conditions Coordination Group chaired by Agriculture Victoria to stay up to date with all information and incoming incentives, potential partnerships and activities for agricultural landholders in Strathbogie. Information has been communicated to all contacts regarding grants and rebates applicable. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable local food production | Victoria | Strathbogie | Regional |