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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waste strategy and action plan | Priority actions for the City The strategy includes a number of actions to achieve the City’s targets and objectives. Below are some of the priority actions we will be delivering over the next four years for our residents, businesses and organisation. All of these actions will be complemented by increased education for residents, businesses and within our own organisation to refuse, reduce and recycle waste. City buildings and public spaces actions Food waste collections in our own buildings | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Waste strategy and action plan | We will develop and implement a subsidised trial food waste collection scheme for residents | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Sydney | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Educational support will be provided on request and offered to non-compliant event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers to assist with compliance to this policy and if appropriate, further waste minimisation. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Provide educational support on request and offer it to non-compliant event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers, to assist with compliance and further waste minimisation, where appropriate | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Council is committed to providing access to free unpackaged drinking water (such as via a South East Water Hydration Station) at its major events to reduce the use of single-use plastic water bottles. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Council is committed to providing access to free unpackaged drinking water (such as via a South East Water Hydration Station) at its major events to reduce the use of single-use plastic water bottles. Council will also encourage patrons of these events to avoid waste by bringing their own reusable bag, water bottle and coffee cup | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Council will lead by example in its adherence to this policy and will support event organisers, stallholders, food and/or beverage vendors and entertainment providers to be aware of and comply with this policy. Council staff will: • Only provide a 'letter of no objection' for commercial, community and not-for-profit events on Council owned/ managed land if they meet the requirements set out in this policy • Ensure that permission for events is only granted to event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers that: agree to the terms and conditions (which will be updated to reflect this policy) demonstrate how they will adhere to this policy • Participate in training on the implementation of the policy • Undertake annual spot checks to assess compliance with the policy • Provide educational support on request and offer it to non-compliant event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers, to assist with compliance and further waste minimisation, where appropriate • For Council events, adhere to this policy in full It is the responsibility of the event organiser to ensure that all relevant contractors, employees and individuals associated with the event comply with this policy. Event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers are expected to: • Adhere to this policy in full • Contact Council with any questions about this policy, to request an exemption and/or for educational support to fulfil the requirements set out in this policy | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Implementation of the Policy This policy (in conjunction with the related documents outlined in section 11.0 Related Documents) will be used to assist in the planning of Council events and provide a basis for reviewing event application forms. Annual spot checks will be undertaken to assess compliance. Educational support will be provided on request and offered to non-compliant event organisers, stall holders, food and/or beverage vendors and event entertainment providers to assist with compliance to this policy and if appropriate, further waste minimisation. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Non-compliance with this policy will be addressed with the provision of educational support to help prevent the issue/s arising again in future events. Repeat non-compliances may result in the Policy: Waste Wise Events Policy Approved by: Draft for adoption by Council at its 02/09/2019 Ordinary Meeting Date approved: 02/09/2019 last revision: 15/08/2019 individual/ group/ organisation/ company being denied permission to participate in future events on land owned/ managed by Council in the same/ a similar capacity. The Victorian Government's ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags will be enforced by the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) and supported by community reporting mechanisms. Fines will apply to those that fail to com'ply with this legislated ban. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Prohibited Items The use and distribution of the following items are NOT permitted: • balloons at outdoor events (see section 13. Definitions) • plastic shopping bags (including lightweight and heavyweight plastic shopping bags) (see section 13. Definitions) • polystyrene food or beverage packaging (e.g. foam cups, bowls and hamburger boxes) | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Restricted Items The use and distribution of disposable straws MUST be restricted by: • storing them out of the customers' line of sight • providing them only on request Plastic straws cannot be recycled and can have a devastating impact on marine life when littered. However they are occasionally needed by people with disabilities. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Victorian Government's ban on lightweight plastic shopping bags: This legislative ban, which will commence from November 2019 makes it illegal for: • a retailer to supply a lightweight (single-use) plastic shopping bag, including those that are degradable, biodegradable or compostable Policy: Waste Wise Events Policy Approved by: Draft for adoption by Council at its 02/09/2019 Ordinary Meeting Date approved: 02/09/2019 Last revision: 15/08/2019 • a person who supplies or manufactures plastic bags to give false or misleading information about banned bags It applies to all retailers, including supermarkets, greengrocers, bakeries, pharmacies, clothes stores, restaurants, cafes, markets, food outlets and online stores. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | An exemption may be obtained in relation to an item which is necessary to meet health and safety requirements and that has no practical alternative available. | Food Quality and Safety | Education on/enforce food safety regulations | Victoria | Frankston | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Ensure stallholders are provided with appropriate 'Waste Wise Event' guides and educational materials. | Health and Wellbeing | Education/events on food system issues | NSW | Canterbury Bankstown | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | Examples of Council run events include festivals, fairs, youth events, Australia Day, Bankstown Bites, NAI | Health and Wellbeing | Traditional food cultures | NSW | Canterbury Bankstown | Metropolitan |
| Waste Wise Events Policy | 1. Council run event Examples of Council run events include festivals, fairs, youth events, Australia Day, Bankstown Bites, NAIDOC Week, Sports Expo etc. Event organisers and staff are required to: Implement sustainable purchasing and effective 'Waste Wise' practices at all events. Include waste management costs in the event budget. As much as possible, reduce the quantity of waste generated by the event, for example, choosing products with minimal packaging. Use only sustainable catering products, such as biodegradable and recyclable containers. Ensure stallholders are provided with appropriate 'Waste Wise Event' guides and educational materials. Monitor stallholder compliance with 'Waste Wise' practices. Prepare a waste management plan for major events, and promote it to staff in briefing sessions and educational materials. For major events, waste staff will collect and report recycling and waste data to event organisers to serve as a benchmark for future events. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | NSW | Canterbury Bankstown | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | Timeframe Shorter Medium | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | Action Equip all council sites with durable crockery and washing facilities Undertake regular audits to ensure minimised waste Timeframe Shorter Medium | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | Action Introduce soft plastics into kerbside recycling collection Introduce food organics into the kerbside green organics collection | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | An alternative may be to retain the 140L bin and opt for a fortnightly collection of garbage once food organics are removed from the bin. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | The largest component of our garbage is now food waste. With key processing facilities now built and available, Council is keen to establish recycling of food organics alongside the current collection and recycling of garden organics. The best method of collecting these organics will be resolved to best serve all households, including those in higher density units. The collection of all food and garden organics in a single bin is the favoured method. Increasing the percentage of households with an organics bin will be a priority, and absorbing the annual charge into the waste services charge will be considered. Alongside the collection of food organics, in the shorter-term Council will assist households and retailers to reduce the amount of food that becomes waste and to deal with food organics at their household level. | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | The shorter-term focus will be on flexible plastics packaging which is the fastest growing form of packaging, from bread and fresh produce packaging to toilet rolls and appliances wraps. Council will engage with its recycling collector and sorting contractor to add this material to recycling. We estimated over 5 million items of packaging will be recycled every year from the introduction of this initiative | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Waste, Recycling, and Litter Strategy 2018 – 2028 | To reduce waste and material consumption, all Council sites where food and drink are served will be equipped with durable crockery and washing facilities. Council will undertake regular audits of civic sites to ensure waste generation is kept to a minimum. Waste avoidance will be a high priority and sustainability objectives will be incorporated into procurement guidelines from stationery to vehicle fleets (where feasible). | Food Waste | Food losses and food waste | Victoria | Brimbank | Metropolitan |
| Water Carters | 2 Policy Objective This policy is intended to provide clear direction to water carters who provide potable water intended for human consumption to consumers ensuring that any potential hazards with this activity are minimised. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Griffith | Regional |
| Water Carters Policy | 1. PURPOSE For a wide variety of reasons, some residents, rural properties or businesses in the Warren Shire Council LGA need town bore water delivered to their properties by an independent water carter. This policy exists to regulate water carter businesses operating in the Warren Shire Council LGA to ensure they comply with all relevant environmental, public health and financial requirements associated with drawing town bore water and selling this water to customers. This Policy has been developed so that: ▪ Regardless of method of potable water delivery, all residents in the Warren LGA can rely on a safe water supply; ▪ Council and its food business customers comply with the NSW Health/NSW Food Authority NSW Guidelines for Water Carters 2012; ▪ Council can implement best practice by working to the Water Services of Australia Standpipe and Hydrant Metering Code of Practice 2014; and ▪ Council can be assured of full revenue recovery for production of water, provision of infrastructure to legally access Council’s water reticulation system and administration of the subsequent licencing system. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Warren | Regional |
| WATER CARTING | GENERAL Water carters offer an alternative water supply in areas where the water supply is insufficient or is temporarily unsuitable. Council supplies potable water from one location, the ‘filling station’ located outside the Council Works Depot in McLachlan Street, Orange. This station is locked at all times and requires keyed access. The use of standpipes on Council’s water supply network as an alternative to use of the filling station is prohibited. Any standpipes will be confiscated and fines may apply. A water carter who receives water from a supplier of drinking water (e.g. Orange City Council) who supplies drinking water from a vehicle in the course of a commercial undertaking is defined as a supplier of drinking water under section 5 of the Public Health Act 2010. | Health and Wellbeing | Access to safe drinking water | NSW | Orange | Regional |
| WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGY | 13.4.1 Agricultural Irrigation Reclaimed effluent can provide a reliable supply of water for irrigators, especially during drought periods, and can be used to substitute for river extractions, thus improving base streamflows. The nutrients in effluent can provide a source of fertiliser. Irrigation demands variability. for reclaimed water have high seasonal Demand is a function of crop type, growing period, evapotranspiration and rainfall. Re-use schemes need to be designed around these parameters to avoid possible soil degradation and contamination of nearby surface water or groundwater and damage to crops and soil structure from excess nutrients and salts. In general, secondary treated effluent, with appropriate disinfection, provides a suitable quality for irrigation purposes. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | NSW | Albury | Regional |
| WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGY | 13.6 Existing Re-Use of Reclaimed Water in Albury Currently, water reclaimed from the sewage treatment plants at Kremur Street and Waterview is totally re-used with no river discharge. The current re-use initiatives are:- • drip irrigation of 85 hectares of pinus radiata • • spray irrigation of 65 hectares of lucerne • opportunistic spray irrigation of approximately 100 hectares of pasture • wetlands rehabilitation at Wonga Wetlands • catch and release urban fishery | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | NSW | Albury | Regional |
| WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGY | 13.7 Future Re-Use Options for Albury Water As the City grows and consequent wastewater volumes increase, expansion of Council's re-use program will be necessary. The success of Albury Water's Water Conservation Campaigns over the last 5 years has meant that wastewater volumes have not increased as would have been otherwise expected. The need to augment re-use opportunities has, therefore, been deferred until 2005/06. Initiatives currently being assessed include:• sprinkler irrigation of 85 hectares of hardwoods (flooded and river red gums) sale to irrigators, with discharge to the Murray River • re-use at the Hume Golf Club redevelopment • expansion of irrigated forestry • expansion of pasture irrigation | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | NSW | Albury | Regional |
| WATER CONSERVATION STRATEGY | 13.8 Conclusions There are a range of benefits which can accrue by the judicious re-use of water reclaimed from Albury's Wastewater processes, including economic returns from irrigated agriculture and the potential conservation of potable water supplies via urban re-use. | Sustainability and Environment | Sustainable water management in food production | NSW | Albury | Regional |