NATIVE VEGETATION INQUIRY REPORT RELEASED

Existing regulatory approaches to native vegetation management are not as effective as they could be, and efforts to conserve vegetation are thwarted by a lack of clearly specified objective and disincentives for landholders to retain and care for native vegetation, according to the final report of the Inquiry into Native Vegetation.

The report finds that inflexible application of targets and guidelines across regions with differing characteristics also often result in perverse environmental outcomes.

“An emphasis on prevention of native vegetation removal, rather than a focus on the promotion of desirable environmental outcomes, also can lead to perverse effects. For example, innovations in farming practices (such as the introduction of water-saving centre-pivot irrigation systems) that in addition to improving farm productivity, may improve environmental sustainability, can be prevented if paddock trees cannot be removed or if planting offsets imposed as a condition of their removal are prohibitively costly. Clearing restrictions can also prevent effective removal of weeds and pests.”

It also found that incentives for landholders to care for, conserve or re-establish native vegetation voluntarily have been diminished because they fear that harvesting or use of native vegetation may be prohibited in future. For example, if landholders were to allow or encourage native vegetation to establish, they risk forfeiting the option to use that land for future production, thus restricting their ability to respond to changing circumstances. From the landholders’ perspective, native vegetation loses its private value and becomes a liability; and • avoidance and evasion of regulations have prompted the progressive introduction of stronger regulations and stricter enforcement and penalty provisions, creating an adversarial climate and further eroding landholder goodwill.

The Commission criticised the way in which State and Territory-based vegetation regulations have been implemented, in particular:

* legislation often has been introduced with little or no consultation (sometimes deliberately so, to avoid pre-emptive clearing) and without assessment of likely costs and benefits;

* decision rules often seem to be based on the mapping of remnant native vegetation, the accuracy of which is frequently disputed by landholders and other parties, and on an incomplete understanding of the dynamics of local ecosystems;

* a lack of clear environmental objectives in many jurisdictions means that reasons for decisions on permit applications, if given at all, are not transparent and often appear to be inconsistent, thus making local application of regulations difficult in some situations;

* regional processes that were intended to build on local knowledge and adapt assessment criteria to fit local needs and characteristics seem not to have worked well, either because representation has not been ‘local’ and/or because local decisions have been circumscribed or overturned by governments; and

*appeals and dispute-resolution mechanisms have not been available in some jurisdictions and have been limited and costly in others.

For further information, go to www.pc.gov.au/inquiry/nativevegetation/finalreport/nativevegetation.pdf

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LABOR ACCUSES GOVERNMENT OF PORK-BARRELLING OVER ENVIROFUND

The Shadow Minister for the Environment, Kelvin Thomson, has accused the Federal Government of pork-barrelling by allocating over two-thirds of total funding under Round One of the 2003-04 Envirofund program to Coalition-held electorates.

Mr Thomson said he has obtained new data through Questions on Notice, revealing Envirofund funding was "massively skewed" towards Liberal and National Party-held electorates.

"69.09 per cent of all Envirofund grants went to Coalition electorates in Round One 2003-04. This compares to the miserly 17.58 per cent Labor electorates received, whilst electorates with Independents received 13.10 per cent and the Greens received 0.23 per cent. More specifically, Liberal-held seats received 47.74 per cent of first round grant funding and seats held by National Party members received 21.35 per cent," he said.

"These Envirofund grants were not linked to specific environmental targets and were not about funding proactive projects that foster our environment. What is really staggering about this funding is that the allocation of Envirofund grants is without due process - the Commonwealth Government decides how the money is to be spent, state governments get no say and there are no independent boards overseeing the process to ensure propriety.

"Pork-barrelling of this magnitude makes a mockery of the Howard Government’s environment credentials. Natural Heritage Trust funding needs to be used to secure environmental outcomes rather than political ones.

Mr Latham said a Labor Government will reform the Envirofund program requiring intended recipients to demonstrate clearly how the project will address the serious environmental challenges we confront in Australia such as salinity, land clearing, water quality and biodiversity.

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JAPANESE CARBON TAX COULD COST AUSTRALIA

Australia could lose as much as $5 billion in gross national product over the next five years, should Japan impose a substantial carbon tax on energy, according to the Australian Bureaur of Agricultural and Resource Economics.

The GNP loss, based on a worst-case scenario of $US410 a toone of carbon, would result from a decline in energy exports to Japan because of the tax. The report presents a quantitative analysis of the economic impacts on Japan and Australia of two scenarios that have been considered — a tax of ¥3400 (or US$31) a tonne of carbon and a tax of ¥45 000 (or US$410) a tonne of carbon.

Japan is considering the tax on the carbon content of fossil fuels as early as next year as a way of meeting its Kyoto Protocol commitments. Under the Protocol, Japan is required to reduce its emissions to 94 per cent of their 1990 levels during the first commitment period.

The report said that the US$31 a tonne tax would have only a small impact on Japan’s greenhouse emissions, lowering them to only 11 per cent of 1990 levels.

Without the imposition of any carbon tax (the reference case), Australia would increase its exports of coal to Japan by 10 million tonnes up to 2010, which would be accompanied by increased coal exports to other destinations. In the reference case, Australia’s exports of steaming and coking coal increase signifi cantly between 2001 and 2010 to reach around 230 million tonnes in total, with projected increases in most major export destinations.

However, under the worst case scenario,Australia’s coal exports to Japan are projected to be 23 million tonnes lower than the reference case level at 2010. Steaming coal exports to Japan are projected to be 26 per cent, or 15 million tonnes, lower than the reference case level at 2010 coal by 32.3 per cent, coking coal by 19.8 per cent, and LNG by 5.9 per cent.

The report, A Possible Japanese Carbon Tax: Implications for the Australian Energy Sector, is available at www.abare.gov.au

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DESALINATION PLAN COULD CAUSE DEATH OF COCKBURN SOUND

Concerns have been expressed by a leading environmental expert that the proposed $350 million desalination plant, recently unveiled by the Western Australian Government, will result in almost half of the Cockburn Sound region being covered in salt and eventually dying.

Professor Jurg Imburger, a professor of environmental engineering at the Centre for Water Research at the University of WA, told ABC Perth that the fast rate of water inflow - 1.4 cubic metres per second - will cause bottom of the Sound will become inoxic.

He also stated that the plant was not the preferred option among those responsible for the decision, who supported the environmentally sensitive alternative of piping water from the Yarragadee aquifer, but who felt that there was not sufficient time to properly investigate the environmental impacts of the plan and implement the project. The aquifer plan was also dismissed by the WAFarmers Association, who felt that it would compete with farmers water requirements.

Professor Imburger also questioned the with the economics of the plant were unfeasible, with Yarragadee costing 20 per cent less per litre. He also raised questions about the greenhouse emissions resulting from the plant - up to 200,000 tonnes per year.

His opinions are at odds with CSIRO scientists, who believe desalination of salt water is the most practical solution to Australia’s shortage of fresh water, with costs of desalination decreasing by 4 per cent per annum.

Professor Tom Hatton, deputy director of CSIRO Land and Water, said that CSIRO is assessing some towns in Western Australia's wheat growing region which, while frequently drowning in salt water, suffer from severe water shortages and are forced to buy water from Perth.

"Our calculations suggest that we can make water locally from salty ground water that these towns are drowning in at a cost probably much less that the level of current subsidy, so it's win win," Professor Hatton said.

A water strategy to be released this month by NSW Government is expected to canvass the option of desalination and plants are also being discussed in Queensland and South Australia

The plant, expected to be operational by 2006, will be built and owned by the Water Corporation and will provide an additional 45 gigalitres of water into the Integrated Scheme - or an additional 17 per cent annually.

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POLLUTANTS LINKED TO BRAIN DISEASE

High levels of pesticides, industrial effluents, domestic waste, car exhausts and other pollutants have been linked to the surge in the number of people suffering brain diseases in Australia and other Western countries.

A report in the journal Public Health says the number of people suffering Alzheimer's, Parkinson's and motor neurone disease has soared in Western countries, over the period from 1979 to 1997.
It found that dementias more than trebled for men and rose nearly 90% among women in England and Wales, and all the other countries were also affected.

The report comes amid rising concern about the damage caused by pollutants. For example, a US report linked neurological disorders to pesticides while testing by WWF found non-natural substances such as flame retardants in every person who took part in a recent study.

WWF has named chemical pollution as one of the two great environmental threats to the world, alongside global warming, and is particularly worried about 'persistent and accumulative' industrial chemicals and endocrine - hormone distorting - substances linked to changes in gender and behaviour among animals and even children.

'We've started seeing changes in fertility rates, the immune system, neurological changes [and] impacts on behaviour,' said Matthew Wilkinson, the charity's toxics programme leader.

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CGS GROUNDWATER SHORT COURSES 2003

See webpage for course details: http://www.groundwater.com.au/conf/content.asp 

Can be accredited towards Flinders University postgraduate degrees.
See website: http://www.scieng.flinders.edu.au/courses/groundwater

4th Aquifer Storage & Recovery National Workshop - Gold Coast, Qld
Wed 6 - Fri 8 Oct 2004  

11th Getting to Know Groundwater - Adelaide, SA
Wed 3rd - Thurs 14th Nov 2004

2nd Soil & GW Pollution: Investigation, Remediation & Risk Assessment -  Brisbane, Qld
Tues 23 - Thurs 25 Nov 2004

3rd Groundwater Modelling School: Concepts, Applications (GW Vistas), Predictive Uncertainty (PEST) - Sydney, NSW
Mon 2  - Thurs 6 Dec 2004

28th Australian Groundwater School - Perth, WA
Mon 13  - Sat 18 Dec 2004                                      

Early registration is advised, as places are limited.

For more information contact Trevor Pillar:
Ph: 61 8 8201 5632 Fax: 61 8 8201 5635
Email:  cgs.training@groundwater.com.au
Web: http://www.groundwater.com.au

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SUSTAINABILITY TRAINING COURSES 2004- CENTRE FOR DESIGN

Green Building + Design 2004 -Future-proofing Design (Syd 16-17 Sept)

A conference for architects, designers, strategic and statutory planners, ESD consultants and engineers, facilities and asset managers, environment officers and government.

The conference will offer information on:

• emerging policy at local, state and national levels
• best practice design technologies and materials
• cost control, workplace productivity
• tools, priority setting & leading case studies.

For more information go to www.cfd.rmit.edu.au or call Andrew Walker-Morison on 03 9925 3902
 

Sustainable Packaging 2004 (Bris 24-25 August, Adel 16-17 Sept, Syd 1-2 Dec)

If you are involved in supply chain; packing and filling; retailing and branding; product design and manufacture; supplying raw materials and products or policy setting this course will be of great benefit to you.

The couse will:

• offer an overview of the environmental issues associated with packaging
• assist you to meet new regulatory requirements
• offer information on new materials and technologies
• assist you to compile your NPC Action Plans.

For more information go to www.cfd.rmit.edu.au or call Helen Lewis on 03 9925 3485.

Life Cycle Assessment 2004

If you are invovled in product design, manufacture or policy setting this course will be of great benefit to you.

The course will provide information on:

• standardisation of the methodology
• stage of LCA
• streamlined LCA techniques (for efficient analysis)
• LCA software
• how to undertake their own mini-LCA

For more information go to www.cfd.rmit.edu.au or call Tim Grant on 03 9925 3490

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GOLDEN AQUACULTURE INDUSTRY TO SHARE SECRETS AT KEY FORUM

A WALKING reference centre for the latest practical information about aquaculture is how the industry’s upcoming international conference is being promoted.

According to Bruce Zippel, 150 high-profile speakers from around the globe will inform and teach with the message of how to make money from an environmentally sustainable sector.

Mr Zippel, who is the conference’s program coordinator and leading Australian oyster farmer, said he believed the number and calibre of speakers was impressive and would appeal to farmers, the industry and regulators alike.

The conference theme is "profiting from environmental sustainability."

Global perspectives will be given by vice-chairman of the world’s largest aquaculture company, Philip Smith and Australia’s leading pearl producer Nicholas Paspaley. Post-harvest handling and brand development for the products of the world’s fastest growing food industry will be addressed. The latest developments on inland saline aquaculture will be reviewed. Mollusc and shellfish sessions will focus on grading and handling technology, animal husbandry and the contribution of genetics to commercial competitiveness. Nutrition for finfish will also feature.

Mr Zippel said a huge sell-out trade show would be a highlight in its own right.

Full details are available at www.australian-aquacultureportal.com.

Or please contact Sarah-Jane Day on ph: 02 4916 3913.

Australasian Aquaculture 2004.
26-29 September, 2004.
Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre, Darling Harbour, Sydney, NSW, Australia.

Conference and Exhibition of National Aquaculture Council, Asian-Pacific Chapter of the World Aquaculture Society and Tasmanian Aquaculture Society. Hosted by NSW Fisheries.

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THE 3rd A-Z of AUSTRALIAN WATER TRADING CONFERENCE

The National Water Initiative, state reforms & the road towards effective trade
29th & 30th November 2004 – Rydges Jamison, Sydney
www.informa.com.au/watertrade3

IBC’s A-Z of Australian Water Trading conferences are the definitive guide to water trade across the nation. With sweeping changes on both the national and state levels of water reform, the industry is certainly taking the next step in the reform process. This conference in November is the ideal time for the key stakeholders from across the nation to gather under one roof and help pave the future direction of Australia’s water trade markets.

Speakers include:

• Dr James Horne, Department of Prime Minister & Cabinet
• Prof. Peter Cullen, The Wentworth Group
• Bardy McFarlane, National Native Title Tribunal
• Debbie Boyd, Australian Taxation Office
• Stephen Carroll, Australian Bankers Association
• Cr Phyllis Miller, Shires Association of NSW
• Dr John Marsden, Marsden Jacob Associates
• Prof. Mike Young, CSIRO
• Mark Hamstead, NSW Dept of Infrastructure, Planning & Natural Resources
• Randall Cox, QLD Dept of Natural Resources & Mines
• Rod Banyard, WA Dept of Environment
• Julie Cann, SA Dept of Water, Land & Biodiversity Conservation
• Stephen Harding, Sinclair Knight Merz
• Imogen Fullagar, Bureau of Rural Sciences
• Ross Muir, SunWater
• John Chant, Murrumbidgee Irrigation
• Geoff Calder, Harvey Water
• Brian Peadon, Water Exchange
• Tom Rooney, Waterfind
• Representative, Murray Darling Basin Commission

To view the full agenda and to register, please visit www.informa.com.au/watertrade3, call Peter Lagios on 02 9080 4307, or e-mail registration@informa.com.au

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SUPERSOIL 2004 - 3rd AUSTRALIAN/NEW ZEALAND SOIL CONFERENCE

5-9 December 2004, The University of Sydney

Invitation:
Your opportunity to participate in the leading conference for soil practitioners from Australia, New Zealand and the Pacific. There will be over 300 oral and poster presentations and outstanding Keynote Speakers, a great social program and field tours.

Theme:
SuperSoil – the title reflects the importance that soil plays in the environment and to the long term well-being of the human race.

Who should come:
Soil scientists, advisory officers, consultants, students, Landcare and Catchment Management Authority members, primary producers, the general public, private enterprise, environmentalists.

Program:
Themes include global challenges and opportunities in soil science; soil science in Australia and New Zealand: lessons from the past; society and soil science; acid sulphate soils; soil and farming systems; soil formation and landscape processes; soil health; quality and function; soil and climate change; management of soil salinity; waste and solute transport in soil; soil management under high nutrient regimes; communicating and utilizing soil information; water quality and soil management

Conference and Registration details:

www.icms.com.au/supersoil
or
supersoil@icms.com.au

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SMART APPROVED WATERMARK SCHEME – THIRD ROUND OF APPLICATIONS

The Smart Approved WaterMark is the nationally endorsed water conservation labelling scheme that recognises products, services and organisations which are assisting all Australians to help save our most precious resource - water!

The Smart Approved WaterMark Scheme is managed by Australia's peak water agencies: the Water Services Association of Australia (WSAA); the Nursery and Garden Industry of Australia (NGIA); the Irrigation Association of Australia (IAA); and the Australian Water Association (AWA).

The key objectives of the Smart Approved WaterMark scheme are to assist in the reduction of per capita water consumption – especially in the areas of outdoor water-use via the labelling of appropriate water using/saving products and water related services and organisations.

Products that may be included under the scheme include: trigger hoses; tap timers; rainfall sensors; mulch and weep hoses. Services that may be included under the scheme include: retrofit services; water efficient design services; education and training programs; and information advisory services. Organisations that may be included under the scheme include: schools; local government; new urban developers; and retail outlets.

The Smart Approved WaterMark scheme is not-for-profit, voluntary and applications are assessed by an independent expert panel. The thirdround of applications closes on November 12, 2004.

For further information on the scheme go to www.smartapprovedwatermark.info

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$1.2m OPPORTUNITY FOR RIVER COMMUNITIES TO BENEFIT

A $1.2 million opportunity has been announced by the Murray-Darling Basin Ministerial Council, for irrigation system operators and industry associations, catchment authorities and other groups, to put forward ideas on possible water recovery projects under The Living Murray initiative.

Communities have been asked for cost-effective infrastructure improvement projects that can be further investigated and developed for future recovery of water for the environment, according to Murray-Darling Basin Commission (MDBC) Acting Chief Executive David Dole.

“MDBC is calling for organisations to undertake pre-feasibility studies for possible future projects in the southern part of the Basin that will each result in an average annual increase of flows in the rivers of at least two gigalitres,” Mr Dole said.

“Types of infrastructure improvement projects that would deliver water savings include installation of pipelines, lining of sections of irrigation channels, and installation of more precise flow measurement systems”.

“We expect that the funding of the pre-feasibility study for each project will generally be about $100,000 or less, but special cases would be considered” he said. Mr Dole said it was important for Basin communities to grasp the opportunities from the approved $500m investment in The Living Murray arising from the signing of the National Water Initiative at the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) meeting in June 2004.

Organisations considering submitting a proposal should download the prospectus and short application form from the MDBC website.

Proposals would be received until 12 noon on August 30, 2004.

For the prospectus: www.mdbc.gov.au/TLM/TLM_prospectus.html

Further information on this $1.2m program and The Living Murray initiative: www.thelivingmurray.mdbc.gov.au

For general MDBC information: www.mdbc.gov.au

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GREEN CORPS IS NOW CALLING FOR APPLICATIONS

Green Corps – Young Australians for the Environment

Call for Applications for Projects Commencing JANUARY 2005

Green Corps teams around Australia have undertaken considerable works on our precious environment. Since its inception in 1996, more than 11,000 young people have planted more than eleven million trees, built 4,700 kilometres of fencing and removed weeds from over 36,000 hectares. These are just some examples of Green Corps’ outstanding achievements, and with the help of your organisation, the program can achieve even more!

Applications are open to organisations with an interest in seeing significant environment or heritage work being undertaken by Green Corps participants. Such organisations include community, youth and environmental establishments and local, State and Commonwealth Government agencies with an interest in contributing to Australia’s natural and cultural heritage. All works undertaken under the Green Corps program must be consistent with appropriate environmental government strategies and acts.

Closing date for applications is 1 October 2004. Why not call your Green Corps state coordinator to see what you can do for your local community through the Green Corps program?

Call 1800 077 700 or visit Green Corps website www.greencorps.com.au

Green Corps is an Australian Government initiative proudly delivered by Job Futures and Greening Australia.

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“GREEN CELL”

Baxter Group Limited provided a brief on the establishment of a “Green Cell” at EPA Victoria’s Dandenong Office on 12 July 2004. The brief was attended by representatives of EPA Victoria, EcoRecycle Victoria, South Eastern Regional Waste Management Group, Least Waste, Local Government Councillors and Chief Executive Officers together with other Industry related representatives.

The “Green Cell” will be trailed at Baxter’s Deals Road Landfill site located in Clayton South. The “Green Cell” is a new alternative for the treatment of municipal kerbside collected soft green waste, fruit and vegetable scraps.

The “Green Cell” is a simple concept which is innovative and provides a viable alternative, to composting operations, for the management of large volumes of green waste. Greenhouse gasses will be collected and used for energy recovery and leachate from the cell will be recirculated to enhance the biodegradation. Just like a compost bin in the backyard the products will breakdown and decompose, and an organic rich soil enhancer will be produced and blended with sand to create a topsoil.

Statistical data suggests that there is in excess of 300,000 tonnes per annum of soft green organic waste that is currently produced in the Eastern and South Eastern areas of Metropolitan Melbourne of which only a small percentage is processed. Baxter’s objective is to develop a process that has positive environmental impact and at the same time provides an alternative process at commercial rates.

Baxter’s and its management team together with its Engineering Consultant has been carrying out extensive research for the creation of the “Green Cell” trial in Clayton for over a year and has approached a number of Councils to gauge interest. At present Monash, Glen Eira, Kingston and Bayside Councils are participating in the trial. Baxter’s is confident that when the cell is proven successful that long term facilities will be provided to the community.

The 12-18 month trial will manage green waste from residential kerbside collections and all aspects of the process including temperature, moisture content, carbon nitrogen ratios, landfill gas production rates and leachate composition will be closely monitored via a partnership with Monash University’s Dr. Malek Bouazza (Associate Professor) and students from the Department of Civil Engineering which will ensure transparency of the “Green Cell” trial.

At the completion of a successful trial, Baxter’s propose to establish permanent “Green Cell” operations.

For more information on the “Green Cell” please contact:-
Cheryl Murdoch
Environmental/OH&S/HR Manager
Baxter Group Limited
Ph: 03 9551 1711 Fax: 03 9558 0301
Email: cheryl@baxgroup.com.au

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