Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Annual report … ·...
64
2013–14 LEADING THE WAY 20 YEARS OF THE ACT ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER
Transcript of Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Annual report … ·...
2013–14
LEADINGTHE WAY20 YEARS OF THEACT ENVIRONMENT COMMISSIONER
i i A N NUA L REP O R T 201 3 –14 O FF I C E O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N ER F O R SUS TA I N A B I L I T Y A N D T H E EN V I RO N M EN Tii
©ACT Government 2014 ISSN 1322-8056 ISBN 978-0-9873072-3-1
Published by the Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, Canberra.
This work is copyright. It may be reproduced in part or whole for study or training purposes subject to inclusion of an acknowledgment of the source, but not for commercial usage or sale. Reproduction for purposes other than those listed above requires the written permission of the Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment, PO Box 158 Civic ACT 2601.
Contact OfficerJulia Pitts, Senior Manager Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment
1 Constitution Avenue, Level 2, Canberra Nara Centre
GPO Box 158 CANBERRA, ACT 2601 Telephone: 02 6207 2626 Facsimile: 02 6207 2630 Email: [email protected] www.envcomm.act.gov.au
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O FFI C E O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N ER F O R SUS TA I N A B I L I T Y A N D T H E EN V I RO N M EN T A N NUA L REP O R T 201 3 –14 iii iii
Transmittal certificate
i v
Contents
Transmittal certificate iii
Section B — Performance reporting 1
B1 Organisational overview 1B2 Performance analysis 2B3 Community engagement and support 49B4 Ecologically sustainable development 51
Section C — Governance and accountability reporting 53
C1 Internal accountability 53C2 Risk management and internal audit 53C3 Fraud prevention 53C4 Legislative Assembly inquiries and reports 53C5 Auditor-General and Ombudsman reports 53
Section D — Legislation-based reporting 54
D1 Public interest disclosure 54D2 Freedom of Information 54D3 Human Rights Act 55D4 Territory Records Act 55D5 Legal services directions 56D6 Notices of non-compliance 56D7 Bushfire risk management 56D8 Commissioner for the Environment 56
Section E — Human resources management reporting 57
E1 Human resource performance 57E2 Learning and development 57E3 Work health and safety 57E4 Workplace relations 57E5 Staffing profile 57
Section F — Financial management analysis 58
F1 Financial management 58F2 Financial statements 58F3 Capital works 58F4 Asset management 58F5 Government contracting 58F6 Statement of performance 60
O FFI C E O F T H E C O M M I S S I O N ER F O R SUS TA I N A B I L I T Y A N D T H E EN V I RO N M EN T A N NUA L REP O R T 201 3 –14 1
Section B — Performance reporting
B1 Organisational overview
B1.1 RoleThe Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment is appointed by the Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development under the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993. The Commissioner is accountable to the Legislative Assembly through the Minister. This Office exists to support the Commissioner’s role.
The Act specifies that the Commissioner shall:
• produce State of the Environment reports for the ACT;
• investigate complaints about the management of the environment by the Territory or a territory authority, and issues relating to ecologically sustainable development (ESD);
• conduct investigations as directed by the Minister;
• initiate investigations into actions of an agency where those actions would have a substantial impact on the environment of the ACT; and
• make recommendations for consideration by government and include in its annual report the outcomes of those recommendations.
The Office administers no other legislation and has no other regulatory activities.
B1.2 VisionThe vision of the Office of the Commissioner is ‘Living Sustainably’. The vision captures our commitment to help the community and government act in ways that advance sustainability and good management of the environment.
B1.3 MissionOur mission is to advance sustainability through advocacy, independent scrutiny, reporting and advice.
B1.4 Values
Independence – we empower
through objectivity, transparent processes, considered evaluations
and appropriate confidentiality
Caring – our high regard for the environment,
our community, and future generations
sustains our efforts
Innovation – we seek to use the best available knowledge to pursue
solutions that may not be evident or even
exist yet
Empathy – we take realistic approaches that
recognise the realities faced by the individuals and organisations with
whom we engage
Collaboration – we take an integrated
and inclusive approach
2 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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B1.5 ObjectivesThe Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment has four main objectives.
Investigation and resolution: to enhance understanding and provide guidance by investigating and resolving complaints.
Monitoring and reporting: to advance sustainable practices and better management of the environment through independent monitoring, analysis and reporting.
Engagement and advocacy: to be an independent voice that advocates for, and raises awareness of, sustainable practices and environmental matters.
Capability: to foster a collaborative culture built on professional expertise and networks.
B1.6 Structure The Office comprises a full-time Commissioner, two senior managers (SOG B equivalent), two project officers (PO 2) and one office manager (APS 5). This year the office has hosted a graduate from the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate (ESDD) who worked in the office from February until June, as well as a temporary part-time contractor.
B1.7 Clients and stakeholdersOur work is relevant to all members of the ACT community, specifically:
• the ACT Government and members of the Legislative Assembly;
• the community, including current and future generations;
• environment and sustainability interest groups;
• other Commissioners locally, nationally and internationally;
• business and industry;
• academics;
• professional bodies and interest groups;
• media;
• Councils of the Australian Capital region, and
• the NSW and Australian governments.
B1.8 Directorate relationshipsThe Commissioner is a statutory office holder and our Office operates as an independent statutory body. Our staff members are employed under the Public Sector Management Act 1994 and observe the ACT Public Service Code of Ethics.
The ACT Government via the ESDD and the Commerce and Works Directorate provides corporate support for matters such as accommodation, financial reporting, recruitment and other personnel services.
Shared Services ICT located within the Commerce and Works Directorate provides information management, procurement and information technology support.
B2 Performance analysis
Our achievements during 2013–14 cover our key functions:
• statutory;
• complaints;
• advocacy; and
• investigations.
B2.1 StatutoryOur statutory work included:
• development of updated methodology for 2015 SoE report;
• preparation and planning for the 2015 ACT SoE report; and
• preparing the Implementation Status Report for AP2. A new climate change strategy and action plan for the Australian Capital Territory.
ACT State of the Environment report
The Office is progressing the next State of the Environment (SoE) report, due in 2015. As part of this process we have undertaken the following:
• completed the review of the 2011 SoE report;
• incorporated the 2011 review outcomes into the 2015 SoE report framework;
• developed and conducted a series of consultation workshops to gain input for the 2015 SoE report framework and indicators;
• developed the framework in-house with the assistance of an expert ‘conceptual modeller’;
3OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
• commissioned a group of SoE report writing and editing experts to assist OCSE staff with the 2015 SoE report;
• finalised the 2015 SoE report framework;
• developed and commenced implementation of a data collection and analysis plan; and
• commissioned an independent assessment of the effectiveness of ACT Government and environmental management responses. The process for this assessment included the running of two workshops with key ACT Government decision-makers to obtain input into the management effectiveness assessment process.
The reporting period for the SoE report is from 1 July 2011 to 30 June 2015, and the report will be delivered to the Minister on 21 December 2015.
The Office continues to refine the framework for the 2015 SoE report following the review of the 2011 SoE report, and in light of the feedback received. The framework still uses the Driving Forces-Pressures-State-Impacts-Responses (DPSIR) model and reports on themes and indicators within this model—as was the case in the 2011 report. However the 2015 SoE report will include an independent review of management responses; reporting on and analysis of ecosystem services; and the resilience and adaptive capacity of the ACT and region. The 2015 SoE report will, where possible, incorporate data from the surrounding region outside the ACT.
The Office has continued to engage individual councils on environmental reporting in the region by attending workshops and meetings throughout the year. The Office has also engaged with other areas of the wider ACT Government to share information and resources and to enhance cooperation with government across the region on local issues.
The Office recognises the need for a greater emphasis on how ACT-based decisions and actions impact the region and vice versa.
Implementation Status Report for Action Plan 2
In working on the Implementation Status Report for Action Plan 2 (AP2) we:
• worked with the ESDD and the Climate Change Council to develop a framework for the AP2 reports;
• determined a method for national and international comparison of ACT target and actions;
• sought advice on methodology for determining ‘fit for purpose’ for climate change adaptation; and
• produced a draft of the first report.
B2.3 ComplaintsIn our complaints investigating role we:
• received, acknowledged and progressed three new complaints; and
• finalised two complaints from the previous financial year
These latter complaints included components that raised systemic problems across the Territory.
A full description of our complaints handling for 2013–14 can be found at Section B2.6
B2.4 AdvocacyAdvocating for, and raising awareness of sustainable practices and environmental matters is one of our key objectives. A discussion of our community engagement efforts can be found at Section B3 of this report.
In 2013–14 the Office:
• met with business leaders and held workshops with innovative thinkers;
• delivered ecologically sustainable development (ESD) workshops and an expert paper;
• engaged an expert to further inspect specified ACT natural temperate grasslands sites and provide a report to the Commissioner; and
• monitored progress on government implementation of key environmental strategies and policies.
Workshops and thought-leadership
At an international level the Office delivered a presentation at a conference 1 hosted by the Hungarian Ombudsman For Future Generations in April 2014. The agenda included the establishment of a UN Commissioner for Future Generations with a specific mandate to take the longer term view. It also highlighted the scope for corresponding Commissioners at a national level
1 Staff member self-funded the trip and took leave to attend.
4 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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Ecologically sustainable development (ESD) project
In response to the objects clause within our legislation the Office initiated a project focused on ecologically sustainable development (ESD) asking what ESD means in a practical day-to-day sense. The project aimed to benchmark best practice ESD and to progress the understanding and implementation of ESD within government decision making. The project examined the steps that need to be taken to address and satisfy the core components of ESD as part of both the longer term and daily decision making processes of the ACT Government. For more information about the report generated from this project, see Section B4 of this annual report.
To remain involved with the wider functions of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate, the Office is a member of the ESDD green team, and will continue to attend meetings throughout 2014–15.
Follow up from the Report on the ACT Lowland Native Grassland Investigation
In November 2007 the previous Minister for the Environment, Water and Climate Change, Mr Jon Stanhope, directed the Commissioner to undertake an Investigation into Lowland Native Grassland (‘the Grasslands Investigation’). The final report was tabled in the Legislative Assembly in 2009 by Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development, Mr Simon Corbell.
Following an audit of the 32 recommendations about the grasslands in our 2011–12 annual report, the Office engaged Dr Kenneth Hodgkinson to further inspect specified natural temperate grassland sites and undertake photographic and floristic assessments. Dr Hodgkinson’s delivered his recommendations to the Commissioner in early 2014. His key findings were that the condition of 14 remnant sites of Natural Temperate Grasslands (NTG) in Canberra ranged from 0–40 in Fleuristic Value Score. 2 Dr Hodgkninson also found that this variation can be attributed to past and current land management practices and that current management of these sites will not ensure their survival. The native plants and animals of these remnants of NTG in Canberra are threatened by overgrazing from kangaroos, animal pests and
2 Fleuristic Value Score is the method used by ACT Government and NSW Office of Environment and Heritage for determining the conservation value of grassland on the Southern Tablelands and for monitoring sites.
domestic herbivores; by excessive and untimely mowing regimes; by failure to eradicate weeds; and by failure to apply fire regimes essential for the survival of most of the native plant species. Dr Hodgkinson warned that many of the grassland patches are approaching critical thresholds beyond which they will change to a different and less desirable state.
Monitoring progress
The Commissioner acknowledges the work which has been done by the government in developing policies on key issues including:
• Action plan 2 (AP2);
• ACT Planning Strategy, July 2012;
• City Plan, April 2013;
• Transport for Canberra 2012–2031 policy, March 2012;
• Draft Nature Conservation Strategy 2012–2022;
• Nature Conservation Bill 2013;
• Review of the Environment Protection Act, September 2012; and
• Water for the future – striking the balance: Draft ACT Water Strategy 2013.
In 2013–14 the Office continued to monitor the progress towards implementing these policies and strategies.
The Office will also continue to track and report on the implementation of specific recommendations via our annual reports.
5OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
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B2.5 InvestigationsThe Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment has not undertaken any Investigations during fiscal 2013–14, however it has prepared, as directed in AP2 (Chapter 11 Monitoring and Reporting), the first of three implementation status reports (2014, 2017, 2020).
AP2 provides for the Office to triennially assess whether the ACT Government is reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adapting to climate change and leading a sustainable future. This assessment is to be conducted by answering a number of questions:
1. How are we tracking against sector greenhouse gas reduction targets?
2. What new opportunities or challenges have emerged?
3. What are the implications for the Territory from developments in climate science?
4. How fit-for-purpose are the Territory’s climate change adaptation policies?
5. How do the Territory’s targets and actions stand in relation to developments at the national or international level?
These questions will be answered in this implementation status report by providing:
• an outline of the methods used for calculating and reporting upon greenhouse gas emissions through a greenhouse gas inventory (GGI) and AP2. This outline includes a description of the conversion methodology used to allow the GGI to report on greenhouse gas emissions by AP2-sector;
• an analysis of the challenges relating to making an assessment of AP2-sector greenhouse gas targets including issues relating to timing, target setting, emissions modelling and measuring the effect of AP2’s 14 mitigation actions achievement against the legislated greenhouse gas reduction targets;
• an analysis of international best-practice greenhouse gas emissions calculations and reporting and the probable effect of this on the targets set both by the legislation and by AP2;
• a comparative analysis of the science which underpinned AP2 and the latest comparable scientific developments since the 2012 release of AP2;.
• a methodology designed to determine what constitutes an ACT Government policy or action being ‘fit-for-purpose’ in terms of climate change adaptation;
• a fit-for-purpose assessment against identified climate change risks and vulnerabilities to the ACT using the methodology; and
• a jurisdictional comparison of the greenhouse gas emissions reduction and renewable energy targets and the actions developed to effect these targets.
B2.6 Report of legislated functionsThis section of the report complies with the Act; specifically:
Section 14(8), which requires reporting of complaints received which did not proceed to a full investigation, and the reasons for the decision;
Section 20(a), any special factor that the Commissioner believes had a significant impact on the environment during the year;
Section 20(b), measures taken during the year by, or for, the Territory in relation to implementation of any recommendations in a State of the Environment report under Section 19 or a special report under Section 21; and
Section 23, information to be included in agency annual reports.
Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993: Section 14(8) requirements
Our Office received three new complaints during 2013–14 that were complex and potentially raised systemic issues for further assessment. However, as indicated in our previous annual reports, the Office also receives inquiries that are generally resolved before becoming section 14 (8) complaints. These are resolved through discussions with the Commissioner, site visits and—where relevant—introductions to appropriate individuals within the directorates. Bringing all the parties together around a table often leads to a resolution of matters.
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Table 1: Summary of complaints and investigations
Complaints No. of complaints
Complaints on hand at end 2012—13 2
Complaints received during 2013–14 3
Complaints closed during 2013–14 2
Complaints pending 3
Investigations directed by the Minister 0
Investigations on hand at end 2012–13 0
Investigations commenced in 2013–14 0
Investigations closed during 2013–14 0
Investigations initiated by the Commissioner 0
Investigations initiated in 2013–14 0
Table 2: Summary of broad subject area of complaints
Broad subject area No. of complaints
Air quality 0
Biodiversity 2
Water 0
Trees 0
Waste 0
Planning process and decisions 1
Other 0
Table 3: Complaints lodged in 2011–12
Month lodged
Broad subject area
Nature of complaint Comment Month
closed
April 2012
Biodiversity/grassland management
Non compliance with land-management agreements in the Glenloch rural lease, and associated deterioration of conservation values on the lots
The complaint was closed in February 2013 after discussions with both ESDD and Territory and Municipal Services Directorate (TAMSD).
The outcomes of the complaints inquiry had four recommendations. These were:
Determining the current ecological value of the site and processes should be put in place to ensure follow up on the implementation of Conservator’s directions.
Encouraging ongoing weed management by the leasee.
Formal processes are implemented for improved communication regarding the management, monitoring and enforcement of land management agreements (LMAs).
A review of the LMA process be undertaken in the next 18 months.
March 2013
7OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
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Table 4: Complaints lodged in 2012–13
Month lodged
Broad subject area
Nature of complaint Comment Month
closed
Feb 2013
Building heights in town centres
Heights in town centre of Belconnen
The Office gathered information to assess if the complaint is systemic across all town centres. This included reviewing the status of master plans and precinct codes with regard to height requirements.
It also looked at the accessibility of finding the information easily and then interpreting it.
Pending
March 2013
Biodiversity/recreation
Potential conflicts between conservation values and recreational opportunities
This complaint raised concerns over the construction of bike trails within the Bruce Ridge Nature Reserve (Bruce Ridge) and the potential for the construction of these trails to compromise the ecological values of the reserve. In investigating the complaint the Commissioner’s office looked into the following matters:
• What was the process used to determine the suitability of the site at Bruce Ridge for mountain bike recreation?
• What process was undertaken to determine how many bike trails are sustainable in Bruce Ridge and their appropriate location?
• What strategy or processes are in place to manage and monitor conservation on Bruce Ridge?
• What processes are in place to balance recreational and conservation needs on the ridge?
• What is the role of Friends of Bruce Ridge and how are their actions monitored?
• Are there any proposals currently under consideration for similar recreation facilities in other areas of the Canberra Nature Park?
The ACT Government, through legislation and policy, is committed to environmentally sustainable development (ESD). ESD mandates the precautionary principle:
when an activity raises threats of harm to the environment, precautionary measures should be taken even if some cause and effect relationships are not fully established scientifically.
So in association with the above issues specific to this complaint, the Office has also investigated the broader ranging issue of recreation management across the Canberra Nature Park (CNP).
These issues relate to the challenges associated with applying the precautionary principle in practice. They include the:
• lack of scientific and monitoring data pertaining to the current state of reserve ecology; and
• the compromises or trade-offs that need to be made when priorities for environmental management are determined.
These issues, particularly in relation to resource allocation, are endemic to all governments in the business of environmental protection
October 2013
8 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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Table 5: Complaints lodged in 2013–14
Month lodged
Broad subject area
Nature of complaint Comment Month
closed
July 2013
Compliance with management plans for new development
Compliance with management plans for Woden Green development
Potential for failure to occur in comprehensively implementing the requirements of management plans on the ground. The number of parties involved in the day-to-day management and development of sites may be a factor in making best practice implementation of the plans a challenge.
Pending
October 2013
Biodiversity The management of the cat-curfew area adjoining Mount Majura
Complaint related to the lack of enforcement and monitoring of cat-curfew areas, specifically the curfew area adjoining Mount Majura, and broad systemic issues within the ACT.
Report finalised June
Dec 2013
Biodiversity The scientific rationale relating to kangaroo culls in the ACT
This complaint raised 12 specific points based on a range of issues.
Pending
Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993:Section 20(a) requirements (any special factor that had significant impact on environment)
While Canberra remains a very liveable city there is a need for vigilance and action to maintain the health and integrity of our environment, now and for future generations.
It is critical that implementation, monitoring and reporting on the ACT’s strategies and policies remain a strong priority. This particularly applies with regard to the implementation pathways to achieve the outcomes detailed in policies and plans.
In financially uncertain times, there is a need for even greater responsible and efficient use of resources. However, it is essential that in this setting we continue to recognise that the environment underpins our social and economic wellbeing and we invest appropriately for the future of our city, our community, and our ecosystems.
Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993—Section 20(b) requirements
As required by Section 20(b) of the Act, this Office reports on progress made by the ACT Government directorates in implementing any recommendation made in a State of the Environment report under Section 19, or in a special report under Section 21. Special reports are those arising from any investigation
initiated by the Minister or the Commissioner. This annual report outlines progress in implementing recommendations in relation to the theme of ‘water’. The Commissioner’s assessments are presented below in an audit of past recommendations (Table 6). Table 7 then summarises measures taken during the year by, or for, the Territory to implement other water-related recommendations in the State of the Environment reports 2011 and 2007.
The information in Table 7 is directly as advised by the relevant ACT Government directorates.
Table 8 covers all other directorate responses demonstrating progress in implementing the ACT State of the Environment 2011 report recommendations
Audit of past recommendations
During 2011–12, the Office began a process to conduct thorough audits of previous recommendations. The process involved selecting recommendations arising from past investigations, complaints and the ACT State of the Environment Report 2011, to examine their implementation.
The help and assistance provided by these directorates and their staff is greatly appreciated.
The Commissioner’s assessment of progress is presented in Table 6, with his comments.
9OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainablyTa
ble
6: A
udit
resp
onse
s to
reco
mm
enda
tion
s on
Wat
er A
udit
Lake
Bur
ley
Gri
ffin
Inve
stiga
tion
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
Lake
Clo
sure
Pro
toco
ls
1: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t (H
ealth
Dire
ctor
ate)
un
dert
akes
per
iodi
c re
view
s of
the
ACT
Gui
delin
es fo
r Rec
reati
onal
Wat
er Q
ualit
y at
inte
rval
s of
not
less
than
five
yea
rs
and
incl
udes
con
sulta
tion
with
rele
vant
st
akeh
olde
rs. T
he re
view
s sh
ould
con
side
r:
a) d
evel
opm
ents
in u
se o
f Ent
eroc
occi
ba
cter
ia a
s an
indi
cato
r of
faec
al
cont
amin
ation
and
rese
arch
on
the
heal
th
risk
s as
soci
ated
with
regr
owth
pat
hoge
ns;
b) im
prov
emen
ts in
kno
wle
dge
and
tech
nolo
gies
to d
eter
min
e w
heth
er to
xin
testi
ng o
r bl
ue-g
reen
alg
al c
once
ntra
tion
and
alga
l bio
volu
me
testi
ng is
mos
t rel
evan
t for
AC
T la
kes;
and
c) th
e ch
arac
teri
stics
and
regr
owth
ch
alle
nges
of t
he la
ke e
mba
ymen
ts.
Hea
lthH
ealth
resp
onde
d on
9 M
ay 2
014:
In re
latio
n to
reco
mm
enda
tions
one
and
two
… a
revi
ew o
f the
ACT
Gui
delin
es fo
r Re
crea
tiona
l Wat
er Q
ualit
y ha
s be
en u
nder
take
n by
ACT
Hea
lth. T
his
has
incl
uded
la
ke c
losu
re p
roto
cols
as
outli
ned
in th
e re
com
men
datio
ns. T
he re
view
was
circ
ulat
ed
to G
over
nmen
t age
ncie
s fo
r com
men
t in
Oct
ober
201
3. It
will
now
go
to c
omm
unity
co
nsul
tatio
n w
ith a
rang
e of
lake
use
r gro
ups.
A d
raft
of t
he la
ke
clos
ure
guid
elin
es
was
pro
vide
d to
th
e O
CSE.
I und
erst
and
that
th
is re
view
is
ongo
ing.
2: T
he c
urre
nt g
uide
lines
sho
uld
be a
men
ded
to re
cogn
ise:
a) th
e po
tenti
al fo
r la
ke o
r pa
rt-la
ke c
losu
re
on a
cas
e-by
-cas
e ba
sis,
bas
ed o
n un
usua
lly
extr
eme
leve
ls o
f blu
e-gr
een
alga
e; a
nd
b) c
losu
re p
racti
ces
in re
latio
n to
ver
y hi
gh
bact
eria
con
cent
ratio
ns.
Hea
lth/E
SDD
(E
PA)
See
resp
onse
abo
ve.
10 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TS3:
In li
ne w
ith th
e cu
rren
t gui
delin
es, t
he
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent a
nd th
e Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty
Coun
cil,
shou
ld id
entif
y an
d m
ap s
ourc
es
of fa
ecal
con
tam
inati
on e
nter
ing
urba
n st
orm
wat
er s
yste
ms,
the
sign
ifica
nce
of
the
sour
ces,
and
long
-ter
m s
trat
egie
s fo
r re
duci
ng lo
adin
g. In
add
ition
, a r
igor
ous
and
com
preh
ensi
ve p
roce
dure
for
rapi
d ‘s
anita
ry
surv
eys’
in th
e ev
ent o
f ele
vate
d in
dica
tor
conc
entr
ation
s sh
ould
be
esta
blis
hed.
Hea
lth/E
SDD
Hea
lth re
spon
ded
on 9
May
201
4:
In re
gard
to re
com
men
datio
n th
ree
ACT
Hea
lth h
as d
evel
oped
a p
roce
dure
for
sani
tary
sur
veys
. The
se s
urve
ys c
an b
e un
dert
aken
whe
re th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t and
th
e Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty C
ounc
il, in
con
junc
tion
with
ACT
EW W
ater
, hav
e id
entifi
ed
sour
ces
of c
onta
min
ation
.
Not
ed a
nd I
look
forw
ard
to
seei
ng c
opie
s of
th
ese
surv
eys.
4: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t and
the
Nati
onal
Ca
pita
l Aut
hori
ty im
prov
e co
mm
unic
ation
w
ith la
ke u
ser
grou
ps a
nd th
e ge
nera
l pub
lic
in th
e fo
llow
ing
key
area
s:
a) d
urin
g pr
olon
ged
lake
clo
sure
s, s
o th
at
lake
use
rs a
re a
war
e th
at a
lake
is c
lose
d an
d w
hy;
b) d
urin
g cl
osur
es o
r re
stri
ction
s, la
ke
man
ager
s sh
ould
und
erta
ke ra
ndom
che
cks
on la
ke u
se, a
nd w
here
nec
essa
ry a
men
d pu
blic
noti
ficati
on m
etho
ds to
ens
ure
lake
use
rs a
re a
war
e of
the
aler
ts a
nd
man
agem
ent r
espo
nses
; and
c)ad
vise
whe
n a
lake
is re
open
ed.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDTA
MS
resp
onde
d:
Park
s an
d Ci
ty S
ervi
ces
(PAC
S) c
urre
ntly
pro
vide
s w
eekl
y ba
cter
ia a
nd b
lue
gree
n al
gae
upda
tes
on T
AM
S w
ebsi
te fo
r all
publ
ic s
wim
min
g ar
eas
unde
r its
resp
onsi
bilit
y.
PACS
ens
ures
wat
er q
ualit
y in
form
ation
sig
ns a
re p
rese
nt a
t sw
imm
ing
area
s un
der
its re
spon
sibi
lity
and
that
thos
e si
gns
refle
ct in
form
ation
pos
ted
wee
kly
on th
e w
ater
web
site
.
PACS
mai
ntai
ns a
lake
use
r reg
iste
r of s
take
hold
ers
asso
ciat
ed w
ith L
ake
Gin
nind
erra
.
Not
ed.
11OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
Opti
ons
for
‘in la
ke’ m
anag
emen
t to
impr
ove
wat
er q
ualit
y
5: T
he N
ation
al C
apita
l Aut
hori
ty a
nd th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t und
erta
ke a
feas
ibili
ty
stud
y, in
clud
ing
a tr
iple
bott
om li
ne a
naly
sis,
of
mac
roph
yte
rest
orati
on a
cros
s th
e La
ke.
Prio
ritie
s fo
r co
nsid
erati
on s
houl
d in
clud
e:
a) c
onst
ructi
on o
f a w
etla
nd in
the
Lake
be
twee
n Sp
ring
bank
Isla
nd a
nd th
e m
outh
of
Sul
livan
s Cr
eek;
b) c
onst
ructi
on o
f a w
etla
nd in
the
Lake
at
East
Bas
in; a
nd
c) re
stor
ation
of m
acro
phyt
e be
ds in
Lo
tus
bay,
Ora
na B
ay, a
nd a
t Wes
ton
Park
Ea
st B
each
.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d on
8 M
ay 2
014:
The
Gov
ernm
ent’s
resp
onse
to th
is re
com
men
datio
n in
dica
ted
that
the
NCA
and
ACT
G
over
nmen
t has
[sic
] alre
ady
com
men
ced
expl
orati
on o
f the
se o
ption
s, b
ut p
oint
ed o
ut
that
the
testi
ng o
f the
full
rang
e of
opti
ons
wou
ld re
quire
com
mitm
ent o
f add
ition
al
fund
s by
the
Com
mon
wea
lth G
over
nmen
t who
, thr
ough
the
NCA
, is
dire
ctly
resp
onsi
ble
for t
he m
anag
emen
t of t
he L
ake
wat
er a
nd im
med
iate
For
esho
res.
The
resp
onse
als
o in
dica
ted
that
the
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent w
as c
onst
ructi
ng a
$4.
5 m
illio
n sh
allo
w re
trofi
tted
wet
land
adj
acen
t to
East
ern
Valle
y W
ay in
Lak
e G
inni
nder
ra
whi
ch h
as b
een
com
plet
ed. T
he w
etla
nd d
evel
opm
ent w
ill b
e as
sess
ed a
s to
its
perf
orm
ance
in im
prov
ing
wat
er q
ualit
y in
Lak
e G
inni
nder
ra. T
he re
spon
se in
dica
ted
that
this
pro
ject
will
info
rm th
e su
itabi
lity,
effi
cacy
and
val
ue fo
r mon
ey o
f thi
s ki
nd
of in
terv
entio
n fo
r Lak
e Bu
rley
Griffi
n. T
his i
s wor
k is
bei
ng u
nder
take
n by
TAM
S.TA
MS
resp
onde
d:
a) N
ot T
AM
S
b) T
he E
aste
rn V
alle
y W
ay In
let W
etla
nds
proj
ect w
as c
ompl
eted
in la
te 2
013.
ES
DD to
pro
vide
com
plet
ed in
form
ation
on
testi
ng o
f wat
er q
ualit
y. T
estin
g of
th
e eff
ectiv
enes
s of
the
wet
land
sys
tem
on
wat
er q
ualit
y is
pla
nned
for 2
014.
c) a
t Jer
rabo
mbe
rra
Wet
land
s ab
out 3
00 m
etre
s of
lake
fore
shor
e ha
ve h
ad
mac
roph
yte
beds
re-e
stab
lishe
d fo
llow
ing
rem
oval
of w
illow
, ald
er a
nd o
ther
wee
ds.
TAM
SD p
rovi
ded
evid
ence
of t
his
wor
k to
the
Com
mis
sion
er
Dire
ctor
ate
resp
onsi
biliti
es
need
cla
rifica
tion
and
it is
en
cour
agin
g to
se
e im
prov
ing
coor
dina
tion
of
wat
er m
atter
s in
th
e AC
T.
(see
re
com
men
datio
n 7
belo
w)
6: T
he N
ation
al C
apita
l Aut
hori
ty a
nd th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t joi
ntly
exp
lore
initi
ative
s fo
r in
-lake
inte
rven
tions
aim
ing
to c
ontr
ol
blue
-gre
en a
lgae
in L
ake
Burl
ey G
riffi
n an
d ot
her
Canb
erra
lake
s. D
eskt
op re
sear
ch,
phys
ical
tria
ls a
nd c
ost-
bene
fit a
naly
ses
coul
d ex
amin
e (b
ut n
ot b
e lim
ited
to)
syst
ems
for:
a) re
-aer
ating
sed
imen
ts;
b) s
tirri
ng th
e w
ater
col
umn;
c) a
dsor
bing
and
rem
ovin
g ph
osph
orus
fr
om th
e w
ater
via
add
ition
s of
cla
y- o
r ch
emic
al-b
ased
sub
stan
ces;
and
/or
d) tr
eatin
g la
ke s
edim
ents
to re
duce
ph
osph
orus
rele
ase,
incl
udin
g by
add
ition
of
nitr
ates
or
iron
chlo
ride
to th
e w
ater
.
ESD
D/H
ealth
Hea
lth re
spon
ded
on 9
May
201
4:
Wat
er q
ualit
y is
sues
suc
h as
the
man
agem
ent o
f blu
e-gr
een
alga
e in
Can
berr
a la
kes
is n
ot u
nder
take
n by
ACT
Hea
lth. I
t is
sugg
este
d th
e En
viro
nmen
t and
Sus
tain
able
D
evel
opm
ent D
irect
orat
e, to
geth
er w
ith T
errit
ory
and
Mun
icip
al S
ervi
ces
and
the
Nati
onal
Cap
ital A
utho
rity,
are
the
lead
s fo
r the
se in
itiati
ves.
12 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSCa
tchm
ent m
anag
emen
t to
impr
ove
the
Lake
’s w
ater
qua
lity
7: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t sho
uld
deve
lop
a st
rate
gic
appr
oach
to w
ater
-sen
sitiv
e ur
ban
desi
gn (W
SUD
). Th
is s
houl
d in
clud
e:
a) id
entif
ying
site
s w
here
inst
allin
g ca
tchm
ent i
nter
venti
on, s
uch
as w
etla
nds
and
pollu
tion
cont
rol p
onds
, wou
ld im
prov
e w
ater
qua
lity
ente
ring
Lak
e Bu
rley
Gri
ffin.
Th
is s
houl
d in
clud
e:
i. in
itial
feas
ibili
ty s
tudi
es in
to th
e co
nstr
uctio
n of
pol
lutio
n co
ntro
l pon
ds o
r w
etla
nds
on th
e Ya
rral
umla
dra
inag
e lin
e an
d Je
rrab
ombe
rra
Cree
k sh
ould
be
unde
rtak
en.
Any
inst
alla
tions
sho
uld
be d
esig
ned
to b
e of
an
app
ropr
iate
siz
e to
trea
t the
cat
chm
ent
area
they
ser
vice
; and
ii. id
entif
ying
WSU
D th
at c
ompl
emen
ts
curr
ent p
rogr
ams
of in
stal
ling
wet
land
s an
d w
ater
con
trol
pon
ds in
bot
h ne
w u
rban
are
as
and
retr
ofitti
ng in
exi
sting
sub
urbs
whe
re
appl
icab
le.
b) E
nsur
ing
that
WSU
D re
quire
men
ts a
re
enfo
rced
in p
artic
ular
:
i. en
suri
ng th
at w
etla
nds
and
pond
s ar
e of
app
ropr
iate
siz
es to
ser
vice
thei
r ca
tchm
ents
; and
ii. u
nder
taki
ng a
uditi
ng/c
ompl
ianc
e ar
rang
emen
ts to
ens
ure
that
tem
pora
ry
pollu
tion
cont
rol p
onds
for
sedi
men
t con
trol
du
ring
the
cons
truc
tion
phas
e in
new
est
ates
ar
e m
aint
aine
d an
d fu
nctio
ning
effe
ctive
ly.
c) Im
prov
ing
mon
itori
ng o
f the
effe
ctive
ness
of
WSU
D in
urb
an d
evel
opm
ents
to
dete
rmin
e w
heth
er w
ater
qua
lity
mee
ts
WSU
D g
ener
al c
ode
targ
ets.
Res
ults
sh
ould
be
used
to in
form
impr
ovem
ents
in
WSU
D s
tand
ards
.
ESD
D, E
DD
, TA
MSD
ESD
D re
spon
ded
on 8
May
201
4:
The
Gov
ernm
ent’s
resp
onse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e G
over
nmen
t is
curr
ently
revi
ewin
g th
e AC
T w
ater
reso
urce
s st
rate
gy T
hink
Wat
er, A
ct W
ater
. The
Gov
ernm
ent r
elea
sed
a ne
w d
raft
str
ateg
y in
July
201
3 W
ater
for t
he F
utur
e –
Strik
ing
the
Bala
nce
for p
ublic
co
nsul
tatio
n (h
ttp:
//w
ww
.env
ironm
ent.
act.
gov.
au/w
ater
/act
_wat
er_s
trat
egy/
draft
_ac
t_w
ater
_str
ateg
y_20
13)
The
Gov
ernm
ent h
as b
een
final
isin
g th
e st
rate
gy, t
akin
g ac
coun
t of c
onsu
ltatio
n co
mm
ents
with
a v
iew
to re
leas
ing
the
final
str
ateg
y by
mid
201
4.
The
resp
onse
als
o in
dica
ted
that
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
revi
ew o
f the
Wat
er S
ensi
tive
Urb
an D
esig
n (W
SUD
) gui
delin
es is
bei
ng c
onsi
dere
d as
par
t of t
he re
view
of
the
wat
er s
trat
egy
to e
nsur
e co
mpl
ianc
e w
ith n
ation
al s
tand
ards
or b
etter
and
th
at th
e w
ater
qua
lity
outc
omes
are
ach
ieve
d at
the
mos
t eco
nom
ical
cos
t. T
he
Gov
ernm
ent a
nnou
nced
the
com
men
cem
ent o
f thi
s re
view
in Ju
ly 2
013
to in
quire
in
to a
nd re
port
on
Wat
er S
ensi
tive
Urb
an D
esig
n re
gula
tion
agai
nst a
Gov
ernm
ent
obje
ctive
of a
fort
y pe
r cen
t red
uctio
n in
wat
er u
sage
in n
ew d
evel
opm
ents
and
re
furb
ishm
ents
/ext
ensi
ons
(com
pare
d w
ith p
re-2
003
leve
ls).
The
repo
rt is
to p
rovi
de
reco
mm
enda
tions
on
sign
ifica
ntly
exp
andi
ng th
e ac
cept
able
man
date
d m
easu
res
to a
chie
ve th
e ta
rget
s, a
nd to
pro
vide
max
imum
flex
ibili
ty to
dev
elop
ers
to lo
wer
de
velo
pmen
t cos
ts. E
nviro
nmen
t and
Sus
tain
able
Dev
elop
men
t Dire
ctor
ate
(ESD
D)
lead
the
revi
ew.
The
revi
ew is
bei
ng a
ssis
ted
by a
tech
nica
l pan
el o
f ind
ustr
y an
d ac
adem
ic
prof
essi
onal
s in
the
WSU
D fi
eld
and
a cr
oss-
agen
cy w
orki
ng g
roup
.
ESD
D u
nder
took
ext
ensi
ve c
onsu
ltatio
n w
ith in
dust
ry, c
omm
unity
and
aca
dem
ic
insti
tutio
ns a
s w
ell a
s be
nchm
arki
ng th
e AC
T w
ith o
ther
par
ts o
f Aus
tral
ia
and
else
whe
re.
The
revi
ew c
onsi
dera
tion
of th
e eff
ectiv
enes
s of
cur
rent
WSU
D in
fras
truc
ture
, in
fras
truc
ture
des
ign
and
cost
s, a
nd m
aint
enan
ce re
quire
men
ts a
nd re
sour
cing
. Th
e re
view
fina
l rep
ort w
ill b
e co
nsid
ered
by
the
Gov
ernm
ent i
n Ju
ne 2
014.
e) T
he G
over
nmen
t res
pons
e in
dica
ted
that
, sub
ject
to fu
ndin
g av
aila
bilit
y, th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t sup
port
s a
revi
ew o
f the
con
ditio
n an
d eff
ectiv
enes
s of
all
gros
s po
lluta
nt tr
aps
flow
ing
into
Lak
e Bu
rley
Griffi
n. T
he re
view
was
to in
clud
e th
e su
itabi
lity
of lo
catio
n, th
eir e
ffici
ency
, im
pact
and
mai
nten
ance
requ
irem
ents
and
fr
eque
ncy
of m
aint
enan
ce. T
his
wor
k is
bei
ng u
nder
take
n by
TA
MS.
The
Gov
ernm
ent (
Envi
ronm
ent P
rote
ction
Aut
horit
y) is
als
o re
view
ing
the
Envi
ronm
ent P
rote
ction
Act
199
7 htt
p://
ww
w.e
nviro
nmen
t.ac
t.go
v.au
/env
ironm
ent/
envi
ronm
ent_
prot
ectio
n_au
thor
ity/r
evie
w_o
f_th
e _e
nviro
nmen
t_pr
otec
tion_
act)
to
str
eam
line
regu
lato
ry p
roce
sses
, ens
urin
g th
e in
tegr
ity a
nd o
pera
tion
of th
e le
gisl
ation
whi
lst e
ncou
ragi
ng b
etter
env
ironm
enta
l pra
ctice
s.
I loo
k fo
rwar
d to
th
e re
leas
e of
the
Fina
l Str
ateg
y in
th
e ne
ar fu
ture
. I a
m p
leas
ed th
at
ESD
D is
the
lead
ag
ency
and
will
be
the
foca
l poi
nt fo
r al
l inf
orm
ation
on
impl
emen
tatio
n of
th
e st
rate
gy a
nd
prog
ress
repo
rts.
It
is a
pos
itive
st
ep to
see
all
Dire
ctor
ates
clo
sely
co
-ord
inati
ng th
eir
actio
ns in
clud
ing
cros
s ju
risdi
ction
al
matt
ers
in
thei
r wor
k.
13OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
d) C
ompa
riso
n of
ACT
app
roac
hes
to W
SUD
w
ith th
ose
of o
ther
Aus
tral
ian
urba
n ar
eas
to h
elp
the
Terr
itory
rem
ain
cons
iste
nt w
ith
deve
lopi
ng te
chno
logy
and
bes
t pra
ctice
.
e) R
evie
win
g th
e effi
cacy
of e
xisti
ng
gros
s po
lluta
nt tr
aps
(GPT
s. T
he re
view
sh
ould
incl
ude:
i. eff
ectiv
enes
s in
pol
luta
nt re
ducti
on;
ii. e
ffecti
vene
ss o
f cur
rent
mai
nten
ance
of
pollu
tion
cont
rol m
easu
res
iii. c
apita
l cos
ts;
iv. o
ngoi
ng m
aint
enan
ce c
osts
to e
nsur
e th
e cu
rren
t dra
inag
e in
fras
truc
ture
rem
ains
hi
gh-s
tand
ard
and
is in
line
with
cur
rent
be
st p
racti
ce, p
rote
cting
dow
nstr
eam
en
viro
nmen
ts;
v. re
ducti
on o
f pol
lute
d le
acha
te w
ater
; and
vi. t
he c
apac
ity to
man
age
requ
irem
ents
of
futu
re u
rban
gro
wth
and
dev
elop
men
t.
f) w
orki
ng w
ith th
e N
CA a
nd N
SW c
ounc
ils
The
Com
mon
wea
lth G
over
nmen
t pro
vide
d in
-prin
cipl
e ag
reem
ent t
o pr
ovid
e fu
ndin
g un
der t
he W
ater
Man
agem
ent P
artn
ersh
ip A
gree
men
t on
26 F
ebru
ary
2014
for
the
ACT’
s St
ate
Prio
rity
Proj
ect (
http:
//w
ww
.env
ironm
ent.
act.
gov.
au/w
ater
/wat
er_
qual
ity) a
s se
t out
in th
e AC
T’s
Basi
n Pr
iorit
y Bu
sine
ss C
ase.
Thi
s ag
reem
ent w
ill s
ee
the
prov
isio
n of
up
to $
85 m
illio
n to
the
ACT,
with
$8.
5mill
ion
in c
ompl
emen
tary
AC
T G
over
nmen
t inv
estm
ent,
for l
ong
term
impr
oved
wat
er q
ualit
y an
d ca
tchm
ent
man
agem
ent i
n th
e AC
T by
:
• Ph
ase
1: Im
plem
entin
g a
com
preh
ensi
ve A
CT-w
ide
wat
er q
ualit
y m
onito
ring
prog
ram
with
a fo
cus
on s
ix p
riorit
y ca
tchm
ents
, inc
ludi
ng a
ssoc
iate
d m
onito
ring
to
prov
ide
evid
ence
to u
nder
pin
prio
rity
proj
ects
.
• Ph
ase
2: D
evel
opm
ent o
f inf
rast
ruct
ure
optio
ns fo
r eac
h su
b-ca
tchm
ent,
bas
ed o
n th
e an
alys
is o
f the
dat
a co
llect
ed fr
om th
e m
onito
ring,
that
will
ass
ist i
n im
prov
ing
the
wat
er q
ualit
y flo
win
g fr
om th
ese
catc
hmen
ts.
The
anal
ysis
from
Pha
se 1
will
be
used
to in
form
the
busi
ness
cas
e re
quire
d fo
r the
se
cond
pha
se o
f the
pro
ject
– th
e co
nstr
uctio
n of
maj
or w
ater
qua
lity
inte
rcep
tion/
impr
ovem
ent s
truc
ture
s.
The
prio
rity
catc
hmen
ts a
re:
• Lo
wer
Mol
ongl
o (n
ew d
evel
opm
ent)
• U
pper
Mol
ongl
o (s
ourc
e w
ater
)
• Tu
gger
anon
g (la
ke)
• Ya
rral
umla
Cre
ek (i
nfill/
deve
lope
d)
• Ri
verv
iew
, Wes
t Bel
conn
en (G
reen
field
s de
velo
pmen
t)
• Fy
shw
ick
(indu
stria
l/w
etla
nds
deve
lopm
ent)
Phas
e 1
is d
ue to
be
com
plet
ed b
y Ju
ne 2
016.
Fin
alis
ation
of P
hase
2 fu
ndin
g is
to
be p
rovi
ded
by 2
019.
Fun
ding
will
be
subj
ect t
o as
sess
men
t and
app
rova
l fro
m th
e Co
mm
onw
ealth
, par
ticul
arly
the
proc
ess
to im
plem
ent P
hase
2.
Gov
erna
nce
for t
he p
roje
ct in
clud
es th
e es
tabl
ishm
ent o
f an
inte
r-ju
risdi
ction
al
com
mitt
ee, i
nclu
ding
repr
esen
tatio
n fr
om P
aler
ang,
Yas
s Va
lley,
Coo
ma
and
Que
anbe
yan
City
Cou
ncils
and
the
NSW
Gov
ernm
ent,
as
wel
l as
a te
chni
cal p
anel
of
rele
vant
exp
erts
.
ESD
D a
re ta
king
car
riage
of t
his
actio
n (c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent t
o im
prov
e th
e La
ke’s
wat
er q
ualit
y) w
ith in
put f
rom
TA
MS
as re
quire
d. T
AM
S is
repr
esen
ted
on th
e W
SUD
Rev
iew
Wor
king
Gro
up a
nd h
as p
rovi
ded
inpu
t int
o th
e de
velo
pmen
t of t
he
ACT
Wat
er S
trat
egy.
Envi
ronm
ent a
nd S
usta
inab
le D
evel
opm
ent (
ESD
D) a
re ta
king
car
riage
of t
his
actio
n w
ith in
put f
rom
TA
MS
as re
quire
d.
14 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSTA
MS
are
repr
esen
ted
on th
e W
ater
Sen
sitiv
e U
rban
Des
ign
Revi
ew W
orki
ng
Gro
up a
nd h
ave
prov
ided
inpu
t int
o th
e de
velo
pmen
t of t
he A
CT W
ater
M
anag
emen
t Str
ateg
y.
7e) T
hese
are
bei
ng c
over
ed b
y th
e ES
DD
’s re
view
.
iv) T
he o
ngoi
ng m
aint
enan
ce c
osts
of t
he G
ross
Pol
luta
nt T
raps
can
be
prov
ided
by
Roa
ds A
CT—
Road
Mai
nten
ance
.
The
mai
nten
ance
doe
s no
t inc
lude
testi
ng o
f the
wat
er. T
his
testi
ng is
con
duct
ed
by A
CTEW
Wat
er.
Sam
ple
of th
e m
aint
enan
ce p
roce
dure
s is
att
ache
d.
ESSD
pro
vide
d ev
iden
ce o
f thi
s w
ork
to th
e Co
mm
issi
oner
.
Econ
omic
and
Dev
elop
men
t Dire
ctor
ate
resp
onde
d in
Apr
il 20
14 a
s fo
llow
s:
ESD
D is
cur
rent
ly d
evel
opin
g a
stra
tegi
c ap
proa
ch to
Wat
er S
ensi
tive
Urb
an D
esig
n (W
SUD
) thr
ough
the
revi
ew o
f WSU
D re
quire
men
ts in
the
ACT.
The
LD
A a
nd E
DD
ar
e pa
rtici
patin
g in
this
revi
ew p
roce
ss. D
urin
g th
is p
roce
ss th
e LD
A a
nd E
DD
are
co
ntinu
ing
to im
plem
ent W
SUD
in d
evel
opm
ents
bas
ed o
n ex
istin
g re
quire
men
ts.
a) T
he L
DA
has
iden
tified
key
site
s su
ch a
s Ki
ngst
on F
ores
hore
whe
re m
easu
res
have
bee
n im
plem
ente
d to
impr
ove
the
qual
ity o
f the
wat
er e
nter
ing
Lake
Bur
ley
Griffi
n. F
or e
xam
ple
the
pond
and
wet
land
s at
Nor
grov
e Pa
rk in
Kin
gsto
n Fo
resh
ore
serv
e th
is fu
nctio
n. F
utur
e si
tes
such
as
Cam
pbel
l 5, P
arke
s Se
ction
3 a
nd C
ity to
the
Lake
als
o ha
ve p
lann
ed W
SUD
fe
atur
es to
impr
ove
the
qual
ity o
f the
wat
er e
nter
ing
Lake
Bur
ley
Griffi
n.
EDD
is a
lso
unde
rtak
ing
a th
orou
gh fl
ood
stud
y fo
r the
enti
re Y
arra
lum
la C
reek
ca
tchm
ent.
Thi
s in
clud
es c
onfir
mati
on o
f floo
d flo
ws
and
leve
ls. T
he d
esig
n of
a
reta
rdin
g ba
sin
and
wet
land
s at
Maw
son
is o
n ho
ld p
endi
ng th
e ou
tcom
e of
this
st
udy,
how
ever
is li
kely
to a
chie
ve a
n im
prov
emen
t in
wat
er q
ualit
y.
b) T
hrou
gh in
itial
stu
dies
, the
LD
A e
nsur
es th
at w
etla
nds
and
pond
s ar
e of
ap
prop
riate
siz
e to
ser
vice
thei
r cat
chm
ents
. The
LD
A a
lso
requ
ires
all c
ontr
acto
rs to
im
plem
ent s
edim
ent a
nd e
rosi
on c
ontr
ol m
easu
res
durin
g co
nstr
uctio
n.
c) T
he L
DA
is a
imin
g to
wor
k w
ith E
SDD
to e
nsur
e fu
ndin
g fo
r fur
ther
wat
er q
ualit
y m
onito
ring
is im
plem
ente
d in
app
ropr
iate
are
as. T
he L
DA
alre
ady
unde
rtak
es
mon
itorin
g of
wat
er q
ualit
y in
Kin
gsto
n Fo
resh
ore
at N
orgr
ove
Park
to e
nsur
e th
e ta
rget
s ar
e be
ing
met
. Evi
denc
e fr
om N
orgr
ove
Park
can
be
mad
e av
aila
ble.
d) T
he L
DA
unde
rsta
nds
that
com
para
tive
wor
k is
bei
ng u
nder
take
n by
ESD
D. H
owev
er
the
LDA
, as
a G
over
nmen
t Lan
d O
rgan
isati
on (G
LO),
parti
cipa
tes
in a
net
wor
k w
ith
othe
r GLO
s w
hich
incl
udes
sha
ring
of in
form
ation
from
oth
er ju
risdi
ction
s.
e) T
he m
aint
enan
ce o
f GPT
s in
clud
ing
ongo
ing
effec
tiven
ess
and
cost
s is
the
resp
onsi
bilit
y of
TA
MS.
The
LDA
und
erst
ands
this
is p
rimar
ily th
e re
spon
sibi
lity
of E
SDD
. How
ever
the
LDA
w
orks
clo
sely
with
the
NCA
in d
esig
nate
d ar
eas.
15OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
8: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t, Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty
Coun
cil a
nd N
ation
al C
apita
l Aut
hori
ty w
ork
colle
ctive
ly to
rais
e aw
aren
ess
of th
e im
pact
of
org
anic
matt
er, a
nd o
ther
hou
seho
ld o
r co
mm
erci
al m
ater
ials
(for
exa
mpl
e, g
arde
n an
d la
wn
ferti
lizer
s) o
n th
e La
ke B
urle
y G
riffi
n ca
tchm
ent.
Info
rmati
on s
houl
d in
clud
e th
e co
ntri
butio
n th
at a
ll se
ctor
s of
th
e co
mm
unity
can
mak
e to
impr
ovin
g w
ater
qu
ality
by
appr
opri
atel
y us
ing
and
disp
osin
g of
suc
h m
ater
ials
ESD
D re
spon
ded
on 8
May
201
4:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
com
mits
the
Gov
ernm
ent t
o w
ork
with
the
NCA
and
Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty C
ounc
il to
dev
elop
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
com
mun
ity a
war
enes
s ed
ucati
on a
nd b
ehav
iour
cha
nge
prog
ram
, inc
ludi
ng o
ngoi
ng d
evel
opm
ent o
f an
enh
ance
d w
eb p
rese
nce
for L
ake
info
rmati
on, a
war
enes
s an
d ed
ucati
on.
Ther
e ha
s be
en li
mite
d pr
ogre
ss o
n th
is a
ction
due
to n
o de
dica
ted
fund
ing
bein
g av
aila
ble
for t
he p
ropo
sed
prog
ram
on
acco
unt o
f oth
er c
ompe
ting
prio
rities
. Bot
h th
e N
CA a
nd th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t hav
e up
grad
ed th
eir
web
-bas
ed in
form
ation
on
lake
wat
er q
ualit
y an
d he
alth
war
ning
s.
I thi
nk it
is a
ver
y im
port
ant s
tep
to m
inim
ise
the
cont
ribut
ors
to
poor
wat
er q
ualit
y at
thei
r sou
rce
and
prio
ritisi
ng fu
ndin
g fo
r thi
s is
criti
cal.
9: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t and
Que
anbe
yan
City
Cou
ncil
eval
uate
thei
r st
reet
sw
eepi
ng
prac
tices
and
sch
edul
es to
min
imis
e le
af
litter
and
oth
er o
rgan
ic m
atter
from
hav
ing
adve
rse
impa
cts
on L
ake
Burl
ey G
riffi
n’s
wat
er q
ualit
y.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent’s
Res
pons
e co
mm
its th
e G
over
nmen
t to
expl
orin
g op
tions
for t
he
pote
ntial
for m
arke
t driv
en m
echa
nism
s, fo
r usi
ng o
rgan
ic m
atter
col
lect
ed fr
om
stre
ets
and
verg
es fo
r com
mer
cial
pur
pose
s.
This
opti
on w
as re
cent
ly c
onsi
dere
d as
par
t of a
pro
cure
men
t pro
cess
und
erta
ken
by U
rban
Tre
esca
pes
Secti
on to
exp
lore
opti
ons
for m
anag
ing
gree
n by
-pro
duct
fr
om u
rban
tree
mai
nten
ance
acti
vitie
s. U
nfor
tuna
tely
leaf
mat
eria
l col
lect
ed d
urin
g st
reet
sw
eepi
ng p
rogr
ams
is c
lass
ified
as
A C
lass
was
te th
at n
eeds
to b
e tr
ansf
erre
d to
land
fill b
ecau
se o
f the
pre
senc
e of
Hyd
roca
rbon
s. U
rban
Tre
esca
pes
Secti
on a
nd
Road
s AC
T w
ill c
ontin
ue to
exp
lore
opti
ons
for t
reat
men
t of t
his
mat
eria
l so
it do
es
not n
eed
to b
e tr
ansf
erre
d to
land
fill.
Savi
ngs
gene
rate
d by
this
app
roac
h th
at c
ould
in
clud
e co
mpo
sting
of s
uita
ble
mat
eria
l may
allo
w fo
r fur
ther
exp
ansi
on o
f exi
sting
sw
eepi
ng p
rogr
amm
es p
artic
ular
ly d
urin
g au
tum
n.
Road
s AC
T –
Road
Mai
nten
ance
has
a ta
rget
ed p
rogr
am th
at g
ives
prio
rity
to in
ner
nort
h an
d so
uth
subu
rbs
whe
re h
eavy
aut
umn
leaf
fall
has
the
pote
ntial
to p
rovi
de
nutr
ient
load
s fo
r Lak
e Bu
rley
Griffi
n. T
he p
rogr
am is
att
ache
d. (s
ee A
ppen
dix
3)
Road
Mai
nten
ance
has
an
impr
oved
flee
t of s
tree
t sw
eepe
rs w
ith b
etter
effi
cien
cy
and
grea
ter c
apac
ity. T
he fl
eet h
as n
ow in
crea
sed
from
four
to s
ix b
room
s. A
cop
y of
the
bene
fits
anal
ysis
is a
ttac
hed.
TAM
SD p
rovi
ded
evid
ence
of t
his
wor
k to
the
Com
mis
sion
er.
Ther
e w
as a
lso
a ni
ght s
hift
tria
l con
duct
ed b
ut it
is n
ot b
eing
intr
oduc
ed o
n a
perm
anen
t bas
is fo
r the
tim
e be
ing.
Not
ed, i
nclu
ding
TA
M’s
on
grou
nd
actio
ns to
redu
ce
leaf
litt
er w
ithin
cu
rren
t res
ourc
ing
cons
trai
nts.
16 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e G
over
nmen
t agr
ees
that
leav
es a
nd
othe
r org
anic
matt
er e
nter
ing
the
stor
mw
ater
sys
tem
and
then
into
the
Lake
are
a
key
cont
ribut
or to
incr
easi
ng n
utrie
nt a
vaila
bilit
y. T
his
is e
spec
ially
evi
dent
in a
utum
n w
hen
deci
duou
s tr
ees
drop
leav
es a
nd in
wett
er p
erio
ds w
hen
plan
t gro
wth
in m
ore
vigo
rous
. The
resp
onse
als
o in
dica
tes
that
the
Gov
ernm
ent w
ill s
eek
to id
entif
y ad
ditio
nal r
esou
rces
to in
crea
se th
e fr
eque
ncy
of s
tree
t sw
eepi
ng w
ith a
focu
s on
su
burb
s w
ith a
utum
n le
af fa
ll aff
ectin
g th
e La
ke.
The
Gov
ernm
ent w
ill a
lso
revi
ew e
xisti
ng s
tree
t sw
eepi
ng p
racti
ces
and
inve
stiga
te
oppo
rtun
ities
to in
crea
se th
e eff
ectiv
enes
s of
str
eet s
wee
ping
and
land
scap
e m
aint
enan
ce p
rogr
ams
to c
aptu
re m
ater
ial b
efor
e it
ente
rs d
rain
s.
The
resp
onse
not
es th
at m
anag
emen
t of p
ublic
land
and
road
s ne
eds
to c
ompl
imen
t eff
orts
to in
form
land
hold
ers
in th
e La
ke c
atch
men
t abo
ut th
e po
tenti
al im
pact
of
thei
r ow
n be
havi
our i
n m
anag
ing
thei
r lea
sed
land
.
The
resp
onse
als
o co
mm
its th
e G
over
nmen
t con
side
ring
oppo
rtun
ities
with
in th
e ur
ban
tree
repl
acem
ent p
olic
y, to
repl
ace
deci
duou
s tr
ees
alon
g w
ater
way
s w
ith
ever
gree
n sp
ecie
s.
The
resp
onse
com
mits
the
Gov
ernm
ent t
o ex
plor
ing
optio
ns fo
r the
pot
entia
l for
m
arke
t driv
en m
echa
nism
s, fo
r usi
ng o
rgan
ic m
atter
col
lect
ed fr
om s
tree
ts a
nd
verg
es fo
r com
mer
cial
pur
pose
s, w
ill a
lso
be e
xplo
red,
as
will
com
mun
ity b
ased
op
tions
, inc
ludi
ng lo
cal c
ompo
sting
faci
lities
.
The
resp
onse
indi
cate
s th
e G
over
nmen
t sup
port
s a
revi
ew o
f the
con
ditio
n an
d eff
ectiv
enes
s of
all
GPT
s in
sto
rmw
ater
cha
nnel
s flo
win
g in
to th
e La
ke. T
he re
view
sh
ould
incl
ude
thei
r loc
ation
, effi
cien
cy, i
mpa
ct a
nd m
aint
enan
ce re
quire
men
ts.
Fund
ing
will
be
soug
ht to
revi
ew th
e effi
cacy
of e
xisti
ng G
PTs.
The
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent
will
intr
oduc
e re
vise
d gu
idel
ines
on
desi
gn a
nd in
stal
latio
n of
GPT
s if
war
rant
ed b
y th
e W
SUD
revi
ew.
Opti
ons
for t
he o
ngoi
ng re
sour
cing
of c
omm
unity
-bas
ed w
ater
qua
lity
mon
itorin
g (W
ater
wat
ch) i
s be
ing
cons
ider
ed g
iven
the
tight
enin
g of
fund
ing
cond
ition
s by
the
Com
mon
wea
lth G
over
nmen
t whi
ch e
ffecti
vely
exc
lude
s th
is a
ctivi
ty fr
om n
ation
al
reso
urce
man
agem
ent f
undi
ng, w
here
it h
ad re
ceiv
ed s
uppo
rt fr
om fo
r the
pas
t 10
yea
rs.
Rece
nt w
ork
by th
e Ce
ntre
for F
resh
wat
er E
colo
gy a
t the
Uni
vers
ity o
f Can
berr
a ha
s co
nfirm
ed th
e co
mpa
rabi
lity
of w
ater
qua
lity
mon
itorin
g da
ta fr
om W
ater
wat
ch w
ith
data
col
lect
ed u
nder
con
trac
t to
the
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent b
y co
mm
erci
al la
bora
torie
s.
This
affi
rms
the
valu
e of
pre
viou
s in
vest
men
t in
this
acti
vity
and
pro
vide
s a
solid
pl
atfor
m fo
r int
egra
tion
of c
omm
unity
and
pro
fess
iona
l dat
a in
a fu
ture
wat
er q
ualit
y m
onito
ring
arra
ngem
ent.
17OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
Rura
l Cat
chm
ent M
anag
emen
t
10: T
hat t
he A
CT a
nd N
SW g
over
nmen
ts
and
the
Nati
onal
Cap
ital A
utho
rity
sup
port
pl
anni
ng a
nd im
plem
enta
tion
of o
n-gr
ound
ac
tions
to re
duce
the
pote
ntial
for
soil
eros
ion
in th
e up
per
Que
anbe
yan
Rive
r, up
per
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver
and
Jerr
abom
berr
a Cr
eek.
In d
oing
so
activ
e in
volv
emen
t of
Pale
rang
Cou
ncil,
the
Mol
ongl
o Ca
tchm
ent
Man
agem
ent G
roup
, ACT
EW a
nd o
ther
N
RM g
roup
s sh
ould
con
tinue
to b
e st
rong
ly
enco
urag
ed a
nd s
uppo
rted
.
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed-in
-prin
cipl
e w
ith th
is re
com
men
datio
n no
ting
that
th
e co
oper
ation
of t
he N
SW G
over
nmen
t and
Pal
eran
g Co
unci
l is
requ
ired
to a
ddre
ss
eros
ion
and
othe
r lan
d m
anag
emen
t iss
ues
at th
eir s
ourc
e. T
he re
spon
se p
oint
s to
the
need
for b
uild
ing
on e
xisti
ng c
ross
-bor
der c
oope
ratio
n in
cat
chm
ent m
anag
emen
t.
The
ACT
Basi
n Pr
iorit
y pr
ojec
t det
aile
d ab
ove
incl
udes
the
Upp
er M
olon
glo
as
a ta
rget
ed c
atch
men
t whe
re m
onito
ring
of c
urre
nt c
ondi
tions
will
ass
ist t
he
iden
tifica
tion
of e
rosi
on h
ot s
pots
for t
reat
men
t. S
tron
g cr
oss-
bord
er c
olla
bora
tion
with
loca
l gov
ernm
ent,
the
NSW
Gov
ernm
ent a
nd th
e lo
cal c
atch
men
t co
mm
unity
is e
nvis
aged
as
part
of t
he ro
ll ou
t of t
his
proj
ect t
hrou
gh a
ded
icat
ed
inte
r-ju
risdi
ction
al c
omm
ittee
.
Econ
omic
Dev
elop
men
t Dire
ctor
ate
resp
onde
d:
The
LDA
and
ED
D u
nder
stan
d th
at E
SDD
bea
rs p
rimar
y re
spon
sibi
lity
for l
iais
on
with
oth
er a
genc
ies
abou
t soi
l ero
sion
mea
sure
s.
How
ever
the
LDA
wor
ks c
lose
ly w
ith th
e N
CA in
rela
tion
to L
DA
dev
elop
men
ts in
de
sign
ated
are
as.
It is
ess
entia
l tha
t a
coop
erati
ve
appr
oach
is n
ot
only
env
isag
ed b
ut
impl
emen
ted.
11: T
hat t
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t fina
lise
and
impl
emen
t the
Goo
gong
For
esho
res
Dra
ft
Plan
of M
anag
emen
t. T
he p
lan
shou
ld
incl
ude
adeq
uate
mon
itori
ng, r
epor
ting
and
revi
ew, a
nd m
echa
nism
s to
ens
ure
effec
tive
coop
erati
on b
etw
een
ACTE
W,
NSW
and
ACT
in th
e m
anag
emen
t of t
he
Goo
gong
For
esho
res.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed in
-prin
cipl
e w
ith th
e re
com
men
datio
n an
d in
dica
ted
that
the
Goo
gong
For
esho
res
Dra
ft P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t was
bei
ng
final
ised
and
pro
pose
d ad
ditio
nal m
onito
ring
of re
crea
tiona
l use
and
gra
zing
pr
essu
re to
pro
tect
wat
er q
ualit
y. T
he re
spon
se in
dica
ted
that
impl
emen
tatio
n of
th
e Pl
an w
ould
dep
end
on a
vaila
ble
reso
urce
s.
The
Gov
ernm
ent i
s ye
t to
brin
g th
e fin
alis
ed p
lan
into
ope
ratio
n, w
hich
wou
ld re
quire
its
end
orse
men
t by
the
Min
iste
r for
Ter
ritor
y an
d M
unic
ipal
Ser
vice
s.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed in
-prin
cipl
e w
ith th
e re
com
men
datio
n an
d in
dica
ted
that
the
Goo
gong
For
esho
res
Dra
ft P
lan
of m
anag
emen
t was
bei
ng
final
ised
and
pro
pose
d ad
ditio
nal m
onito
ring
of re
crea
tiona
l use
and
gra
zing
pr
essu
re to
pro
tect
wat
er q
ualit
y. T
he R
espo
nse
indi
cate
d th
at im
plem
enta
tion
of th
e Pl
an w
ould
dep
end
on a
vaila
ble
reso
urce
s.
The
Goo
gong
For
esho
res
Dra
ft P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t is
bein
g fin
alis
ed. E
SDD
hav
e pr
ovid
ed T
AM
S w
ith a
fina
l dra
ft o
f the
pla
n fo
r rev
iew
.
I loo
k fo
rwar
d to
see
ing
the
Fina
l Pla
n of
M
anag
emen
t an
d th
e im
plem
enta
tion
of th
is p
lan
in
a tim
ely
and
effec
tive
way
.
18 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TS12
: Tha
t the
Jerr
abom
berr
a W
etla
nds
Boar
d of
Man
agem
ent,
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent,
an
d N
CA in
vesti
gate
man
agem
ent o
f the
Je
rrab
ombe
rra
Wet
land
s w
ater
cour
ses
in im
prov
ing
wat
er q
ualit
y in
Lak
e Bu
rley
G
riffi
n. T
his
shou
ld in
clud
e:
a) a
dvan
cing
iden
tifica
tion
and
impl
emen
tatio
n of
catt
le e
xclu
sion
zon
es
in th
e Je
rrab
ombe
rra
wet
land
s; a
nd
b) In
vesti
gate
impr
ovin
g th
e w
ay th
e W
etla
nds
curr
ently
func
tion
thro
ugh
alte
ratio
n of
the
wat
erco
urse
s. H
owev
er
any
chan
ges
shou
ld n
ot d
etri
men
tally
impa
ct
the
envi
ronm
enta
l, cu
ltura
l, re
crea
tiona
l sc
ienti
fic a
nd e
duca
tiona
l val
ues
of
the
Wet
land
s.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
indi
cate
d th
at in
Aug
ust 2
012,
the
Gov
ernm
ent i
nvite
d co
mm
unity
feed
back
on
a dr
aft m
aste
r pla
n w
hich
will
gui
de th
e fu
ture
dev
elop
men
t of
the
Jerr
abom
berr
a W
etla
nds.
Man
agem
ent a
rran
gem
ents
for t
he Je
rrab
ombe
rra
Wet
land
s ar
e a
matt
er fo
r TA
MS.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Dur
ing
2013
/14,
the
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent a
nd Je
rrab
ombe
rra
Boar
d of
M
anag
emen
t hav
e:
• bu
ilt 1
.8 k
ilom
etre
of n
ew s
tock
fenc
e an
d pr
ovid
ed o
ff-st
ream
wat
erin
g to
exc
lude
ca
ttle
from
the
sens
itive
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver r
ipar
ian
zone
and
pal
eoch
anne
ls
• es
tabl
ishe
d bo
th s
urfa
ce a
nd g
roun
dwat
er m
onito
ring
syst
ems
Rese
rve-
wid
e
• co
ntra
cted
stu
dies
on
the
Rese
rve’
s hy
drol
ogy
and
geom
orph
olog
y
• pr
epar
ed a
‘Res
ourc
es a
nd V
alue
s of
Jerr
abom
berr
a W
etla
nds’
doc
umen
t, c
olla
ting
and
anal
ysin
g co
nsid
erab
le n
ew in
form
ation
rega
rdin
g w
ater
in th
e W
etla
nds
• in
itiat
ed a
feas
ibili
ty s
tudy
into
the
cons
truc
tion
of a
wei
r acr
oss
the
Caus
eway
Ch
anne
l to
impr
ove
the
ecol
ogy,
wat
er q
ualit
y an
d fe
ral fi
sh m
anag
emen
t of
that
are
a.
TAM
SD p
rovi
ded
evid
ence
of t
his
wor
k to
the
Com
mis
sion
er.
It is
refr
eshi
ng to
se
e th
e ac
tiviti
es
that
are
in p
lace
to
man
age
the
wet
land
en
viro
nmen
t.
Sew
erag
e M
anag
emen
t
13: T
he A
CT E
nviro
nmen
t Pro
tecti
on
Aut
hori
ty (E
PA) r
evie
w a
nd u
pdat
e th
e En
viro
nmen
tal A
utho
risa
tion
num
ber
0417
for
sew
age
trea
tmen
t with
in th
e Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty C
ounc
il Se
wag
e Tr
eatm
ent
Plan
t to
ensu
re th
at th
e tr
eatm
ent p
roce
ss
resu
lts in
dis
char
ge q
ualit
y th
at m
atch
es
cont
empo
rary
bes
t pra
ctise
for
a m
oder
n,
urba
n se
wer
age
trea
tmen
t pla
nt. I
n lin
e w
ith th
is, t
he Q
CCST
WP
shou
ld c
ontin
ually
re
view
and
impr
ove
its m
itiga
ting
prac
tises
fo
r in
unda
tion
and
was
hout
eve
nts
at th
e tr
eatm
ent p
lant
.
ESD
D
19OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
14: T
he A
CT G
over
nmen
t req
uire
ACT
EW
to re
port
regu
larl
y on
the
cond
ition
of
the
sew
er s
yste
m in
urb
an a
reas
in
the
Lake
Bur
ley
Gri
ffin
catc
hmen
t and
id
entif
y pr
iori
ties
for
upgr
adin
g to
redu
ce
sew
er b
lock
ages
and
pos
sibl
e le
akag
es
from
the
syst
em, a
nd re
duce
the
risk
of
syst
em fa
ilure
s.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e H
ealth
Dire
ctor
ate
conti
nues
to m
onito
r se
wer
age
base
d po
llutio
n in
the
Lake
.
The
resp
onse
als
o in
dica
ted
that
ACT
EW W
ater
is a
sig
nato
ry to
an
Envi
ronm
ent
Prot
ectio
n A
gree
men
t with
the
Envi
ronm
ent P
rote
ction
Aut
horit
y fo
r the
ACT
Se
wer
age
Net
wor
k (e
xclu
ding
sew
erag
e tr
eatm
ent f
acili
ties
and
efflue
nt re
use
proj
ects
). Th
is A
gree
men
t set
s ou
t rep
ortin
g an
d no
tifica
tion
fram
ewor
ks. T
he
EPA
is w
orki
ng s
trat
egic
ally
thro
ugh
the
proc
ess
of u
pdati
ng a
ll En
viro
nmen
tal
Aut
horis
ation
s is
sued
und
er th
e En
viro
nmen
t Pro
tecti
on A
ct 1
997
for s
ewag
e tr
eatm
ent i
n th
e AC
T. A
con
ditio
n of
all
cont
empo
rary
aut
horis
ation
s is
that
they
ha
ve a
n En
viro
nmen
t Man
agem
ent P
lan
(EM
P) a
ppro
ved
by th
e EP
A w
hich
iden
tifies
an
d as
sess
es th
e ris
ks to
the
envi
ronm
ent a
nd h
ow th
ey w
ill b
e m
itiga
ted
usin
g be
st
avai
labl
e pr
actic
es. T
his
allo
ws
flexi
bilit
y fo
r ope
ratio
nal r
isk
cont
rols
to b
e m
odifi
ed
or im
prov
ed a
s st
anda
rds
and
tech
nolo
gies
cha
nge
over
tim
e.
The
EPA
app
rove
d th
e En
viro
nmen
t Man
agem
ent P
lan
for A
CTEW
’s U
riarr
a Tr
eatm
ent
plan
t in
June
201
3 w
hich
ena
bled
cha
nges
to th
e A
utho
risati
on to
mor
e ac
cura
tely
ca
tego
rise
risks
that
cou
ld c
ause
env
ironm
enta
l har
m. A
dra
ft E
MP
has
been
rece
ived
fo
r ACT
EW’s
Low
er M
olon
glo
Wat
er Q
ualit
y Co
ntro
l Cen
tre
with
cha
nges
to th
e au
thor
isati
on c
urre
ntly
bei
ng d
raft
ed. T
he e
xper
ienc
e an
d kn
owle
dge
deve
lope
d th
roug
h th
e de
velo
pmen
t and
app
rova
l of t
hese
EM
P’s
will
be
tran
sfer
red
to th
e Q
uean
beya
n pl
ant a
nd fa
cilit
ate
chan
ges
to th
e A
utho
risati
on h
eld
by Q
uean
beya
n Ci
ty C
ounc
il (Q
CC).
QCC
has
com
men
ced
a st
rate
gic
revi
ew o
f sew
age
trea
tmen
t ope
ratio
ns w
hich
will
in
form
the
deve
lopm
ent o
f the
ir En
viro
nmen
t Man
agem
ent P
lan
(EM
P). T
he E
PA w
ill
wor
k cl
osel
y w
ith Q
CC o
n th
eir E
MP
with
a fi
nal e
xpec
ted
to b
e co
mpl
eted
in la
te
2014
with
cha
nges
to th
e A
utho
risati
on to
follo
w fr
om it
s co
mpl
etion
.
Follo
win
g th
e si
gnifi
cant
floo
ding
eve
nt o
f 201
0 th
e Q
CC h
as im
plem
ente
d pr
oced
ures
w
hich
incl
ude
regu
lar i
nspe
ction
s of
dam
infr
astr
uctu
re to
miti
gate
was
h ou
t eve
nts
at th
e pl
ant.
The
EM
P w
ill in
clud
e pr
actic
es a
nd p
roce
dure
s fo
r inu
ndati
on a
nd w
ash
out e
vent
s at
the
plan
t.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
That
they
resp
ond
to th
e AC
TEW
repo
rt w
hen
an u
pgra
de is
iden
tified
.
Not
ed.
I loo
k fo
rwar
d to
th
e fin
alis
ation
of
an
upda
ted
Envi
ronm
enta
l A
utho
risati
on
and
EMP.
20 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSRi
ver
Flow
Man
agem
ent
15: T
he N
ation
al C
apita
l Aut
hori
ty s
houl
d in
vesti
gate
the
feas
ibili
ty, c
osts
and
be
nefit
s of
pro
vidi
ng w
ater
rele
ases
, for
ex
ampl
e in
crea
sed
flow
ove
r th
e su
mm
er
mon
ths
as p
art o
f Goo
gong
Dam
’s m
ulti-
obje
ctive
role
. Thi
s sh
ould
be
unde
rtak
en
in c
onsu
ltatio
n w
ith th
e AC
T an
d N
SW
Gov
ernm
ent,
rele
vant
loca
l gov
ernm
ent
and
com
mun
ity s
take
hol
ders
.
All
rele
vant
AC
T D
irect
orat
es
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
was
to a
gree
in p
rinci
ple
and
indi
cate
that
the
NCA
ha
s co
mm
ence
d di
scus
sion
s w
ith A
CTEW
Wat
er a
bout
the
feas
ibili
ty o
f man
aged
w
ater
rele
ases
from
Goo
gong
Dam
with
the
obje
ctive
of m
anip
ulati
ng te
mpe
ratu
re
grad
ient
s in
the
Lake
. Thi
s is
a m
atter
for t
he N
CA.
TAM
S st
ated
nil
resp
onse
at t
his
time.
EDD
sta
ted
nil r
espo
nse.
Not
ed a
nd I
look
fo
rwar
d to
the
outc
omes
of t
he
disc
ussi
ons
in th
e ne
ar fu
ture
.
Man
agem
ent o
f oth
er R
ecre
ation
al W
ater
way
s
16: A
com
preh
ensi
ve a
sses
smen
t of t
he
envi
ronm
enta
l, so
cial
and
eco
nom
ic v
alue
of
key
lake
s in
the
ACT
be u
nder
take
n an
d ta
ke in
to a
ccou
nt c
urre
nt a
nd p
redi
cted
ch
alle
nges
to w
ater
qua
lity.
Thi
s as
sess
men
t sh
ould
info
rm:
a) a
revi
ew a
nd u
pdat
e of
Can
berr
a’s
Urb
an
Lake
s an
d Po
nds
Plan
of M
anag
emen
t in
volv
ing
exte
nsiv
e co
mm
unity
con
sulta
tion
and
taki
ng in
to a
ccou
nt th
e lo
ng-t
erm
ch
alle
nges
to w
ater
qua
lity
in th
e ur
ban
catc
hmen
ts;
b) th
e ne
ed fo
r go
vern
men
t inv
estm
ents
in
wat
er q
ualit
y;
c) d
ecis
ions
rega
rdin
g tr
ials
of a
ppro
pria
te
in-la
ke a
nd c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent
mea
sure
s, w
ith th
e re
sults
ass
esse
d fr
om
scie
ntific
(env
ironm
enta
l), s
ocia
l and
ec
onom
ic p
ersp
ectiv
es; a
nd
d) d
ecis
ions
rega
rdin
g im
plem
enta
tion
of
lake
and
cat
chm
ent m
anag
emen
t opti
ons.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
was
to a
gree
in p
rincip
le a
nd n
ote
that
the
findi
ngs o
f the
Lake
Bu
rley
Griffi
n en
quiry
can
be e
xten
ded
to o
ther
key
wat
erw
ays,
with
prio
rity
give
n to
Lake
Tu
gger
anon
g an
d W
oden
catc
hmen
ts. T
he re
spon
se a
lso in
dica
tes t
hat t
he 2
009
CSIR
O st
udy
com
miss
ione
d by
the
Canb
erra
Inte
grat
ed U
rban
Wat
erw
ays P
rogr
am id
entifi
es p
oten
tial
loca
tions
, app
licab
ility
and
cons
truc
tion
of w
etla
nds t
hrou
ghou
t Can
berr
a’s u
rban
catc
hmen
ts.
The
rece
ntly
ann
ounc
ed A
CT B
asin
Prio
rity
Proj
ect p
ropo
ses w
ork
to a
ddre
ss w
ater
qua
lity
issue
s in
six p
riorit
y ca
tchm
ents
in th
e AC
T an
d re
gion
ove
r the
nex
t 6 y
ears
. The
nat
ure
and
exte
nt o
f the
se w
orks
are
to b
e de
term
ined
bas
ed o
n ne
w co
mpr
ehen
sive
mon
itorin
g ov
er th
e ne
xt tw
o ye
ars i
n th
e pr
iorit
y ca
tchm
ents
as p
art o
f a n
ew A
CT-w
ide
mon
itorin
g pr
ogra
m.
A re
view
and
upd
ate
of C
anbe
rra’
s U
rban
Lak
es a
nd P
onds
Pla
n of
Man
agem
ent
is a
matt
er fo
r TA
MS.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
revi
ew o
f the
Can
berr
a’s
Urb
an L
akes
and
Pon
ds P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t is
incl
uded
on
a p
riorit
y lis
t of P
lans
of M
anag
emen
t tha
t req
uire
upd
ating
. Add
ition
al fu
ndin
g w
ill b
e so
ught
thro
ugh
the
2014
-15
budg
et p
roce
ss to
upd
ate
this
Pla
n.
CMTD
resp
onde
d on
15
May
201
4:
We
have
now
had
the
chan
ce to
revi
ew th
e re
spon
se th
at E
SDD
has
pro
vide
d to
…
[thi
s] re
com
men
datio
n…, a
nd C
MTD
has
no
furt
her i
nfor
mati
on o
r rep
ort t
o pr
ovid
e.
How
ever
, CM
TD a
dded
by
way
of a
pol
icy
resp
onse
that
: It
is w
orth
noti
ng th
at th
e AC
T G
over
nmen
t is
activ
ely
cont
ributi
ng to
pro
gres
s w
ork
in re
latio
n to
wat
er p
olic
y. S
ince
you
r rep
orts
wer
e pu
blis
hed
ther
e ha
ve b
een
two
maj
or d
evel
opm
ents
of r
elev
ance
:•
A M
urra
y-D
arlin
g Ba
sin
prio
rity
proj
ect h
as b
een
agre
ed w
ith th
e Co
mm
onw
ealth
. Th
is p
roje
ct w
ill a
ddre
ss w
ater
qua
lity
and
catc
hmen
t iss
ues
in a
n in
tegr
ated
way
ac
cors
s si
x pr
iorit
y ca
tchm
ents
in th
e AC
T an
d su
rrou
ndin
g re
gion
s, in
clud
ing
ACT
lake
s.
• ES
DD
has
bee
n am
endi
ng a
nd u
pdati
ng th
e AC
T W
ater
Str
ateg
y –
Strik
ing
the
Bala
nce,
and
this
wor
k is
exp
ecte
d to
be
mad
e pu
blic
in th
e ne
ar fu
ture
.”
Not
ed h
owev
er
the
Urb
an L
akes
an
d Po
nds
Plan
of
Man
agem
ent
is d
ue to
be
revi
sed,
how
ever
I u
nder
stan
d th
is
is d
epen
dent
on
futu
re fu
ndin
g bi
ds.
21OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
17: T
he A
CT, A
ustr
alia
n, N
SW a
nd lo
cal
gove
rnm
ents
est
ablis
h a
Burl
ey G
riffi
n-M
olon
glo-
Que
anbe
yan
catc
hmen
t m
anag
emen
t agr
eem
ent.
Suc
h an
agr
eem
ent
shou
ld o
utlin
e:
a) s
trat
egic
obj
ectiv
es fo
r th
e in
tegr
ated
an
d co
ordi
nate
d m
anag
emen
t of t
he L
ake
and
catc
hmen
ts, t
o en
com
pass
es w
ater
qu
ality
, env
ironm
enta
l flow
s, p
otab
le w
ater
, la
nd u
se, w
aste
wat
er, a
nd fu
ture
urb
an a
nd
clim
ate
chan
ge im
pact
s on
the
catc
hmen
t;
b) e
ach
part
y’s
resp
onsi
biliti
es fo
r w
ater
qu
ality
in th
e La
ke a
nd it
s ca
tchm
ents
;
c) a
long
-ter
m c
atch
men
t pla
nnin
g fr
amew
ork;
and
d) a
n ev
iden
ce-b
ased
, ada
ptive
, m
anag
emen
t wor
kpla
n.
To a
void
pas
t cha
lleng
es o
f mul
ti-ju
risd
ictio
nal c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent
co-o
rdin
ation
, suc
h an
agr
eem
ent s
houl
d in
clud
e a
dedi
cate
d go
vern
ance
gro
up
with
repr
esen
tatio
n fr
om a
ll ju
risd
ictio
ns,
a co
nsis
tent
and
per
sist
ent m
echa
nism
to
ensu
re im
plem
enta
tion
and
acco
unta
bilit
y,
and
repo
rting
requ
irem
ents
.
The
Nati
onal
Cap
ital A
utho
rity
, as
Lake
man
ager
, sho
uld
in th
e fir
st
inst
ance
con
vene
a m
eetin
g of
rele
vant
ju
risd
ictio
nal r
epre
sent
ative
s to
gui
de th
e ab
ove
reco
mm
enda
tions
.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed w
ith th
is re
com
men
datio
n an
d in
dica
ted
that
the
ACT
is c
omm
itted
to s
eeki
ng th
e ra
tifica
tion
of a
form
of c
ross
bor
der a
gree
men
t re
latin
g to
the
man
agem
ent o
f Lak
e Bu
rley
Griffi
n an
d its
cat
chm
ent.
The
resp
onse
al
so in
dica
ted
that
the
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent i
s ex
plor
ing
optio
ns fo
r cre
ating
a s
tatu
tory
offi
ce re
spon
sibl
e fo
r coo
rdin
ation
of t
he ra
nge
of a
ction
s re
com
men
ded
by th
e Co
mm
issi
oner
and
the
Lake
Bur
ley
Griffi
n Ta
sk F
orce
.
The
Gov
ernm
ent h
as s
ough
t the
coo
pera
tion
of k
ey s
take
hold
ers
in N
SW a
nd th
e Co
mm
onw
ealth
to c
ontin
ue th
e op
erati
on o
f the
Tas
k Fo
rce.
The
Gov
ernm
ent i
s co
ntinu
ing
to c
onsi
der o
ption
s fo
r im
prov
ed c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent g
over
nanc
e.
The
new
dra
ft W
ater
Str
ateg
y fo
r the
Ter
ritor
y, w
hich
will
be
final
ised
sho
rtly
, als
o in
clud
es a
com
mitm
ent t
o pr
epar
ation
of a
n AC
T-w
ide-
catc
hmen
t man
agem
ent
stra
tegy
to g
uide
rest
orati
on a
nd p
rote
ction
wor
ks.
The
rece
ntly
ann
ounc
ed A
CT B
asin
Prio
rity
Proj
ect i
nclu
des
the
esta
blis
hmen
t of a
n in
terj
uris
dicti
onal
com
mitt
ee to
coo
rdin
ate
and
man
age
cros
s-bo
rder
issu
es a
nd
inve
stm
ent e
spec
ially
in re
latio
n to
the
Upp
er M
olon
glo
prio
rity
catc
hmen
t and
cro
ss
bord
er c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent m
ore
gene
rally
. The
form
ation
of t
his
com
mitt
ee w
ill
add
rene
wed
vita
lity
to c
ross
-bor
der c
onsi
dera
tion
of c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent i
ssue
s.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
I not
e th
e po
sitiv
e st
eps
and
look
fo
rwar
d to
the
rele
ase
of th
e w
ater
str
ateg
y to
se
e th
e ex
tent
of
any
prop
osed
ACT
w
ide
catc
hmen
t m
anag
emen
t st
rate
gy.
22 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSRe
port
on
the
Canb
erra
Nat
ure
Park
(nat
ure
rese
rves
), M
olon
glo
Rive
r Co
rrid
or (n
atur
e re
serv
es) a
nd G
oogo
ng F
ores
hore
s In
vesti
gatio
n
4.2
Revi
ewin
g th
e Ca
nber
ra N
atur
e Pa
rk
Man
agem
ent P
lan
1999
as
man
date
d un
der
the
Plan
ning
and
Dev
elop
men
t Act
200
7 an
d in
so
doin
g in
clud
e:
• na
ture
rese
rves
add
ed to
the
rese
rve
syst
em s
ince
199
9;
• ad
dres
ses
cate
gori
sing
nat
ure
rese
rves
(r
ecom
men
datio
n 3.
4);
• po
lices
to a
ddre
ss c
urre
nt is
sues
and
thos
e de
velo
ped
sinc
e 19
99, p
artic
ular
ly;
• A
ction
Pla
n N
o. 2
7 —
ACT
Low
land
W
oodl
and
Cons
erva
tion
Stra
tegy
;
• A
ction
Pla
n N
o. 2
8 —
ACT
Low
land
Nati
ve
Gra
ssla
nd C
onse
rvati
on S
trat
egy;
• A
ction
Pla
n. N
o 29
— A
CT A
quati
c Sp
ecie
s an
d Ri
pari
an Z
one
Cons
erva
tion
Stra
tegy
; an
d
• co
nsid
erati
on o
f clim
ate
chan
ge (i
nclu
ding
Im
pact
s of
Clim
ate
on th
e Ca
nber
ra N
atur
e Pa
rk: R
isks
and
resp
onse
s by
Dr
Bob
Web
b —
App
endi
x E)
and
con
necti
vity
(inc
ludi
ng
Ecol
ogic
al C
onne
ctivi
ty fo
r Cl
imat
e Ch
ange
in
the
ACT
and
surr
ound
ing
regi
on b
y M
anni
ng e
t al.)
.
NO
TE: w
ithin
th
e sc
ope
of
this
aud
it,
only
pol
icie
s re
latin
g to
A
ction
Pla
n.
No
29 a
re
rele
vant
, fu
rthe
r au
dits
m
ay c
heck
th
e st
atus
of
Acti
on P
lans
28
and
27
ESD
D/T
AM
SD
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed w
ith th
is re
com
men
datio
n an
d no
ted
that
revi
ew
of th
e Ca
nber
ra N
atur
e Pa
rk P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t 199
9 w
ill in
clud
e th
e na
ture
re
serv
es a
dded
sin
ce 1
999
and
polic
ies
to a
ddre
ss c
urre
nt is
sues
incl
udin
g th
e A
ction
Pl
ans
deve
lope
d si
nce
1999
. The
revi
ew w
ill c
onsi
der c
limat
e ch
ange
and
con
necti
vity
.
The
revi
ew o
f the
Can
berr
a N
atur
e Pa
rk P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t has
com
men
ced
with
th
e pr
epar
ation
of a
Res
erve
Pro
file
for e
ach
of th
e Ca
nber
ra N
atur
e Pa
rk re
serv
es,
incl
udin
g th
e re
serv
es a
dded
sin
ce 1
999
and
thos
e th
at h
ave
been
agr
eed
as o
ffse
ts
unde
r the
Gun
gahl
in S
trat
egic
Ass
essm
ent.
The
wor
k is
bei
ng c
lose
ly c
oord
inat
ed
with
the
prep
arati
on o
f Res
erve
Ope
ratio
nal P
lans
bei
ng p
repa
red
by T
AM
S.
The
Com
mis
sion
er w
ill b
e co
nsul
ted
as w
ork
prog
ress
es o
n th
e pl
an.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
revi
ew o
f the
Can
berr
a N
atur
e Pa
rk P
lan
of m
anag
emen
t has
com
men
ced
and
is b
eing
led
by E
SDD.
The
dev
elop
men
t of t
he re
vise
d Pl
an o
f man
agem
ent i
s be
ing
unde
rtak
en in
clo
se c
oord
inati
on w
ith th
e cr
eatio
n of
rese
rve
oper
ation
al p
lans
by
TAM
S.
I am
kee
n to
see
th
ese
profi
les
and
plan
s as
soo
n as
th
ey a
re a
vaila
ble.
23OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
2011
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver
Corr
idor
Com
plai
nt
3: th
at th
e M
olon
glo
Ripa
rian
Str
ateg
y is
re
leas
ed p
ublic
ly o
n th
e A
CTPL
A w
ebsi
te,
alon
g w
ith a
n ex
plan
ation
of h
ow it
will
be
inco
rpor
ated
into
the
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver
Park
Pl
an. T
his
shou
ld b
e up
date
d re
gula
rly.
Th
e D
irect
orat
e th
at h
as c
arri
age
of
impl
emen
ting
the
NES
pla
n sh
ould
als
o ho
st th
is in
form
ation
on
thei
r w
ebsi
te.
TAM
SD/
ESD
DES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
ESD
D re
spon
se to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion
indi
cate
d th
at th
e M
olon
glo
Ripa
rian
Stra
tegy
was
sup
erse
ded
by th
e M
olon
glo
Rive
r Par
k Co
ncep
t and
had
bee
n pr
evio
usly
pub
lishe
d by
the
LDA
and
did
not
nee
d to
be
rele
ased
on
the
ESD
D w
ebsi
te.
The
resp
onse
not
es th
at k
ey s
take
hold
ers,
incl
udin
g th
e Co
nser
vatio
n Co
unci
l, w
ere
give
n fu
ll ac
cess
at t
he re
leva
nt ti
me.
The
Riv
er P
ark
Conc
ept p
lan,
inco
rpor
ating
th
e M
olon
glo
Ripa
rian
Stra
tegy
, is
publ
ishe
d on
ESD
D’s
web
site
. Ong
oing
nat
ure
cons
erva
tion
plan
ning
for t
he R
iver
Par
k is
bei
ng u
nder
take
n by
TA
MS
as p
art o
f th
e Pl
an o
f Man
agem
ent a
nd im
plem
enta
tion
prog
ram
. Thi
s in
clud
es o
ngoi
ng
cons
ulta
tion
and
com
mun
icati
on w
ith p
ublic
sta
keho
lder
s.
The
resp
onse
indi
cate
s th
at a
num
ber o
f dire
ctor
ates
are
resp
onsi
ble
for M
olon
glo
Valle
y Pl
an fo
r the
pro
tecti
on o
f Matt
ers
of N
ation
al E
nviro
nmen
tal S
igni
fican
ce, 2
011
(NES
Pla
n) a
n im
plem
enta
tion,
incl
udin
g ES
DD
, ED
D a
nd T
AM
S. T
here
is in
form
ation
on
thes
e di
rect
orat
es’ w
ebsi
tes
abou
t the
NES
Pla
n an
d im
plem
enta
tion
actio
ns. I
t is
a re
quire
men
t of S
ectio
n 6
of th
e N
ES P
lan
that
an
annu
al re
port
be
prep
ared
on
the
impl
emen
tatio
n ac
tions
dur
ing
the
rele
vant
yea
r. Th
ese
repo
rts
are
avai
labl
e on
the
EDD
web
site
at w
ww
.eco
nom
icde
velo
pmen
t.ac
t.go
v.au
/abo
ut_u
s/pu
blic
ation
s
Web
site
info
rmati
on o
n th
e M
olon
glo
Rive
r Par
k Pl
an o
f Man
agem
ent a
nd th
e N
ES
Plan
is re
gula
rly u
pdat
ed a
s re
quire
d.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
Mol
ongl
o Ri
paria
n St
rate
gy C
oom
bs a
nd N
orth
Wes
ton
2011
, was
a fo
unda
tion
docu
men
t pre
pare
d by
Lan
d D
evel
opm
ent A
genc
y an
d in
form
ed th
e pr
epar
ation
of
the
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver C
once
pt P
lan
by E
SDD
.
TAM
S ha
s co
mpl
eted
a d
raft
Pla
n of
Man
agem
ent f
or th
e M
olon
glo
Rive
r Res
erve
w
hich
has
bee
n di
strib
uted
to G
over
nmen
t sta
keho
lder
s fo
r rev
iew
and
com
men
t.
The
draft
pla
n w
as p
repa
red
by b
y D
r Sar
ah R
yan
with
dire
ction
from
a jo
int E
SDD
/TA
MS
Stee
ring
Com
mitt
ee c
haire
d by
TA
MS
Park
s an
d Co
nser
vatio
n. S
take
hold
er
cons
ulta
tion
to d
ate
has
incl
uded
the
dist
ributi
on o
f iss
ues
pape
rs to
bot
h co
mm
unity
an
d G
over
nmen
t sta
keho
lder
s, in
terv
iew
s an
d in
form
ation
ses
sion
s w
ith g
over
nmen
t st
akeh
olde
rs a
nd C
omm
unity
refe
renc
e G
roup
wor
ksho
ps. C
omm
ents
from
the
cons
ulta
tion
proc
ess
are
inco
rpor
ated
in th
e dr
aft.
The
draft
pla
n w
ill b
e pr
esen
ted
to th
e pu
blic
in A
ugus
t/Se
ptem
ber 2
014.
A re
vise
d pl
an w
ill b
e pr
epar
ed o
n th
e ba
sis
of th
e pu
blic
resp
onse
/ a
final
dra
ft w
ill b
e re
ady
for l
egis
lativ
e ap
prov
al b
y th
e en
d of
Oct
ober
201
4.
The
Mol
ongl
o A
dapti
ve M
anag
emen
t Str
ateg
y, e
ndor
sed
by th
e Co
mm
onw
ealth
in
May
201
3, g
uide
s th
e im
plem
enta
tion
of th
e N
ation
al E
nviro
nmen
tal S
igni
fican
ce
Plan
Com
mitm
ents
and
is n
ow a
vaila
ble
on th
e TA
MS
web
site
. The
Rip
aria
n St
rate
gy
even
thou
gh a
pply
ing
only
to C
oom
bs a
nd N
orth
Wes
ton,
is a
use
ful b
ackg
roun
d do
cum
ent a
nd w
ill a
lso
be a
vaila
ble
on T
AM
S w
ebsi
te.
This
com
plai
nt
stem
med
from
a
lack
of a
cces
sibl
e an
d cu
rren
t dat
a.
In m
y vi
ew it
is
esse
ntial
that
pr
ojec
ts c
an b
e ea
sily
trac
ked
from
th
e in
itial
con
cept
st
ages
, thr
ough
th
e pl
anni
ng a
nd
deve
lopm
ent
stag
es, a
s w
ell
as th
e re
quis
ite
mon
itorin
g an
d re
porti
ng re
quire
d du
ring
and
post
de
velo
pmen
t.
24 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TS4:
that
the
Envi
ronm
ent a
nd S
usta
inab
le
Dev
elop
men
t Dire
ctor
ate
dem
onst
rate
how
th
e pr
ecau
tiona
ry p
rinc
iple
is b
eing
app
lied
in p
olic
y an
d de
cisi
on m
akin
g in
rela
tion
to
the
Rive
r Co
rrid
or a
nd th
e pr
otec
tions
of
spec
ies
in M
olon
glo.
ESD
D/E
DD
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
ESD
D’s
resp
onse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e ap
plic
ation
of t
he p
reca
ution
ary
prin
cipl
e in
po
licy
and
deci
sion
mak
ing
in re
latio
n to
the
river
cor
ridor
and
the
prot
ectio
n of
sp
ecie
s in
Mol
ongl
o is
con
side
red
to b
e w
ell d
emon
stra
ted.
To
prev
ent e
nviro
nmen
tal
degr
adati
on in
the
Rive
r Cor
ridor
, con
sist
ent w
ith th
e pr
ecau
tiona
ry p
rinci
ple,
en
viro
nmen
tal p
lann
ing
has
been
und
erta
ken
thro
ugh
the
NES
Pla
n an
d Ri
ver P
ark
Conc
ept P
lan.
The
resp
onse
add
s th
at T
AM
S ha
s co
mm
ence
d a
com
preh
ensi
ve
prog
ram
of l
ands
cape
and
eco
logi
cal r
emed
iatio
n w
ork,
and
is w
ell a
dvan
ced
in th
e pr
epar
ation
of t
he P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t. T
he re
spon
se c
oncl
udes
by
indi
catin
g th
at
envi
ronm
enta
l pla
nnin
g by
ESD
D, a
nd th
e Pl
an o
f Man
agem
ent a
nd im
plem
enta
tion
prog
ram
s by
TA
MS,
are
sati
sfac
toril
y de
mon
stra
ted
thro
ugh
curr
ent o
nlin
e pu
blis
hing
an
d co
nsul
tatio
n ac
tiviti
es.
The
prep
arati
on o
f the
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver C
orrid
or P
lan
of M
anag
emen
t is
a m
atter
fo
r TA
MS.
EDD
resp
onde
d:
The
LDA
and
ED
D h
ave
incl
uded
sev
eral
pre
cauti
onar
y m
easu
res
in n
ew e
stat
es th
at
are
adja
cent
to th
e M
olon
glo
Rive
r Cor
ridor
. For
exa
mpl
e in
Coo
mbs
, the
Mol
ongl
o Ri
ver C
orrid
or h
as b
een
prot
ecte
d th
roug
h W
SUD
incl
udin
g us
e of
Hyd
roco
n™ a
nd
pollu
tant
trap
s. T
he L
DA
has
als
o pa
rtne
red
with
Gre
enin
g A
ustr
alia
to p
rodu
ce
a M
olon
glo
Plan
ting
Gui
de to
hel
p re
side
nts
choo
se a
ppro
pria
te p
lant
spe
cies
for
thei
r gar
dens
.
TAM
S is
resp
onsi
ble
for t
he M
olon
glo
Rive
r Par
k an
d m
aint
enan
ce o
f the
riv
er a
rea.
Not
ed.
6: G
reat
er e
ffort
s be
mad
e by
ESD
D to
war
ds
publ
ic c
onsu
ltatio
n an
d co
mm
unic
ation
es
peci
ally
in re
latio
n to
futu
re p
lans
for
Mol
ongl
o an
d th
at re
sulti
ng v
iew
s, E
SDD
re
spon
ses,
and
rela
ted
info
rmati
on in
clud
ing
timef
ram
es b
e m
ade
avai
labl
e on
the
ESD
D
web
site
and
upd
ated
regu
larl
y.
ESD
D/E
DD
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
ESD
D’s
resp
onse
indi
cate
d th
at p
ublic
con
sulta
tion
and
com
mun
icati
on in
rela
tion
to M
olon
glo
conti
nues
to b
e ac
tivel
y co
nduc
ted
by E
SDD
.
Evid
ence
of c
ontin
uing
com
mun
icati
on a
bout
futu
re p
lans
for M
olon
glo
can
be fo
und
at h
ttp:
//w
ww
.act
pla.
act.
gov.
au/t
opic
s/si
gnifi
cant
_pro
ject
s/pl
anni
ng_s
tudi
es/
mol
ongl
o_va
lley_
stag
e_2_
plan
ning
_pro
ject
7: th
at s
uch
a st
udy
is c
ondu
cted
and
in
clus
ive
of th
e en
tire
area
of t
he M
olon
glo
Valle
y Ri
ver
Park
. Fur
ther
, if t
his
stud
y ha
s be
en c
ondu
cted
, tha
t the
resu
lts b
e m
ade
avai
labl
e on
the
ESD
D w
ebsi
te.
ESD
DES
DD
resp
onde
d:
ESD
D’s
resp
onse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e st
udy
refe
rred
to in
the
OCS
E re
port
has
bee
n co
nduc
ted
and
resu
lted
publ
ishe
d on
ACT
MA
Pi. T
he re
spon
se fu
rthe
r ind
icat
ed th
at
the
publ
icati
on o
f the
full
repo
rt o
n th
e ES
DD
web
site
was
imm
inen
t. T
he re
port
has
no
w b
een
publ
ishe
d at
http:
//w
ww
.env
ironm
ent.a
ct.g
ov.a
u/__
data
/ass
ets/
pdf_
file/
0006
/268
692/
Fine
_sca
le_
mod
ellin
g_of
_fau
na_h
abita
t_an
d_co
nnec
tivity
_val
ues_
in_A
CT_F
inal
_for
_tris
h.pd
f
25OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainablyTa
ble
7 20
11 S
tate
of t
he E
nvir
onm
ent R
epor
t — W
ater
rec
omm
enda
tion
s
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
1: E
stab
lish
cros
s-bo
unda
ry m
anag
emen
t of
the
ACT’
s w
ater
reso
urce
s in
clud
ing:
i. de
velo
ping
cat
chm
ent p
olic
y an
d an
in
tegr
ated
wat
er s
uppl
y ca
tchm
ent
man
agem
ent s
trat
egy,
as
reco
mm
ende
d in
pr
evio
us S
tate
of E
nviro
nmen
t Rep
orts
; and
ii. s
tren
gthe
ning
inte
grat
ed m
anag
emen
t ac
tion
by fa
cilit
ating
impr
oved
exc
hang
e an
d us
e of
info
rmati
on, s
uch
as s
patia
l in
form
ation
, bet
wee
n go
vern
men
t age
ncie
s,
Nat
ural
Res
ourc
e M
anag
emen
t gro
ups
and
Catc
hmen
t Man
agem
ent A
utho
ritie
s,
and
by p
rom
oting
sus
tain
able
cat
chm
ent
man
agem
ent w
ith la
ndho
lder
s an
d th
e co
mm
unity
.
ESD
D/T
AM
SD/
CMTD
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
supp
orte
d th
is re
com
men
datio
n, n
oting
the
Gov
ernm
ent
has
a st
rong
reco
rd in
wat
er a
nd c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent,
aim
ing
alw
ays
to a
chie
ve
sust
aina
ble
and
appr
opria
te c
ondi
tions
for w
ater
reso
urce
man
agem
ent.
The
Gov
ernm
ent h
as a
cted
bot
h on
pre
viou
s re
com
men
datio
ns o
f the
Com
mis
sion
er a
nd
on th
e in
form
ation
and
dat
a it
gath
ers
as p
art o
f its
ow
n an
d re
gion
al p
rogr
ams
to
impl
emen
t a ra
nge
of p
olic
ies,
pro
gram
s an
d ac
tiviti
es to
ens
ure
the
viab
ility
of t
he
ACT’
s w
ater
sup
ply
into
the
long
term
.
The
resp
onse
goe
s on
to in
dica
te th
at th
e G
over
nmen
t tak
es a
n in
tegr
ated
and
‘who
le
of p
roce
ss’ a
ppro
ach
to c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent t
hat i
ncor
pora
tes
plan
ning
and
po
licy,
dev
elop
men
t con
trol
s, c
ontr
ols
on w
ater
abs
trac
tion,
dis
char
ge li
cens
ing
and
regu
latio
n, s
edim
ent a
nd e
rosi
on c
ontr
ols
and
impr
oved
des
ign
and
man
agem
ent o
f ur
ban
stor
mw
ater
sys
tem
s. T
he re
spon
se n
otes
that
this
inte
grat
ed a
ppro
ach
to w
ater
re
spon
sibi
lities
has
bee
n re
cogn
ised
in th
e Co
mm
issi
oner
’s Re
port
.
Beyo
nd th
e on
goin
g w
ater
mon
itorin
g an
d as
sess
men
t pro
gram
that
incl
udes
wat
er
qual
ity, s
trea
m fl
ow a
nd b
iolo
gica
l mon
itorin
g, a
ll of
whi
ch fe
eds
into
our
wat
er
man
agem
ent s
trat
egie
s an
d pr
ogra
ms,
a n
umbe
r of p
roje
cts
dem
onst
rate
our
co
mm
itmen
t to
impr
ovin
g Ca
nber
ra’s
wat
er a
nd u
rban
out
com
es.
The
Gov
ernm
ent h
as in
vest
ed s
tron
gly
in th
e de
sign
and
con
stru
ction
of w
etla
nds
thro
ugho
ut u
rban
Can
berr
a, p
rovi
ding
a ra
nge
of w
ater
man
agem
ent a
nd c
omm
unity
ed
ucati
on a
nd re
crea
tion
bene
fits.
The
se w
etla
nds
are
rest
orin
g co
ncre
te c
hann
els
to ‘l
ivin
g sy
stem
s’, im
prov
ing
wat
er q
ualit
y an
d flo
od p
rote
ction
and
cre
ating
aqu
atic
habi
tats
that
are
revi
talis
ing
nativ
e sp
ecie
s. T
he h
arve
sted
sto
rmw
ater
will
be
tria
lled
as a
sec
onda
ry w
ater
sou
rce
for i
rrig
ation
of s
choo
l and
spo
rts
grou
nds,
sav
ing,
furt
her
supp
lem
entin
g th
e av
aila
bilit
y of
our
pot
able
wat
er s
uppl
ies.
Bey
ond
thes
e w
ater
ha
rves
ting
oppo
rtun
ities
, the
wet
land
s w
ill p
rovi
de w
ater
recr
eatio
nal a
nd e
duca
tion
oppo
rtun
ities
in o
ur s
ubur
bs, w
ith v
olun
teer
ing
oppo
rtun
ities
brin
ging
com
mun
ities
to
geth
er to
inve
st in
our
wat
er s
yste
ms.
The
Wat
erw
ays
WSU
D G
ener
al C
ode
was
giv
en e
ffect
as
part
of t
he T
errit
ory
Plan
in
2009
. It r
equi
res
deve
lopm
ents
to c
onsi
der W
SUD
prin
cipl
es. T
he im
plem
enta
tion
of
man
dato
ry W
SUD
into
dev
elop
men
ts a
ssis
ts in
bui
ldin
g a
syst
em-w
ide
appr
oach
to
man
agin
g no
n-po
tabl
e w
ater
sys
tem
s, o
ur w
ater
way
s an
d th
e br
oade
r cat
chm
ents
, m
ovin
g to
effe
ctive
ly in
tegr
ate
the
man
agem
ent o
f the
urb
an w
ater
at a
ll po
ints
in
the
wat
er c
ycle
.
It is
enc
oura
ging
th
at th
e go
vern
men
t th
inks
in te
rms
of c
ross
bor
der
man
agem
ent a
nd
that
this
is c
lear
ly
in th
eir t
hink
ing
how
ever
; unti
l the
w
ater
str
ateg
y is
rele
ased
and
im
plem
ente
d th
ere
rem
ains
a la
ck
of p
racti
cal o
n-gr
ound
evi
denc
e.
I not
e th
e cu
rren
t w
ork
that
is
occu
rrin
g ar
ound
W
SUD
revi
ew.
26 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSW
ithin
that
str
ong
wat
er m
anag
emen
t con
text
, the
Gov
ernm
ent s
uppo
rts
the
reco
mm
enda
tions
:
a. O
ne o
f the
Gov
ernm
ent’s
prio
rities
is to
revi
ew a
nd re
vita
lise
its T
hink
wat
er, a
ct
wat
er p
olic
y th
at h
as b
een
in p
lace
sin
ce 2
004
and
has
supp
orte
d m
uch
of th
e pr
ogre
ss
the
Gov
ernm
ent h
as m
ade
in w
ater
man
agem
ent a
nd q
ualit
y ov
er th
at ti
me.
The
Gov
ernm
ent i
s im
plem
entin
g ad
min
istr
ative
cha
nges
that
hav
e, fo
r the
firs
t tim
e,
brou
ght w
ater
pol
icy
and
catc
hmen
t man
agem
ent t
oget
her i
n a
sing
le u
nit.
Thi
s w
ill
brin
g an
enh
ance
d m
anag
emen
t and
mon
itorin
g fo
cus
to w
ater
pol
icy
that
will
be
refle
cted
in a
revi
sed
and
refr
eshe
d w
ater
str
ateg
y th
at u
pdat
es T
hink
wat
er, a
ct
wat
er. T
hat r
evis
ed s
trat
egy
will
em
bed
catc
hmen
t man
agem
ent a
s a
cent
ral p
art o
f th
e G
over
nmen
t’s a
ppro
ache
s to
wat
er p
lann
ing
and
man
agem
ent.
A b
road
er, c
atch
men
t-fo
cuss
ed w
ater
str
ateg
y co
uld
deve
lop
prio
ritise
d pl
ans
for o
ur
urba
n, ru
ral a
nd n
atur
al la
ndsc
apes
that
add
ress
iden
tified
the
vario
us w
ater
issu
es
thos
e ar
eas
face
and
pro
vide
a c
oord
inat
ed re
spon
se.
b. T
he re
spon
se a
lso n
otes
that
to p
rom
ote
deve
lopm
ent a
nd im
plem
enta
tion
of a
n in
tegr
ated
regi
onal
app
roac
h to
ACT
/NSW
cro
ss-b
orde
r wat
er su
pply
and
man
agem
ent,
the
ACT
and
NSW
Gov
ernm
ents
alre
ady
have
in p
lace
agr
eem
ents
on
a re
gion
al m
anag
emen
t fr
amew
ork
as w
ell a
s Cro
ss B
orde
r Agr
eem
ents
on
wat
er re
sour
ces a
nd se
ttle
men
t.
The
Gov
ernm
ent i
s es
tabl
ishi
ng a
gov
erna
nce
stru
ctur
e fo
r cat
chm
ent m
anag
emen
t w
hich
aim
s to
ado
pt a
n in
tegr
ated
app
roac
h to
wat
er a
nd la
nd m
anag
emen
t.
It w
ill s
eek
to a
ddre
ss c
ross
bor
der c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent i
ssue
s in
volv
ing
key
stak
ehol
ders
and
exp
ert a
dvic
e. T
he G
over
nmen
t’s c
olla
bora
tive
rela
tions
hips
w
ith N
atur
al R
esou
rce
Man
agem
ent g
roup
s, C
atch
men
t Man
agem
ent A
utho
rities
an
d ot
her n
on-g
over
nmen
t org
anis
ation
s an
d co
mm
unity
gro
ups
will
als
o be
st
reng
then
ed th
roug
h th
at p
roce
ss.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
CMTD
resp
onde
d on
15
May
201
4:
We
have
now
had
the
chan
ce to
revi
ew th
e re
spon
se th
at E
SDD
has
pro
vide
d to
…
[thi
s] re
com
men
datio
n…, a
nd C
MTD
has
no
furt
her i
nfor
mati
on o
r rep
ort t
o pr
ovid
e.
How
ever
, CM
TD a
dded
by
way
of a
pol
icy
resp
onse
that
:
It is
wor
th n
oting
that
the
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent i
s ac
tivel
y co
ntrib
uting
to p
rogr
ess
wor
k in
rela
tion
to w
ater
pol
icy.
Sin
ce y
our r
epor
ts w
ere
publ
ishe
d th
ere
have
bee
n tw
o m
ajor
dev
elop
men
ts o
f rel
evan
ce:
A M
urra
y-D
arlin
g Ba
sin
prio
rity
proj
ect h
as b
een
agre
ed w
ith th
e Co
mm
onw
ealth
. Th
is p
roje
ct w
ill a
ddre
ss w
ater
qua
lity
and
catc
hmen
t iss
ues
in a
n in
tegr
ated
way
ac
ross
six
prio
rity
catc
hmen
ts in
the
ACT
and
surr
ound
ing
regi
ons,
incl
udin
g AC
T la
kes.
ESD
D h
as b
een
amen
ding
and
upd
ating
the
ACT
Wat
er S
trat
egy
– St
rikin
g th
e Ba
lanc
e, a
nd th
is w
ork
is e
xpec
ted
to b
e m
ade
publ
ic in
the
near
futu
re.
27OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
2: C
ompl
ete
asse
ssm
ent o
f the
ACT
’s a
t ris
k gr
ound
wat
er re
sour
ces.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
supp
orte
d th
is re
com
men
datio
n in
-prin
cipl
e an
d ac
know
ledg
ed th
e im
port
ance
of c
ontin
uing
to im
prov
e un
ders
tand
ing
of a
quife
rs
at ri
sk o
f ove
r-us
e an
d co
ntam
inati
on, a
nd to
iden
tify
and
man
age
impa
cts
on
grou
ndw
ater
qua
lity.
The
resp
onse
goe
s on
to in
dica
tes
that
giv
en th
at g
roun
dwat
er
in th
e AC
T is
a re
lativ
ely
smal
l res
ourc
e co
mpa
red
to s
urfa
ce w
ater
, the
Gov
ernm
ent
has
take
n a
risk-
base
d ap
proa
ch to
gro
undw
ater
mon
itorin
g. A
quife
rs u
nder
hig
hest
de
man
d fo
r abs
trac
tion
and
ther
efor
e m
ost a
t ris
k ar
e aff
orde
d pr
opor
tiona
lly m
ore
reso
urce
s fo
r mea
surin
g an
d m
onito
ring
— a
quife
rs in
con
serv
ation
rese
rves
whe
re
no a
bstr
actio
n is
occ
urrin
g re
quire
min
imal
info
rmati
on to
man
age
risk;
aqu
ifers
in
urb
an a
reas
with
hig
her u
se a
long
with
oth
er c
hang
es to
the
catc
hmen
t suc
h as
in
crea
sed
impe
rvio
us s
urfa
ces
requ
ire m
ore
info
rmati
on. M
ore
mon
itorin
g bo
res
are
loca
ted
in a
quife
rs in
urb
an a
reas
and
a w
ide
rang
e of
met
hods
are
use
d to
de
term
ine
sust
aina
ble
yiel
d.
The
resp
onse
poi
nts
out t
hat t
he G
over
nmen
t has
15
grou
ndw
ater
mon
itorin
g bo
res
in h
igh
dem
and
area
s an
d re
ceiv
es in
form
ation
from
ano
ther
six
site
s pr
ovid
ed fr
om
inte
rest
ed g
roun
dwat
er a
bstr
acto
rs. T
hese
bor
es p
rovi
de a
ccur
ate
grou
ndw
ater
as
sess
men
t bas
ed o
n in
form
ation
abo
ut th
e tr
ansm
issi
vity
(cap
acity
for w
ater
to
mov
e th
roug
h th
e aq
uife
r), h
ydra
ulic
con
ducti
vity
, sto
rage
cap
acity
pot
entia
l and
re
char
ge ra
tes
of th
e va
rious
aqu
ifer t
ypes
. In
parti
cula
r, aq
uife
r rec
harg
e re
spon
ses
to ra
infa
ll ar
e m
onito
red
for t
he in
form
ation
they
may
pro
vide
in q
uanti
fyin
g th
e eff
ects
of c
hang
ed ra
infa
ll pa
tter
ns e
xpec
ted
from
clim
ate
chan
ge.
The
ACT
thro
ugh
Com
mon
wea
lth fu
ndin
g ha
s de
velo
ped
a co
mpl
ianc
e an
d en
forc
emen
t pro
gram
and
man
agem
ent p
lan
for g
roun
dwat
er.
In A
ugus
t 201
3, E
SDD
rece
ived
an
upda
ted
repo
rt o
n gr
ound
wat
er re
char
ge ra
tes
in th
e su
b-ca
tchm
ents
that
hav
e th
e m
ajor
ity o
f abs
trac
tion
bore
s. T
he re
char
ge
asse
ssm
ent c
over
s a
full
rang
e of
rech
arge
con
ditio
ns i.
e. a
per
iod
of e
xtre
me
drou
ght
follo
wed
by
an E
l Nin
a hi
gh ra
infa
ll cy
cle.
The
late
st re
char
ge a
sses
smen
t val
idat
es p
revi
ous
calc
ulati
ons
on s
ub-c
atch
men
t re
char
ge ra
tes.
Gro
undw
ater
mon
itorin
g ha
s no
t yet
bee
n fu
rthe
r aug
men
ted,
as
only
a
hand
ful o
f low
vol
ume
bore
s ha
ve b
een
inst
alle
d du
ring
the
past
2 y
ears
and
thes
e ha
ve n
ot s
igni
fican
tly in
crea
sed
the
risk
profi
le o
f the
sub
-cat
chm
ents
.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
Not
ed, a
nd
curr
ent a
ppro
ach
supp
orte
d.
28 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TS3:
Upd
ate
wat
er m
anag
emen
t, m
onito
ring
an
d re
porti
ng p
rogr
ams
to in
form
:
i. ac
tions
to m
itiga
te im
pact
s of
urb
an
deve
lopm
ent o
n w
ater
qua
lity;
ii. th
e effi
cacy
of W
ater
Sen
sitiv
e U
rban
D
esig
n m
easu
res;
iii. i
mpr
ovem
ents
in s
edim
ent a
nd e
rosi
on
miti
gatio
n ac
tions
; and
iv. m
anag
emen
t of A
CT la
kes.
ESD
D/T
AM
SD/
EDD
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
indi
cate
s th
at th
e w
ater
pol
icy
and
catc
hmen
t m
anag
emen
t are
as a
re to
be
mov
ed to
one
adm
inis
trati
ve a
rea
with
in th
e En
viro
nmen
t and
Sus
tain
able
Dev
elop
men
t Dire
ctor
ate
(ESD
D).
This
will
ena
ble
mor
e eff
ectiv
e de
velo
pmen
t and
impl
emen
tatio
n of
‘who
le o
f sup
ply’
pol
icy
and
prog
ram
s fo
r ACT
wat
er re
sour
ces.
The
resp
onse
indi
cate
d th
at th
e G
over
nmen
t is
curr
ently
revi
ewin
g it
’s T
hink
wat
er,
act w
ater
pol
icy
and
has
iden
tified
the
four
are
as n
omin
ated
in th
is re
com
men
datio
n as
inte
gral
to a
bro
ader
cat
chm
ent m
anag
emen
t pol
icy
appr
oach
. As
part
of t
hat
revi
ew, o
ption
s to
impr
ove
data
col
lecti
on a
nd re
porti
ng a
cros
s th
ose
key
area
s ar
e be
ing
expl
ored
. In
parti
cula
r, a
mea
ns to
mon
itor W
SUD
impl
emen
tatio
n is
bei
ng
cons
ider
ed, w
ith a
vie
w to
und
erst
andi
ng th
e w
ays
in w
hich
it c
an h
ave
best
effe
ct
in b
road
er c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent.
The
resp
onse
als
o no
tes
that
not
onl
y w
ill th
is w
ork
impr
ove
our u
nder
stan
ding
and
m
anag
emen
t of o
ur o
wn
catc
hmen
t are
as, i
t will
bett
er s
uppo
rt th
e G
over
nmen
t in
fulfi
lling
its
oblig
ation
s un
der t
he N
ation
al W
ater
Initi
ative
agr
eed
by th
e Co
unci
l of
Aus
tral
ian
Gov
ernm
ents
.
Wat
er fo
r the
Fut
ure
– St
rikin
g th
e Ba
lanc
e, th
e re
vise
d AC
T D
raft
Wat
er S
trat
egy
2013
, was
laun
ched
on
3 Ju
ly 2
013
for p
ublic
con
sulta
tion.
The
Rev
iew
of t
he p
revi
ous
stra
tegy
, Thi
nk w
ater
, act
wat
er w
as a
lso
rele
ased
as
a su
ppor
ting
docu
men
t to
the
Dra
ft S
trat
egy.
The
cons
ulta
tion
perio
d cl
osed
on
30 A
ugus
t 201
3 an
d in
clud
ed s
even
wor
ksho
ps
acro
ss th
e AC
T as
wel
l as
a pr
esen
tatio
n to
the
ACTE
W W
ater
Boa
rd. 2
2 w
ritten
su
bmis
sion
s w
ere
rece
ived
and
hav
e no
w b
een
asse
ssed
. The
fina
l Str
ateg
y is
sc
hedu
led
to b
e re
leas
ed in
mid
201
4. T
he fi
nalis
ed s
trat
egy
will
acc
ompa
nied
by
a 5
-yea
r Im
plem
enta
tion
Plan
.
Subm
issi
ons
rece
ived
on
the
draft
str
ateg
y ar
e av
aila
ble
from
the
ESD
D w
ebsi
te a
t htt
p://
ww
w.e
nviro
nmen
t.ac
t.go
v.au
/wat
er/a
ct_w
ater
_str
ateg
y/dr
aft_a
ct_w
ater
_st
rate
gy_2
013
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
EDD
resp
onde
d:
The
LDA
impl
emen
ts W
SUD
and
sed
imen
t and
ero
sion
con
trol
mea
sure
s in
all
proj
ects
. The
se a
re b
ased
on
initi
al a
sses
smen
ts a
bout
requ
irem
ents
and
aim
to
redu
ce th
e im
pact
of u
rban
dev
elop
men
t on
wat
er q
ualit
y.
The
LDA
has
dev
elop
ed a
nd im
plem
ente
d su
stai
nabi
lity
repo
rting
acr
oss
all L
DA
pr
ojec
ts. D
iffer
ent i
ndic
ator
s ar
e re
port
ed a
gain
st d
epen
ding
on
wha
t pha
se o
f the
de
velo
pmen
t pro
cess
the
proj
ect i
s in
. WSU
D a
nd s
edim
ent a
nd e
rosi
on c
ontr
ol
mea
sure
s ar
e re
port
ed o
n an
nual
ly.
Not
ed.
The
rele
ase
of
the
final
wat
er
stra
tegy
and
it’s
im
plem
enta
tion
will
hel
p to
cl
arify
pro
gres
s.
29OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
For e
xam
ple
eigh
t pro
ject
s in
201
1–12
and
sev
en p
roje
cts
in 2
012–
13 w
ere
repo
rted
on
in th
e Pl
anni
ng P
hase
. All
of th
ese
incl
uded
WSU
D s
trat
egie
s ap
prop
riate
to th
e si
ze a
nd lo
catio
n of
the
proj
ect.
Six
pro
ject
s in
201
1-12
and
six
pro
ject
s in
201
2–13
w
ere
repo
rted
in th
e Ci
vil W
orks
Pha
se. A
ll of
thes
e im
plem
ente
d se
dim
ent a
nd
eros
ion
cont
rol m
easu
res.
The
LDA
is a
imin
g to
wor
k w
ith E
SDD
to e
nsur
e fu
ndin
g fo
r fur
ther
wat
er q
ualit
y m
onito
ring
is im
plem
ente
d in
app
ropr
iate
are
as. I
t is
impo
rtan
t for
the
LDA
that
W
SUD
mea
sure
s ar
e im
plem
ente
d in
the
mos
t cos
t effe
ctive
way
.
4: Im
prov
e m
onito
ring
to a
sses
s th
e im
pact
of
ero
sion
on
loca
l lan
d an
d w
ater
reso
urce
s,
and
to h
elp
to u
nder
stan
d th
e in
tera
ction
s be
twee
n th
e AC
T’s
catc
hmen
t and
eco
syst
em
serv
ices
in p
artic
ular
:
i. un
dert
ake
base
line
soils
map
ping
for
the
ACT
to fa
cilit
ate
mon
itori
ng a
nd a
sses
smen
t of
soi
l con
ditio
n;
ii. id
entif
y in
dica
tors
of l
and
heal
th in
clud
ing
soil
heat
h, v
eget
ation
qua
lity
and
chan
ge,
and
land
use
cha
nges
, and
mon
itor
and
publ
icly
repo
rt o
n th
ese
on a
regu
lar
basi
s;
iii. i
mpr
ove
limite
d la
nd h
ealth
dat
a by
in
clud
ing
land
hea
lth a
sses
smen
ts in
wat
er
catc
hmen
t dat
a to
info
rm s
oil c
ondi
tion
acro
ss th
e AC
T; a
nd
iv. i
mpr
ove
actio
ns re
late
d to
sed
imen
t and
er
osio
n m
itiga
tion.
ESD
D re
spon
ded:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
supp
orte
d th
e re
com
men
datio
n in
-prin
cipl
e no
ting
that
he
alth
y so
ils a
re a
fund
amen
tal p
art o
f our
land
scap
e an
d un
ders
tand
ing
thei
r co
nditi
on is
impo
rtan
t to
broa
der c
atch
men
t man
agem
ent o
utco
mes
. The
ACT
N
atur
al R
esou
rce
Man
agem
ent C
ounc
il ha
s re
port
ed th
at, d
espi
te th
e im
pact
s of
ur
ban
and
rura
l use
ove
r ext
ende
d pe
riods
of ti
me,
cur
rent
ACT
land
use
s an
d ou
r ex
istin
g la
nd c
apab
ility
are
not
inco
nsis
tent
.
A ra
nge
of c
onse
rvati
on p
lann
ing,
rese
arch
and
map
ping
acti
vitie
s ar
e be
ing
unde
rtak
en b
y th
e G
over
nmen
t to
supp
ort a
bett
er u
nder
stan
ding
of e
colo
gica
l pr
oces
ses
and
the
effec
ts o
f man
agem
ent a
ction
s. T
his
incl
udes
, for
exa
mpl
e,
vege
tatio
n m
appi
ng o
f ACT
low
land
veg
etati
on u
sing
aer
ial p
hoto
grap
hy th
at a
llow
s th
e cl
assi
ficati
on o
f veg
etati
on a
reas
acc
ordi
ng to
per
cent
tree
cov
er. T
he a
mou
nt o
f tr
ee/c
anop
y co
ver i
n an
are
a ha
s a
prof
ound
effe
ct o
n ho
w a
n ec
osys
tem
func
tions
, an
d w
hat s
peci
es a
re p
rese
nt. E
colo
gist
s ha
ve c
onsi
sten
tly fo
und
that
this
‘str
uctu
re’
of th
e ve
geta
tion
is m
ore
impo
rtan
t tha
n th
e pa
rticu
lar p
lant
spe
cies
, in
dete
rmin
ing
wha
t ass
embl
age
of a
nim
als
is p
rese
nt a
nd o
n bu
sh fi
re b
ehav
iour
. Map
ping
pr
ogra
ms
of th
is k
ind
are
prov
idin
g ac
cura
te a
nd s
ound
adv
ice
to la
nd m
anag
ers,
go
vern
men
t age
ncie
s an
d th
e co
mm
unity
and
bui
ldin
g th
e un
ders
tand
ing
of
ecos
yste
m p
roce
ss n
eede
d to
bett
er m
anag
e ou
r lan
d re
sour
ces.
a. T
he G
over
nmen
t, w
orki
ng w
ith th
e re
leva
nt N
SW a
genc
ies,
has
map
ped
appr
oxim
atel
y ha
lf of
the
ACT’
s so
ils, w
ith th
e da
ta s
uppo
rting
a ra
nge
of n
atur
al
reso
urce
man
agem
ent a
ctivi
ties.
The
Gov
ernm
ent w
ill c
onsi
der m
appi
ng th
e re
mai
ning
pro
porti
ons
with
in th
e co
ntex
t of i
ts b
road
er s
trat
egic
pro
gram
s an
d su
bjec
t to
reso
urce
ava
ilabi
lity,
incl
udin
g th
roug
h Co
mm
onw
ealth
fund
ing
prog
ram
s.
Cons
ider
ation
can
be
give
n to
the
deve
lopm
ent o
f a s
oils
pol
icy.
b. T
he C
ounc
il of
Aus
tral
ian
Gov
ernm
ent’s
Sta
ndin
g Co
unci
l on
Envi
ronm
ent a
nd W
ater
is
revi
ewin
g Au
stra
lia’s
Nati
ve V
eget
ation
Fra
mew
ork
that
, onc
e ag
reed
, req
uire
s ju
risdi
ction
s to
mon
itor t
he e
xten
t and
con
ditio
n of
veg
etati
on. O
ppor
tuni
ties
to e
xpan
d cu
rren
t pro
gram
s or
enh
ance
pol
icy
outc
omes
will
be
cons
ider
ed w
ithin
ove
rarc
hing
en
viro
nmen
tal r
espo
nses
and
as
reso
urce
ava
ilabi
lity
perm
its.
I app
reci
ated
th
is c
onsi
dere
d re
spon
se a
nd
the
prog
ress
in
impl
emen
ting
the
reco
mm
enda
tions
.
30 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TSc.
The
ass
essm
ent o
f lik
ely
hots
pots
for s
oil e
rosi
on le
adin
g to
in-s
trea
m tu
rbid
ity
is b
eing
und
erta
ken
for t
he U
pper
Mur
rum
bidg
ee c
atch
men
t as
colla
bora
tion
betw
een
ACTE
W W
ater
, ESD
D a
nd th
e M
urru
mbi
dgee
Cat
chm
ent M
anag
emen
t A
utho
rity.
Fur
ther
con
side
ratio
n of
cat
chm
ent h
ealth
mea
sure
men
t and
repo
rting
w
ill b
e un
dert
aken
follo
win
g th
e de
velo
pmen
t of t
he n
ew w
ater
str
ateg
y an
d its
impl
emen
tatio
n.
d. S
ee re
spon
se to
item
c.
The
follo
win
g pr
ogre
ss h
as b
een
mad
e on
reco
mm
enda
tion
part
s:
a. T
he N
SW G
over
nmen
t has
map
ped
appr
oxim
atel
y ha
lf of
the
ACT’
s so
ils, w
ith
the
data
sup
porti
ng a
rang
e of
nat
ural
reso
urce
man
agem
ent a
ctivi
ties.
The
ACT
G
over
nmen
t will
con
side
r con
trac
ting
the
NSW
Gov
ernm
ent t
o m
ap th
e re
mai
ning
pr
opor
tions
with
in th
e co
ntex
t of i
ts b
road
er s
trat
egic
pro
gram
s an
d su
bjec
t to
reso
urce
ava
ilabi
lity,
incl
udin
g th
roug
h Co
mm
onw
ealth
fund
ing
prog
ram
s.
Cons
ider
ation
can
be
give
n to
the
deve
lopm
ent o
f a s
oils
pol
icy.
NSW
Offi
ce o
f En
viro
nmen
t and
Her
itage
has
bee
n co
ntra
cted
by
ESD
D to
com
plet
e so
il la
ndsc
ape
map
ping
for t
he w
este
rn h
alf o
f the
ACT
and
pro
duce
a c
onso
lidat
ed A
CT s
oil
land
scap
e m
ap th
at w
ill b
e m
ade
publ
icly
ava
ilabl
e on
ACT
MA
Pi. T
his
proj
ect i
s fu
nded
by
Nat
ural
Env
ironm
ent,
ESD
D, a
nd is
sch
edul
ed fo
r com
pleti
on b
y Ju
ne 2
015.
b. T
he a
sses
smen
t of l
ikel
y ho
tspo
ts fo
r soi
l ero
sion
lead
ing
to in
str
eam
turb
idity
is
bei
ng u
nder
take
n fo
r the
Upp
er M
urru
mbi
dgee
cat
chm
ent a
s co
llabo
ratio
n be
twee
n AC
TEW
Wat
er, E
SDD
and
the
Mur
rum
bidg
ee C
atch
men
t Man
agem
ent
Aut
horit
y. F
urth
er c
onsi
dera
tion
of c
atch
men
t hea
lth m
easu
rem
ent a
nd re
porti
ng
will
be
unde
rtak
en fo
llow
ing
the
revi
ew o
f the
Thi
nk w
ater
, act
wat
er a
nd th
e de
velo
pmen
t of t
he n
ew w
ater
str
ateg
y an
d its
impl
emen
tatio
n. In
add
ition
, ES
DD
has
con
trac
ted
the
NSW
Offi
ce o
f Env
ironm
ent a
nd H
erita
ge to
com
plet
e a
Hyd
roge
olog
ical
Lan
dsca
pe F
ram
ewor
k fo
r the
ACT
. Thi
s pr
ojec
t will
pro
vide
the
ACT
with
a c
ompr
ehen
sive
sal
inity
ass
essm
ent,
sho
win
g ar
eas
of h
igh,
low
and
med
ium
ris
k in
a s
alin
ity h
azar
d ris
k as
sess
men
t map
. The
HG
L Fr
amew
ork
will
als
o as
sist
in
dete
rmin
ing
the
capa
bilit
y of
rura
l, ur
ban
and
cons
erve
d la
nds
for a
rang
e of
land
us
es a
nd m
anag
emen
t obj
ectiv
es. M
appi
ng w
ill h
elp
iden
tify
key
prob
lem
s in
eac
h H
GL
and
man
agem
ent a
rea,
and
the
optio
ns a
vaila
ble
to a
ddre
ss th
em w
ithin
land
us
e ca
pabi
lity.
The
pro
ject
was
dev
elop
ed b
y N
SW O
ffice
of E
nviro
nmen
t and
Her
itage
fo
r ESD
D w
ith th
e su
ppor
t of t
he A
ustr
alia
n G
over
nmen
t Reg
iona
l Nat
ural
Res
ourc
e M
anag
emen
t Pla
nnin
g fo
r Clim
ate
Chan
ge F
und
(Str
eam
1) a
nd is
sch
edul
ed fo
r co
mpl
etion
by
July
201
5
31OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
2007
Sta
te o
f the
Env
ironm
ent r
epor
t Wat
er re
com
men
datio
ns
1a. d
evel
opin
g an
ACT
inte
grat
ed w
ater
su
pply
cat
chm
ent m
anag
emen
t pol
icy
and
stra
tegy
to g
uide
, am
ong
othe
r th
ings
, co
ordi
natio
n of
:
(i) s
cien
tific
rese
arch
,
(ii) d
ata
colle
ction
,
(iii)
mon
itori
ng a
nd re
porti
ng (i
nclu
ding
pu
blic
info
rmati
on).
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
elea
sed
a ne
w d
raft
wat
er s
trat
egy
in Ju
ly 2
013
Wat
er fo
r the
Fu
ture
– S
trik
ing
the
Bala
nce
for p
ublic
con
sulta
tion
(htt
p://
ww
w.e
nviro
nmen
t.ac
t.go
v.au
/wat
er/a
ct_w
ater
_str
ateg
y/dr
aft_a
ct_w
ater
_str
ateg
y_20
13)
The
Gov
ernm
ent h
as b
een
final
isin
g th
is s
trat
egy,
taki
ng a
ccou
nt o
f con
sulta
tion
com
men
ts, w
ith a
vie
w to
rele
asin
g th
e fin
al s
trat
egy
by m
id 2
014.
The
final
isati
on a
nd im
plem
enta
tion
of th
e st
rate
gy in
clud
es c
onsi
dera
tion
of th
e m
atter
s ra
ised
in th
is re
com
men
datio
n.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
I loo
k fo
rwar
d to
th
e re
leas
e an
d im
plem
enta
tion
of
the
new
str
ateg
y w
hich
I un
ders
tand
is
imm
inen
t.
1b: m
onito
ring
the
effec
ts o
f urb
anis
ation
on
the
ACT
regi
on’s
wat
er c
atch
men
t and
us
ing
the
info
rmati
on in
dev
elop
ing
and
impl
emen
ting
stra
tegi
es in
resp
onse
to
spec
ific
issu
es (f
or e
xam
ple,
dev
elop
men
t of
gre
enfie
ld s
ites)
.
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
A re
view
of A
CT w
ater
qua
lity
mon
itorin
g an
d an
aud
it of
the
perf
orm
ance
of
exis
ting
wat
er q
ualit
y in
fras
truc
ture
is b
eing
und
erta
ken
in c
onju
nctio
n w
ith th
e im
plem
enta
tion
of th
e Ba
sin
Prio
rity
Proj
ect,
whi
ch re
quire
s m
onito
ring
to b
e un
dert
aken
in 6
prio
rity
sub-
catc
hmen
ts in
the
ACT
and
adja
cent
NSW
prio
r to
the
dete
rmin
ation
of b
est o
n-gr
ound
inte
rven
tions
. Thi
s w
ork
will
info
rm th
e de
velo
pmen
t of
a n
ew w
ater
qua
lity
mon
itorin
g pr
ogra
m fo
r the
Ter
ritor
y.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
Not
ed.
1c: m
onito
ring
the
effec
tiven
ess
of th
e G
ross
Pol
luta
nt T
rap
netw
ork
(incl
udin
g its
su
ppor
ting
mai
nten
ance
pro
gram
) to
iden
tify
way
s to
impr
ove
its o
vera
ll eff
ectiv
enes
s in
pr
otec
ting
surf
ace
wat
er q
ualit
y.
TAM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
This
is a
matt
er fo
r TA
MS.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Road
s AC
T –
Road
s M
aint
enan
ce in
spec
ts a
ll th
e tr
ash
rack
s an
d G
PT’s
aft
er e
very
st
orm
eve
nt >
25m
m/h
r as
wel
l as
unde
rtak
es tw
ice
year
ly c
lean
ing
of th
e G
PT’s
. Se
e G
PT p
roce
dure
s att
ache
d.
TAM
SD p
rovi
ded
evid
ence
of t
his
wor
k to
the
Com
mis
sion
er.
I not
e th
at T
AM
S ha
s an
est
ablis
hed
sche
dule
of G
PT
clea
ning
how
ever
m
ore
rece
nt
info
rmati
on
is re
quire
d on
th
e effi
cacy
of
the
GPT
s.
32 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainablyRE
COM
MEN
DATI
ON
DIRE
CTO
RATE
AC
TIO
N (w
ith e
vide
nce)
COM
MIS
SIO
NER
’S
COM
MEN
TS1d
: det
erm
inin
g th
e so
urce
s an
d lo
ads
of
salts
ent
erin
g th
e w
aste
wat
er tr
eatm
ent
netw
orks
and
usi
ng th
e in
form
ation
to
deve
lop
stra
tegi
es to
redu
ce s
alt d
isch
arge
s to
the
Mol
ongl
o an
d M
urru
mbi
dgee
Riv
ers.
ACTE
W/
ESD
D/
TAM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
ACTE
W W
ater
upg
rade
d th
e Lo
wer
Mol
ongl
o W
ater
Qua
lity
Cont
rol i
n 20
10 to
en
sure
that
trea
ted
wat
er d
isch
arge
d fr
om th
e pl
ant c
ontin
ues
to m
inim
ise
the
impa
ct o
f the
Mur
rum
bidg
ee R
iver
sys
tem
whi
lst c
ater
ing
for f
orec
ast p
opul
ation
gr
owth
. The
ann
ual S
alin
ity R
epor
t to
the
Mur
ray
Dar
ling
Basi
n A
utho
rity
deta
ils th
e le
vels
of s
alt d
isch
arge
d. A
cop
y of
the
late
st S
alin
ity R
epor
t can
be
prov
ided
to th
e Co
mm
issi
oner
’s o
ffice
on
requ
est.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
resp
onse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
Not
ed.
1e: e
nsur
ing
the
key
indi
cato
rs in
the
Stat
e of
the
Envi
ronm
ent R
epor
t, N
atur
al R
esou
rce
Man
agem
ent P
lan
and
othe
r re
leva
nt
ACT
Gov
ernm
ent r
epor
ts a
re re
view
ed
and
alig
ned
All
rele
vant
di
rect
orat
esTh
e LD
A h
as p
artic
ipat
ed in
the
revi
ew o
f the
Sta
te o
f the
Env
ironm
ent R
epor
t with
th
e O
ffice
for
the
Com
mis
sion
er o
f Sus
tain
abili
ty a
nd th
e En
viro
nmen
t. T
he L
DA
ha
s de
velo
ped
and
impl
emen
ted
a su
stai
nabi
lity
repo
rting
sys
tem
with
a s
erie
s of
in
dica
tors
that
are
repo
rted
on
acro
ss a
ll pr
ojec
ts.
The
indi
cato
rs w
ere
deve
lope
d th
roug
h re
sear
ch in
to o
ther
repo
rting
and
hav
e be
en c
ompa
red
to th
e in
dica
tors
incl
uded
in th
e St
ate
of th
e En
viro
nmen
t rep
ort.
W
here
app
ropr
iate
, the
se a
lign.
Not
ed.
2a: F
urth
er p
rogr
ess
rest
orati
on e
ffort
s in
th
e Lo
wer
Cott
er C
atch
men
t by
conti
nuin
g th
e sc
ienc
e-ba
sed
appr
oach
to m
anag
emen
t w
ith a
n em
phas
is g
iven
to m
onito
ring
an
d pu
blic
ly re
porti
ng o
n re
cove
ry o
f th
is c
atch
men
t;
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
The
scie
nce
base
d ap
proa
ch to
rest
orati
on w
orks
with
in th
e Lo
wer
Cott
er C
atch
men
t co
ntinu
es w
ith th
e A
NU
and
UC
unde
rtak
ing
catc
hmen
t wid
e st
udie
s in
to a
quati
c an
d te
rres
tria
l fac
tors
. The
se v
ario
us s
tudi
es a
re a
lso
publ
ishe
d an
d pe
er re
view
ed.
Cons
erva
tions
Pla
nnin
g an
d re
sear
ch a
lso
unde
rtak
e va
rious
stu
dies
thro
ugho
ut th
e no
rthe
rn s
ectio
n of
Nam
adgi
Nati
onal
par
k, in
clud
ing
the
sout
hern
mos
t are
as o
f the
LC
C. O
n gr
ound
wor
ks in
the
form
of t
ree
plan
ting,
ero
sion
and
sed
imen
t con
trol
and
ro
ad m
aint
enan
ce a
lso
form
a la
rge
part
of t
he p
hysi
cal-b
ased
app
roac
h to
man
agin
g th
is a
rea
and
the
prov
isio
n of
rest
orati
on w
orks
thro
ugh
the
LCC.
TAM
SD p
rovi
ded
evid
ence
of t
his
wor
k to
the
Com
mis
sion
er.
33OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
RECO
MM
ENDA
TIO
NDI
RECT
ORA
TE
ACTI
ON
(with
evi
denc
e)CO
MM
ISSI
ON
ER’S
CO
MM
ENTS
2b: f
urth
er re
duci
ng w
ater
turb
idity
in
str
eam
s th
roug
h ta
rgeti
ng a
reas
of
grea
test
vul
nera
bilit
y th
at h
ave
high
re
habi
litati
on p
oten
tial
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
TAM
S ha
s an
ong
oing
pro
gram
of b
arrie
r ins
talla
tion
to p
rote
ct p
arkl
and
area
s ex
pose
d to
ille
gal v
ehic
le a
cces
s an
d er
osio
n. [A
pho
togr
aph
was
incl
uded
]
Not
ed.
2c: c
lear
ly d
efini
ng re
crea
tiona
l acti
vitie
s,
with
pro
tecti
on o
f wat
er b
eing
the
high
est p
rior
ity
ESD
D/T
AM
SDES
DD
resp
onde
d:
The
Gov
ernm
ent r
espo
nse
agre
ed to
this
reco
mm
enda
tion.
TAM
S re
spon
ded:
Nil
repo
nse
from
TA
MS
at th
is ti
me.
Not
ed.
Furt
her w
ork
is
need
ed to
ens
ure
an a
ppro
pria
te
bala
nce
betw
een
recr
eatio
nal
oppo
rtun
ities
an
d co
nser
vatio
n ou
tcom
es.
34 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Recommendations in the ACT State of the Environment Report 2011
Following the release of the ACT State of the Environment Report 2011 tabled in the Legislative Assembly on 5 June 2012 the Government supported or supported in-principle nineteen of the twenty-two recommendations, and gave in-part support for recommendations seven, ten and nineteen. This year’s annual report examines the implementation of actions by the Territory under these recommendations.
Table 8: Progress on implementing recommendations from the ACT State of the Environment Report 2011
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and TAMSD
1) Establish cross-boundary management of the ACT’s water resources including:
i. developing catchment policy and an integrated water supply catchment management strategy, as recommended in previous State of the Environment reports; and
ii. strengthening integrated management action by facilitating improved exchange and use of information, such as spatial information, between government agencies, Natural Resource Management groups and Catchment Management Authorities, and by promoting sustainable catchment management with landholders and the community.
The final ACT water strategy, scheduled for release in mid-2014, will guide management of the Territory’s and region’s water supply, management and catchment practices over the next 30 years.
The water strategy includes outcomes, strategies and actions that incorporate the full breadth of water management activities in the ACT, including but not limited to: catchment management; stormwater and flood management; water supply and services; water for the environment; recreational water use; and public health.
The strategy is focussed on achieving three outcomes:
1. healthy catchments and waterbodies;
2. a sustainable water supply used efficiently; and
3. a community that values and enjoys clean, healthy catchments.
A number of the actions within the water strategy will deliver against recommendation 1 (2011 SoE Report) , in particular the requirement to:
• establish catchment management arrangements to better integrate water and land management for improved water quality and catchment health in the ACT and region;
• further developing an evidence base on which the ACT can make planning and investment decisions will require ongoing efforts to collect data;
• develop an integrated catchment management plan for the ACT to guide land and water management for protection of water quality and water supply; and
• enhance ACT spatial planning framework for natural resource management (NRM) to inform management of land, water and biodiversity.
Establishing catchment management arrangements are a key focus for the ACT Government. The Environment and Planning Directorate has considered a range of possible catchment governance models, with the government to determine a way forward in mid-2014.
In the development of these options the Directorate was cognisant of the need to:
• enhance coordination and collaboration across the ACT and region around catchment-related government policy and investments (infrastructure, program funding);
• build regional relationships (recognition of, and need to work cooperatively);
• value and encourage community involvement; and
• the need for better coordination of internal Territory decisions related to improving water quality and catchment health.
All considered models reflect closer integration of water and land management and build on the ACT’s community engagement in catchment management, natural resource management and land care.
35OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
In addition to these significant policy initiatives, the ACT and Australian Government have signed a funding agreement under the Water Management Partnership Agreement on 26 February 2014 for the ACT’s state priority project (http://www.environment.act.gov.au/water/water_quality) to deliver the ACT’s basin priority project. This agreement will see the provision of up to $85 million to the ACT, with $8.5 million in ACT Government investment, for long term improved water quality and catchment management in the ACT. The project will be delivered in two phases:
• Phase 1: Implementing a comprehensive ACT-wide water quality monitoring program with a focus on six priority catchments, including associated monitoring to provide evidence to underpin priority projects.
• Phase 2: Development of infrastructure options for each sub-catchment, based on the analysis of the data collected from the monitoring, that will assist in improving the water quality flowing from these catchments.
The analysis from Phase 1 will be used to inform the business case required for the second phase of the project – the construction of major water quality interception/improvement structures.
The priority catchments are:
• Lower Molonglo (new development)
• Upper Molonglo (source water)
• Tuggeranong (lake)
• Yarralumla Creek (infill/developed)
• Riverview, West Belconnen (Greenfields development)
• Fyshwick (industrial/wetlands development)
Phase 1 is due to be completed by June 2016. Finalisation of Phase 2 funding is to be provided by 2019. Funding for Phase 2 projects will be subject to assessment and approval from the Commonwealth.
A number of governance committees and working groups have been established to ensure the appropriate management and oversight of the project. These committees and/or working groups include Commonwealth, NSW, ACT, and local government representation. There are also two project advisory groups to represent scientific, academic, peak professional and a wide range of community /catchment management groups.
Inception meetings for these committees and groups occurred during May 2014 and memberships and terms of reference for each were confirmed.
ESDD 2) Complete assessment of the ACT’s at-risk groundwater resources.
In August 2013, ESDD (now EPD)* received an updated report on groundwater recharge rates in the sub-catchments that have the majority of abstraction bores. The recharge assessment covers a full range of recharge conditions (that is, a period of extreme drought followed by an El Nina high rainfall cycle).
The latest recharge assessment validates previous calculations on sub-catchment recharge rates. Groundwater monitoring has not yet been further augmented, as only a handful of low-volume bores have been installed during the past two years and these have not significantly increased the risk profile of the sub-catchments.*Post-2013–14 the ESDD became the Environment and Planning Directorate and issued its report on actions fulfilling SoE requirements under its new name.
36 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and TAMSD
3) Update water management, monitoring and reporting programs to inform:
i. actions to mitigate impacts of urban development on water quality;
ii. the efficacy of Water Sensitive Urban Design measures;
iii. improvements in sediment and erosion mitigation actions; and
iv. management of ACT lakes.
As part of Phase 1 of the ACT basin priority project an ACT-wide water quality monitoring program will be put in place, updating and realigning existing monitoring arrangements to reflect changes in land use and technology. As well as addressing water quality monitoring across the whole of the ACT, more intensive monitoring will also occur in the six priority catchments. Adetailed audit of the performance of existing infrastructure will also be undertaken.
Tenders for this work have been issued by the Directorate.
These are currently being assessed to determine preferred tenderers.
A further project (under Phase 1) to investigate, audit and analyse existing ACT Government water quality infrastructure assets is currently being advertised and is due to close 31 July 2014. This project will assess the effectiveness of existing water quality infrastructure and recommend possible augmentation and improvement opportunities. This will support the overarching objective of improving water quality in a cost-effective and efficient manner.
Work is also progressing on the review being undertaken by EPD of WSUD regulations.
Extensive consultation has been undertaken during the review, including industry and community workshops as well as a survey of stakeholders who had submitted development or building applications in the past three years. Research was also undertaken on WSUD implementation in other jurisdictions and WSUD’s influence on housing affordability. The review was assisted by an expert technical panel. TAMS is represented on the expert technical panel and has also provided input into the development of the ACT Water Strategy.
The final WSUD report was considered by the Executive in early July 2014.
Nil response from TAMS at this time.
Sedimentation and erosion mitigation activities:
In 2013–14 Fyshwick boat ramp access track to Molonglo River was resurfaced to address erosion which was washing sediment into the river.
In 2013–14 follow-up environmental weed control was undertaken in the restoration of the foreshore area of Molonglo Reach. The works were completed from both conventional spray vehicles and working from a floating spray barge to access difficult areas. Greening Australia volunteers manually removed weeds from around newly planted trees and shrubs in the restoration area.
Water management is an aspect of the increased collaborative emphasis of flood management and assessment of major urban design proposals, both of which are focuses for the Emergency Services Agency (ESA).
37OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and TAMSD
4) Improve monitoring to assess the impact of erosion on local land and water resources, and to help to understand the interactions between the ACT’s catchment and ecosystem services in particular:
i. undertake baseline soils mapping for the ACT to facilitate monitoring and assessment of soil condition;
ii. identify indicators of land health including soil heath, vegetation quality and change, and land use changes, and monitor and publicly report on these on a regular basis;
iii. improve limited land-health data by including land health assessments in water catchment data to inform soil condition across the ACT; and
iv. improve actions related to sediment and erosion mitigation.
i) (i) Soil landscape mapping was completed previously at the 1:100,000 scale for the eastern half of the ACT by the NSW Government (Jenkins 1993, 2000). The NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) has been contracted by the ACT Government to fill data gaps for existing ACT soil landscapes and identify new landscapes for the western half of the ACT using standard Australian soil survey and analytical methods. As part of the mapping process, related soil types in each landscape are described and their chemical and physical properties and constraints identified.
(ii) EPD and TAMS have partnered in a project to develop a framework for monitoring reserve condition. This project started in early 2014.
iii) and (iv) Hydrogeological landscape (HGL) frameworks build on soil landscape mapping by using additional information on geology, lithology, slope, soil depth, vegetation and climate to identify functional units for management within the landscape. The HGL framework concept was originally developed to assist in managing land and water quality issues associated with salinity. The concept has subsequently been broadened to address a wider range of land management issues such as soil degradation (for example, sodicity, acidity, erosion), soil carbon, biodiversity and vegetation, revegetation and wetland processes (for example, for hanging swamps, bogs and fens).
NSW OEH and partners (NSW Department of Primary Industries, University of Canberra) have been contracted to develop an HGL framework for the ACT. Mapping will help identify key problems in each HGL and management area, and the options available to address them within land use capability. The HGL project is funded through the Commonwealth Regional Natural Resource Management Planning for Climate Change Fund.
ESDD 5) Management of knowledge and the coordination of scientific research, data collection, monitoring and reporting (including public information) is an area of concern across all themes. A specific recommendation to address this is provided under the recommendations section of the Biodiversity Theme paper.
Scientific research, data and monitoring in relation to biodiversity and conservation continues to be undertaken by the Conservation Planning and Research unit. A report was released in 2014 which includes a summary of projects from 2011–13 which is available on the EPD website. There are a number of research projects (for example, kangaroo and fire management) that are coordinated across the Directorates of TAMS and EPD.
38 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
CMTD, ESDD and TAMSD
6) Strengthen research, planning and practical projects to enhance biodiversity conservation in the ACT through:
i. developing a biodiversity monitoring strategy, building on existing government and non-government skills, capacity and programs, and focused on periodic reporting. This should include, where appropriate, systematic statistical methodologies which support monitoring of trends and changes to biodiversity assets in the ACT;
ii. funding a dedicated senior officer position to facilitate knowledge development and consolidation, across disparate sources, including more strategic integration within and between government, research/academic institutions and community groups and members. To support this role, systems should be developed to provide wide public access to information to guide research, teaching, planning and practical projects to enhance the sustainability of the ACT and Region;
(i.) Strategy 3.5 of the Nature Conservation Strategy makes a commitment to monitor five priority ecosystems most vulnerable to threats. In order to ensure that appropriate and timely management responses are developed and implemented, the ACT Government will continue to monitor the five priority ecosystems based on a common set of indicators. The Nature Conservation Bill 2014 commits the Conservator to monitoring biodiversity in the ACT. This would involve developing a monitoring and research program and reporting on this. This will complement the current program of survey and monitoring already undertaken by the Conservation Research unit (referenced above).
During 2013–14:
A database of current biodiversity monitoring programs occurring on reserves has been compiled as part of the reserve condition monitoring project. This database has informed a gap analysis and review of current reserve monitoring programs and also the development of a reserve condition monitoring framework. This framework will link current biodiversity monitoring investments across TAMS, EPD, academic institutions and community groups into a coordinated, strategic reserve condition monitoring program focused on monitoring ecological values of eight broad ecological communities contained within ACT nature reserves. The framework requires the understanding and identification of the key influences of ACT reserve condition (including ecological processes, threat agents, threatening processes, management response, and ecological values). Conceptual models are now being developed for each of the eight ecological communities to demonstrate understanding of the ecological interactions that affect condition of reserves. This will allow us to identify appropriate measurable indicators and monitoring questions.
ii) Systems have been used to make biodiversity data publically available including on some of the threatened species and communities. The ACT Government digital mapping system ACTMAPi now includes mapping information of ‘Significant Plants, Animals and Registered Trees’.
A reserve condition monitoring project officer has been employed for the past six months and has facilitated improved integration across government and community monitoring and research programs.
iii) A framework for developing a reserve condition monitoring program for the ACT is being developed between TAMS and EPD. Where possible it will include current monitoring projects that are being undertaken such as the monitoring of some nature reserves through funding available for kangaroo monitoring and research project.
A review of current reserve monitoring programs has identified monitoring program synergies to link conservation outcome monitoring to management action monitoring within ACT nature reserves. The proposed reserve condition monitoring project is developing a framework that will link threatening processes to management response and ecological values. Conceptual models formed as part of this framework will inform ecological community monitoring plans for ACT nature reserves.
39OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
iii. identifying opportunities to integrate multiple environmental assessments. For example, when monitoring nature reserves for vegetation qualities, land-health indicators and grazing impacts should also be monitored at the same sites. Assessing sites in Canberra Nature Park on a rolling 3-year basis over a 10-year period would provide the basic information for monitoring trends in environmental condition;
iv. publicly reporting decisions and activities relating to individual species, populations and ecological communities in the ACT. This should include both qualitative and quantitative information;
v. reviewing and updating action plans where appropriate, and publicly reporting on progress against action plan objectives and proposed actions; and
vi. collaborating with NSW Government and regional organisations to contribute to regional and national biodiversity data sets.
(iv) The Nature Conservation Bill 2014 commits to making the outcomes of the Bill publicly available. Qualitative and quantitative information on ACT threatened species and communities was reported publicly in the Conservation Research report 2011–2013 (http://www.environment.act.gov.au/cpr).
v. Three new action plans were prepared for the Flora and Fauna Committee and released in November 2013. These were: Glossy Black Cockatoo (Calyptorhynchus lathami), Little Eagle (Hieraaetus morphnoides), and Murrumbidgee Bossiaea (Bossiaea grayi). A revised Action Plan for Smoky Mouse (Pseudomys fumeus) was also completed.
A review of the Aquatic Species and Riparian Zone Conservation Strategy in 2013 has highlighted activities that should lead to more native fish and plants, less erosion, improved water flow and fewer weeds in the longer-term. See Rehabilitating ACT rivers: highlights from the last three years at http://www.environment.act.gov.au/home.
(vi) NSW OEH and partners (NSW Department of Primary Industries) have been contracted by the ACT Government to fill data gaps for existing ACT soil landscapes and to develop an HGL framework for the ACT. NSW OEH and EPD continue to work together on consistent vegetation classifications across the region and the ACT continues to be an active member in the Australian Alps joint-management committee which includes sharing data.
ESSD has policy and operational leadership for biodiversity and conservation, and regional dataset development.
40 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
EDD, ESDD and TAMSD
7) Better integrating biodiversity values within urban planning through:
i. integrating biodiversity corridors and habitat connectivity in the Territory Plan process;
ii. identifying, where possible, appropriate clearance thresholds for ecological communities across the ACT to maintain and improve biodiversity values and guide development decisions. To complement this, the draft biodiversity offset policy should be finalised to ensure no net loss in ecosystems.
(i.) A connectivity layer has been included in ACTMAPi. A study into woodland connectivity was outlined in the Nature Conservation Strategy.
A new study by CSIRO, Flyways & Byways: Guiding restoration of wildlife corridors: Monitoring connectivity restoration in the Australian Capital Territory, was funded by EPD and will be used to inform a range of programs (yet to be publicly released).
(ii.) A position paper ACT Environmental Offsets Policy and Delivery Framework and associated guidelines was released for public consultation in 2014. The proposed policy is based on the Australian Government’s offsets policy that incorporates the principle of ‘improve or maintain’ and includes supplementary information to meet the ACT’s unique conditions. Assessment tools including an ACT Environmental Offsets Calculator and Environmental Offsets Assessment Methodology incorporate a range of thresholds for individual species and ecological communities.
The Land Development Agency (LDA) has considered biodiversity values within urban planning.
The results of the Gungahlin Strategic Assessment have been incorporated into delivery of the Land Release Program in the Gungahlin area. This means for example, that Kinlyside will no longer be developed, and that the developable area of Throsby has been reduced.
The development of Wright and Coombs in the Molonglo Valley has considered the relationship of the estates with the Molonglo River Corridor. This corridor has important biodiversity and habitat values. A planting guide has been developed in conjunction with Greening Australia to inform residents about appropriate plant species for use in the area. The impact of stormwater run-off on the Molonglo River has also been considered. Innovative Hydrocon™ technology has been used to filter stormwater and improve water quality. Extensive sediment control ponds are also in place and are intended to remain functional until more of the development is completed. This will help prevent sediment entering the Molonglo River.
The LDA retains habitat connectivity in a number of ways such as by retaining important trees in pocket parks and creating green corridors along waterways. For example, early planning for Throsby has considered the best way to maintain habitat for the migration of Superb Parrots. This has included consultation with ANU PhD and research students about tree placement, tree species and habitat structures. A number of these PhD students receive funding from the LDA to support their research. Early planning for Throsby has also retained many significant trees and created a green corridor along the central creek line.
The retention of open spaces is also important in infill sites. For example in Campbell 5 a large open-space area is to be created.
In LDA estates where there are threatened or endangered species identified and these cannot be protected entirely, offset areas are created elsewhere to protect those species. In these cases the development and offset areas must be approved in accordance with Commonwealth and ACT policies and legislation.
EDD supports the development of an Environmental Offsets Policy and continues to work with EPD to facilitate the finalisation of this policy.
The provision of bushfire protection zones around the urban edge is undertaken, as much as is practical, within the existing development footprint.
41OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and TAMSD
8) Improve transparency of biodiversity integration into legislative and planning frameworks through:
i. including objectives for the protection of biodiversity and a definition for ‘biodiversity’ as part of the Nature Conservation (NC) Act 1980 review;
ii. aligning provisions in the Environment Protection Act 1997 and Planning and Development Act with any relevant changes to the NC Act including biodiversity definitions and reviewing the definition of environmental harm to determine whether unauthorised loss of biodiversity should be included as an offence;
iii. assessing the effectiveness of managing threatening processes through action plans and determining if management of key threatening processes needs strengthening through listing under the NC Act.
(i.) The Nature Conservation Bill 2014 (yet to be presented) includes objectives for biodiversity and a definition of biodiversity. Biodiversity is however a term which does not include abiotic elements of ecosystems so the term nature is also used.
(ii.) provisions within the Nature Conservation Bill 2014 have been aligned as much as possible with the Environment Protection Act. This has primarily been through the alignment of some penalty provisions for clearing and damaging land in reserves. There is a range of provisions in the Bill relating to offences for the loss of biodiversity.
(iii.) Key threatening processes are able to be listed under the Nature Conservation Bill. The criteria are proposed to be aligned with those of the Commonwealth.
Biodiversity — Territory Plan Section is currently working on two draft variations to the Territory Plan—DV297 and DV319—which are considered relevant to these recommendations. DV297 is to implement biodiversity offsets based on the Commonwealth approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. DV319 is to implement biodiversity outcomes from the Gungahlin Strategic Assessment.
A draft framework for monitoring reserve condition has been developed that requires the development of monitoring plans for eight ecological communities across the ACT. These plans require the identification and understanding of key influences of reserve condition including: ecological values, threat agents, threatening processes, ecological processes, and management response. Once developed, these plans will report on effectiveness of management actions in achieving conservation objectives.
HEALTH Directorate
To improve knowledge of our indoor air quality, the Chief Health Officer should consider the health impact of indoor air quality in the ACT in the 2014 Chief Health Officer Report.
The Chief Health Officer decided against including health impact of indoor air quality in the ACT in the 2014 Chief Health Officer Report. It is not considered a health priority at present.
42 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
HEALTHD and ESDD
10) Improve local air quality outdoors through:
i. requiring air quality assessments in all new greenfield developments, to identify and manage air emissions, potentially detrimental to human health and the environment;
ii. installing and operating a second performance air monitoring station to ensure that the ACT is compliant with NEPM standards; and
iii determining the feasibility including costs of mobile monitoring of appropriate ambient air quality NEPM standards at locations in and around Canberra.
Note: recommendation 10 (iii) was not supported in the government response to the 2011 SoE Report.
ACT Health supports the recommendation. EPD is responsible.
The Ambient Air Quality (AAQ) National Environmental Protection Measure (NEPM) Performance Monitoring station (PMS) at Florey was fully operational as of 28 February 2014. ACT is now compliant with the AAQ NEPM.
This recommendation is not supported. It would be cost-prohibitive and the quality of obtained data would be insufficient for any meaningful evaluation/policy making.
ESDD and CMTD
11) As a priority the ACT Government develop and implement pathways to achieve carbon neutrality in ACT Government buildings and services. These should be implemented through the second action plan of Weathering the Change and include monitoring, evaluation of actions and annual public reporting on progress.
The ACT Government endorsed the Carbon Neutral Government (CNG) Framework in 2012 to commence in 2013, with the target of carbon neutral in its operations by 2020. This is a supporting action to AP2. The first annual report on implementation was presented to Strategic Board in June 2014. The public release of the CNG Framework by the Minister was delayed until the Enterprise Sustainability Platform (ESP) was operational. Its release is expected in the third quarter of 2014.
EPD is leading the implementation of carbon-neutral government initiatives, as part of AP2 initiatives. An overview of the Carbon Neutral Government’s progress is available of the EPD intranet. Annual progress reporting is ongoing.
43OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD, CMTD and TAMSD
12) The ACT Government develop and implement a pathway to achieve the legislated climate change emission reduction and renewable energy targets. This should be implemented through the second action plan of Weathering the Change and include:
i. focus on reducing emissions from transport and our buildings (especially improving energy efficiency of old building stock);
ii. responsive regulatory, governance and investment arrangements for renewable energy;
iii. continued engagement with ACT community; and
iv. regular monitoring, evaluation of actions and public reporting on progress against the targets.
The ACT’s second climate change policy and action plan AP2, 2012 addresses all these issues. The progress since implementation commenced in 2013 is:
i. The combined actions in Transport for Canberra are projected, in aggregate, to reduce the transport-specific emissions in the ACT in line with targets in AP2. This includes improving vehicle efficiency, with next steps to be articulated in the upcoming Low Emission Vehicle Strategy, currently out for public comment, and increasing use of non-car transport modes. This relates to land use planning to provide greater opportunities for people to live closer to where they work, minimising travel, as well as numerous Transport for Canberra actions that relate to making it easier to walk, cycle or use public transport.
Improving energy efficiency of old building stock is AP2 action 4—Zero Emission Buildings, and progress on this is being done as part of the adaptation strategy, commencing with research.
ii. Renewable energy
iii. Engagement with the community has been ongoing through individual AP2 actions and the ACTSmart program. To inform the Community Engagement Strategy on climate change (AP2 action 5), in 2013 a community survey of 1200 households was undertaken. This survey of attitudes to climate change found a high degree of awareness of the issues, but not what the ACT Government was doing. A key stakeholder workshop was conducted in early 2014. The Community Engagement Strategy will be released in the third quarter of 2014.
The six-monthly progress updates on the 18 AP2 actions is published on the EPD web page http://www.environment.act.gov.au/cc/what-government-is-doing/emissions-and-mitigation
Nil response from TAMS at this time.
EPD is leading the implementation of carbon emission reduction through various AP2 initiatives.
44 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD, JACSD and CMTD
13) Develop a climate change adaptation planning and implementation response through:
i. building on existing and undertaking additional sector vulnerability risk assessments;
ii. establishing a monitoring, evaluation, reporting and improvement methodology and framework as a consistent guide for Government, to develop, progress and report against adaptation planning; and
iii. integrating adaptation planning outcomes into existing ACT planning and management frameworks.
The work on climate change adaptation across government has been progressing and was given greater focus with the Ministerial Statement (AP2 action 16) in May 2014 and the release of the adaptation directions brochure which commits to a draft policy in 2014 and a final by end 2015.
i. Sectoral vulnerability risk assessments have been undertaken by Health, Emergency Services and strategic planning in EPD
ii. The ACT approach to adaptation is consistent with the draft framework published by the Australian Government in 2013 and the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) work.
iii. The ACT Planning Strategy, 2012, includes climate change adaptation considerations. Changes to the Territory Plan may follow on from the completion of the adaptation strategy.
Climate change adaptation planning is led by EPD.
CMTD and ESDD
14) Develop a regional approach to planning for climate change. This needs to be done in partnership with NSW Government, local councils and regional organisations. Key areas of focus should include opportunities for renewable energy development, water security, urban and regional planning, transport management and adaptation of ecosystem services to climate change.
The Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between ACT and NSW in December 2012 defined the focus areas for working together.
Implementing AP2 actions for renewable energy and the new adaptation strategy have and are taking a regional approach.
The ACT is partnering with NSW’s Office for Environment and Heritage (OEH) to ensure cross-border harmonisation on climate change adaptation across sectoral issues.
Through the ACT Regional NRM Planning for Climate Change Project, EPD is consulting and collaborating extensively on the application of spatial planning products and decision support tools to guide adaptation planning for the NRM sector. Ongoing collaborations include work with regional stakeholders from NSW (for example, NSW Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), NSW Department of Primary Industry (DPI), NSW South East Local Land Services, NSW and ACT Regional Climate Model Project (NARCliM)) as well as Commonwealth (for example, Atlas of Living Australia (ALA), Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Science (ABARES), Bureau of Meterology Climate Information Services, CSIRO National Climate Projections Program (NCPP), CSIRO Climate Adaptation Flagship (CAF), CSIRO Land and Water Terrain Analysis Team).
CMTD has supported regional approaches to these matters though engagement on the ACT–NSW on Regional Collaboration and through the (‘C Plus 1’) group [sic]. This group includes Canberra plus those councils within an approximate one-hour commute from Canberra (‘C Plus 1’) – Queanbeyan, Yass, Goulburn-Mulwaree, Upper Lachlan, Palerang, Cooma-Monaro.
45OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and EDD
15) Finalise and implement the draft ACT Planning Strategy to provide an integrated approach to future planning. Particular attention should be paid to:
i. determining indicators and measures for urban quality in the ACT that includes the benefits provided by green infrastructure and access to open space; and
ii. developing greenfield and infill targets, which take into account both the need for green infrastructure as well as strengthening a sense of community and self containment.
The ACT Planning Strategy became effective from 1 September 2012. The strategy replaced the Canberra Spatial Plan 2004 as the key strategic plan that guides spatial planning and development and management of the ACT to help achieve the economic, cultural and environmental aspirations of its people. It sets out clear actions under nine strategies to deliver five outcomes, each of which reflect the intent of The Canberra Plan. Implementing this whole-of-government policy involves considerable cross-agency co-ordination across all directorates.
The strategy is a companion document to other key policy documents, including:
• Transport for Canberra 2012–2031, 2012;
• Weathering the Change - Action Plan 2, 2012;
• Nature Conservation Strategy, 2013; and
• Water for the Future – Striking the Balance: ACT Draft Water Strategy 2013.
The strategy calls for master plans to be prepared for centres to provide direction for future change and growth, including sustainable design outcomes. Master plans for the Tuggeranong town centre, four group centres and the Pialligo rural village have been completed. Current studies underway include the Woden town centre, Mawson and Weston group centres and Oaks Estate. A further five master plans are scheduled to commence in 2014–15, including Belconnen town centre.
The LDA has developed both greenfield and infill developments. In 2012–13, there were more LDA residential and mixed-use projects reported in infill locations than in greenfield locations. Many of these projects were single block or section releases in established areas, however a number of projects were larger and more complex. For example Campbell 5 is located in the established suburb of Campbell. It is seeking to increase density in the area and along Constitution Avenue, while also maintaining high quality public open spaces.
In LDA developments green infrastructure is considered through the provision of public open spaces and the delivery of WSUD infrastructure. For example in Coombs a number of local parks are being delivered; relationships with the Molonglo River corridor are being considered; and a green corridor along the former Uriarra Road alignment is being maintained. Another example of the delivery of WSUD infrastructure is the installation of the innovative Stratacell™ technology at the Amaroo Group Centre.
The LDA runs the ‘Mingle’ community program in a number of LDA estates including Bonner, Wright and Coombs. The ‘Mingle’ program includes a range of events such as Christmas lights competitions, brunch in the park, rugby skills training sessions, tree plantings and trivia nights. ‘Mingle’ aims to strengthen the sense of community in new estates as residents move in.
The LDA, in conjunction with EDD, also undertakes a range of community engagement activities.
46 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
CMTD, EDD and CSD
16) Develop a housing strategy to address the needs of changing population demographics into the future.
During 2013–14, the government continued implementation of its Affordable Housing Action Plan, which is now in its third phase. Affordability for renters and homebuyers has continued to improve. Through its land release activities, the government has continued to bring a diverse range of housing options to the market, including multi-unit and detached housing choices in new suburbs as well as infill sites in established communities.
CMTD does not have a lead involvement in housing policy, operations or management. Policy and operational matters are overseen by EDD and CSD.
ESDD and TAMSD
17) Finalise and implement the draft Sustainable Transport Action Plan to provide an integrated approach to transport and urban planning. In doing so:
i. obtain additional non-work related travel data, similar to the annual Sydney Household Travel Survey, to ensure a more complete understanding of Canberra’s transport habits;
ii. focus on strategies and targets to improve access to sustainable forms of transport outside of transport corridors;
iii. develop targets for;
i. reducing in greenhouse gas emissions from transport;
ii. increase sustainable transport usage for non-work travel to complement the existing targets for work travel; and
iv. track progress towards Sustainable Transport targets on an annual basis.
The government released Transport for Canberra in March 2012, which supersedes the earlier draft Sustainable Transport Action Plan. Transport for Canberra includes 34 actions and monitoring and reporting framework that aim to improve the sustainability of Canberra’s transport system, alongside goals of efficiency, active travel, accessibility and social inclusion, safety and integration with land use planning.
In relation to items i) and iii), budget funding has been requested but not provided to allow EPD to undertake regular household travel surveys and otherwise improve data to monitor progress around sustainable transport. We note that the combined actions in Transport for Canberra are projected, in aggregate, to reduce the transport-specific emissions in the ACT in line with targets in AP2. Transport for Canberra will also include a regular report card to track progress in its implementation. Cabinet is scheduled to note a revised 2014 report card in September 2014.
In relation to ii), initiatives currently underway that relate to improving sustainable transport outside of transport corridors include:
i) The active travel to school program (Health Directorate).
ii) Review of community transport completed in mid-2014 (EPD) and community transport coordination project (TAMS).
iii) Coverage study/review into transport disadvantage in the Territory, completed in 2012 (EPD), and informing bus network improvements accounting for walkability (TAMS).
iv) Flexible transport services trial (TAMS).
v) Strategic cycle network plan (EPD) and updated Design Standards for active travel (TAMS), both to be completed in 2014.
vi) Development of an active travel strategy with targeted actions to deliver higher travel to work and non-work trips mode share by active travel (EPD, 2014-15).
vii) Parking policy strategy, including agreement by Cabinet to develop a parking offset mechanism to allow developers to offset parking requirements by providing on-site active travel options or paying into a fund (EPD-led, 2014–15).;
viii) Low Emission Vehicles and ACT Sustainable Fleet strategy (EPD, 2014–15) to make car-based transport more efficient (for example, better vehicles, higher occupancies, car sharing).
Nil response from TAMS at this time.
47OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD and TAMSD
18) Finalise and implement a new ACT waste management strategy with a focus on reducing waste generation, in particular:
i. examine and implement options for diverting wastes from landfill to higher order beneficial reuse opportunities. These actions should be measured, recorded and reported publicly.;
ii. focusing community education on the link between consumption and waste; and
iii. targeting specific programs to reduce waste from the construction and demolition, and commercial and industrial sectors.
The ACT Waste Management Strategy was finalised in 2011 and the ban on lightweight plastic bags was introduced in November 2011. The review of the plastic bag ban undertaken in 2014 found high community support and a reduction in plastic in the waste stream.
The ACTSmart program gives advice and incentives to change behaviour across all sectors with their water, energy and waste projects.
Under AP2 energy from waste is being investigated.
Due to global financial conditions and commodity markets, an agreement with SITA Australia to construct a facility to sort and recycle material from commercial and industrial waste streams has now lapsed. ACT NOWaste is now working with EPD to explore approaching the market for options on the full range of possible material recovery and recycling activities. Options would include a domestic facility, a commercial facility, a ‘dirty’ materials recycling facility and an energy-from-waste facility. The outcome would maximise the economic recovery of materials and minimise residual waste.
In 2013–14 ACT NOWaste had a strong focus on encouraging the broader community to ‘rethink their recycling’ with innovative campaigns aimed at problematic waste like disposable nappies and soft plastics. Over 17,000 ACT residents from preschoolers to seniors were reached through visits to the Materials Recycling Facility at Hume, visits to school, guest speaker opportunities, displays at local shopping centres during recycling week and attendance at large-scale community events. This total number of people engaged in our education program is an increase of 70.5% on the previous year. It illustrates the demand for quality waste education programs and an increased awareness in the community of the importance of the ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ message.
Resources and promotional campaigns were developed to engage ACT residents in traditionally hard-to-reach demographics. These included:• increased use of free card media campaigns displayed in cafes and cultural
venues to appeal to 15–30-year-olds
• the design of interactive visual displays including a model house with electronic light-up display
• using the side and back panels of the new waste and recycling truck fleet as a mobile advertising platform
• competitions and live reads on commercial radio
• resource boxes to encourage interactive play, posters and books for loan to early childhood educators
• information flyers and new bin lid stickers that rely on photographs and universal visual cues like red crosses and green ticks rather than text
• presentations and resources translated into eight languages (including sign language) to inform new Australians about waste and recycling services in the ACT.
ACT NOWaste tailors school programs to link to the new national curriculum on sustainability. New programs trialled this year include being a conscious consumer, cradle-to-grave systems and ‘nude food’ lunches.
ACT NOWaste is now finalising a new licence agreement to enable the continued recovery of material from construction and demolition waste within the Mugga Lane Resource Management Centre.
ESA participates in the Justice and Community Safety Directorate (JACSD) waste management program. ESA’s new facilities use modern energy supply systems, reducing our carbon footprint.
48 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD 19) Strengthen heritage protection in the ACT by:
i. developing an action plan for heritage which addresses the backlog of heritage nominations and recognises key future sites for protection;
ii. strengthening audit, compliance and enforcement processes in line with recommendations of the Marshall report;
iii [Note that recommendation iii was not accepted]; and
iv. promoting ACT heritage values as a part of the Canberra 2013 Centenary celebrations.
i. ACT Heritage, together with the ACT Heritage Council, has prepared a priority list to reduce the backlog of nominations to the ACT Heritage Register. From a backlog of approximately 210 nominations in 2011, seventy-nine decisions on provisional registration (including decisions not to provisionally register) have been made, and there have been twelve decisions on full registration. Between 2012 and 2014, seven new nominations to the register have been received. A number of probable duplications of nominations have also been identified. The backlog of nominations has been reduced to approximately 173.
ii. Two officers in ACT Heritage are now trained in Government Investigations. ACT Heritage has developed a compliance enforcement policy to guide appropriate action to be taken in relation to compliance matters. This has enabled ACT Heritage to take responsibility for compliance investigations and enforcement processes in relation to the Heritage Act 2004.
iv. The theme for the 2013 Canberra and Region Heritage Festival was Milestones to promote the Centenary of Canberra. The centenary logo, banners and bunting were used during the festival.
There were a total 125 events involving seventy-five groups and individuals from the private, government and community sectors. The festival included twenty-seven new event organisers compared to the previous year.
Eleven ACT Heritage Grants were showcased during the festival.
Special assistance funding was made available to seven event organisers to lift their profile in the centenary year by ‘thinking differently’ and growing and diversifying audiences.
ESDD, HealthD, CMTD and JACSD
20) Align and integrate climate adaptation planning and disaster risk management where appropriate. This should include lessons learned from changes to fire management.
The adaptation strategy is a whole-of-government policy and action plan, and acknowledges and incorporates the roles and work of other agencies, for example the Territory-Wide Risk Assessment and the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan version 3, 2014.
CMTD does not have an ongoing operational role in climate adaptation planning, for the Service. However, CMTD has developed and published a climate change vulnerability assessment framework for infrastructure. This is used as a reference point for infrastructure and physical asset management.
ACT Health supports the recommendation. This is a whole-of-government issue and has little direct health program input.
ESA participates in research activities with the Bushfire & Natural Hazard Cooperative Research Centre and a range of other partners examining the effects of climate change on natural hazards.
ESA has incorporated climate change considerations into the current draft of the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan and will continue to consider climate change in other planning and risk mitigation processes.
ESDD and CMTD
21) In collaboration with NSW Government and local councils, develop a regional approach to planning and risk management to address future challenges of population and climate change.
The adaptation strategy and the AP2 action 4 Community Engagement Strategy is taking a regional approach. This work has commenced (refer to recommendations 11, 12, 13, 14 and 20).
CMTD has been working closely with EPD to coordinate input from other ACT Government agencies in the development of a regional strategic plan. This plan is intended to cover the growth challenges affecting the region.
Liaison to agree the plan is ongoing.
49OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
living sustainably
Directorate Broad subject area Government Response
ESDD, TAMSD and CMTD
22) Strengthen community engagement in sustainability by:
i. Undertaking research on attitudes to sustainability and consumption patterns and behaviours. This could be done through regular community surveys similar to the annual NSW ‘Who cares about the environment?’ with the outcomes informing focus areas for community engagement.; and
ii. Fostering behaviour change through community engagement to reduce our ecological footprint with a particular focus on:
i. sustainable transport; and
ii. impacts of consumption.
The work on the sustainable futures series was completed in 2009–10 and fed into the Time to Talk: Canberra 2030, in 2010, the ACT’s most extensive community consultation campaign. Sustainability issues were progressed with preparation of the draft ACT Planning Strategy in 2011 and the finals in 2012.
Transport for Canberra also involved community engagement around sustainable transport. Ongoing projects, including Capital Metro Light rail, City Plan and the Light Rail Master Plan, will continue this engagement.
Nil response from TAMS at this time.
EPD periodically commissions surveys to research community views and issues about climate change and sustainability in the ACT.
Periodically CMTD facilitates this consultation through the ‘Time to Talk’ consultation process.
B2.7 Accountability indicatorsThe statement of performance for our Office is included in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report as ‘Expenses on behalf of the Territory’.
The Commissioner reports outputs against accountability indicators in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate portfolio report. The outputs for 2013–14 can be found in Table 11 in Section F6 of this annual report.
B3 Community engagement and support
As mandated in the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993, our Office works to enhance knowledge and understanding of issues relating to ecologically sustainable development and the environment. We do this both through advocacy (see Section B2.4 of this report) and community engagement.
The major engagement activities the Office undertook this year included:
• celebrating and promoting our 20th anniversary;
• developing information products;
• updating our website;
• delivering presentations; and
• site visits and meetings to discuss and assist with general environmental enquiries.
50 ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14 OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT
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Twentieth anniversary
Past Commissioners, community members, Minister for the Environment and Sustainable Development Simon Corbell and other government stakeholders were among those who gathered for a morning tea to help the Office celebrate its twentieth anniversary on 1 July 2013. At this event the Office launched a publication about the 20-year history of the Office, two videos, a slide show and a ‘Who are we?’ marketing postcard. All of these are available on the Office’s website at <www.envcomm.act.gov.au>.
Information products
The Office prepared Commissioner fact sheets for students involved in the SEE-Change Centenary Parliament of Youth on Sustainability held on 2 and 6 November 2013 at the Australian National University.
Digital outreach
The Office planned and began the process of revitalising the design of our website to make it more accessible and tablet and iPhone-user friendly.
Presentations
The Commissioner spoke at a number of events in 2013–14. These included:
• the Centennial Symposium (panel participation) Australia and New Zealand School of Government (ANZSOG);
• 2020 Vision Project judging;
• Top 5 Awards for policy briefs to Fenner School Australian National University (ANU) students;
• Launch of the Victorian SOE report presentation at the environmental reporting symposium;
• the Australian Water Association Conference in Sydney;
• Canberra Urban Regional Futures (CURF), South East Regional Organisation of Councils (SEROC);
• South East Region of Energy Excellence (SEREE) renewable energy showcase day;
• Prize-giving at the SEE-Change 2020 Vision Competition winners announcement on 13 November at the CSIRO Discovery Centre in Canberra; and
• an information session for students at Lanyon High School, ANU and the University of Canberra about the role of the Office.
Stakeholder engagement
Throughout the year the Office participated in a wide variety of stakeholder forums including events with ACTSmart office and business, and meetings with academics at both the Australian National University Fenner School and the University of Canberra.
The Commissioner continued regularly meeting with a range of ACT Government directorates, advisory boards and ACT Commissioners. He also met with a number of other key stakeholders including:
• the ACT and Region Chamber of Commerce;
• the Business Council of Canberra;
• the Conservation Council of Canberra;
• South East Regional Organisation of Councils (SEROC);
• the Environmental Defender’s Office;
• the Friends of Grasslands;
• the Friends of the Aranda Bushland; and
• the Victorian Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability.
In addition, the Legislative Assembly passed a motion direction the Commissioner to convene a Roundtable to discuss the Nature Conservation Bill. The Commissioner then reported to the Legislative Assembly on the issues raised by stakeholders.
Staff members and the Commissioner represented the Office at 49 stakeholder events throughout the year.
51OFFICE OF THE COMMISSIONER FOR SUSTAINABILITY AND THE ENVIRONMENT ANNUAL REPORT 2013–14
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B4 Ecologically sustainable development
Ecologically sustainable development project
In 2013–14 the Office initiated a project aiming to benchmark best practice ESD and to progress the understanding and implementation of ESD within government decision-making in the ACT.
A report generated from this project acknowledged and incorporated some of the triple bottom line reporting work that has been undertaken by the ACT Government since 2009. The key recommendations of this ESD report included that the Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment be entrusted with the following major functions:
1. To develop key indicators of sustainability performance. These indicators should be set by consultation with relevant government agencies, and informed by government policies.
2. Recognising that directorates have a legal duty to report on ESD within their annual reports, to review whether these key indicators are being used by government agencies in decision-making.
3. To encourage the preparation of an annual whole of government sustainability report to determine to what extent directorates are adopting a whole of government approach to delivering the intent of policy and legislated objectives.
4. To act as a focal point for developing whole of government approaches to sustainability when agencies are developing or modifying standards, policies and plans.
ACTSmart Office accreditation
The Office gained ACTSmart Office accreditation in Nara House in 2013 and we are working with facilities management in the Nara Centre to complete ACTSmart accreditation for all directorates housed within the building. (Our waste and power usage has been based on a pro rata percentage of the total usage within Nara House. For the Office this is 1.58 percent of the tenancy area.) The Office will renew ACTSmart accreditation in August 2014.
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Table 9: Sustainable development performance 2012–13 and 2013–14
Indicator as at 30 June Unit 2012–13 2013–14
Agency Staff and Floor area
Occupancy — staff full-time equivalent(a) Number (FTE) 7(a) 7(a)
Work-place floor area Square metres (m2) 118.59 118.59
Energy(b)
Stationary Energy Use
Electricity use Kilowatt hours 14,843.30 14,348.9*
Renewable energy use (GreenPower + EDL landfill gases) Kilowatt hours 1,901.80 00**
Natural Gas use Megajoules 24,259.66 29131.27***
Transport fuel usage
Total number of vehicles(b) Numeric 1 1
Total vehicle kilometres travelled Kilometres 2036 2015
Transport fuel (Petrol)(c) Kilolitres 0.0163 0.0163
Transport fuel (Diesel) Kilolitres 0
Transport fuel (LPG) Kilolitres 0
Transport fuel (CNG) Kilolitres 0
Water
Water Usage
Water use Kilolitres 61.45 64.75****
Waste
Resource Efficiency and Waste
Reams of paper purchased Reams 25F 55
Recycled content of paper purchased Percentage 100 100
Waste to Landfill(d) Litres 6,069.1 6,235.1
Estimate of co-mingled material recycled (based on bins collected) (d) Litres 1,258.94 1,440.96
Estimate of paper recycled (based on bins collected)(d) Litres 1,601.93 1,357.06
Estimate of organic material recycled (based on bins collected) Litres 829.50 165.90#
Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Greenhouse gas emissions
emissions from stationary energy use* Tonnes CO2-e 15.38 8.06
Emissions from transport greenhouse gas emissions* Tonnes CO2-e 0.05 1.76
Total emissions 9.82
* incl. common house areas** ACT Property Group purchased 7,530 MWh (mega watt hours) of GreenPower on behalf of the ACT Government,
representing 5% of the ACT Government’s energy consumption for 2013–14.*** incl. common house areas i.e. gas to run the plant and not tenancy directly.**** incl. common house areas# company went out of business in the financial yearF In 2012–13 the Office moved premises and purchased 25 new reams of recycled paper, however the Office also
used paper stock from previous years that was not purchased in fiscal 2012–13.
(a) The Office establishment is six. An additional contractor in 2013–14(b) This is the Commissioner’s package vehicle, which is available for use by our staff, totals provided are based on business usage only.(c) Figures are calculated as the distance travelled for official business and fuel consumption based on the Green Vehicle Guide.(d) Figures are calculated as on pro rata allocation to the office on proportion of floor space
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Section C — Governance and accountability reporting
C1 Internal accountability
C1.1 Organisational structureMr Robert Neil is the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. The Commissioner is accountable for both the legislative and the contractual functions of the Office and for ensuring that the execution of these functions is consistent with the intent of the enabling legislation.
The structure of our Office at 30 June 2014 is shown in Figure 1.
Figure 1: Organisation chart, 2013–14
Office Manager
Commissioner
Senior Manager
Project Officer
Senior Manager
Project Officer
C1.2 Senior committees
There are no senior management or other significant committees or boards within the Office.
C1.3 Key corporate plans
Our strategic plan provides our vision, mission, values and objectives as detailed in Section B1 of this report.
C2 Risk management and internal audit
C2.1 ProceduresThe Office continually updates our procedures manual which documents processes for a range of office activities including file management, procurement, inquiries and complaints.
The procedures manual has been reviewed during 2013 to ensure that all procedures and processes are up-to-date and relevant.
The Office is continuing to work towards becoming a paperless office by using electronic data management via Objective electronic data management (EDM) software, for filing processes, and to minimise the amount of printing.
The Office has formally requested to be included in the ESDD internal audit program. This request has been agreed.
Further information on our Office’s risk management and auditing is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
C3 Fraud prevention
Further information on our Office’s fraud prevention processes is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
C4 Legislative Assembly inquiries and reports
The Commissioner was not directed to take action as a result of any Legislative Assembly inquiries or reports, however he was called on to Chair a Roundtable to explore the issues relating to the draft Nature Conservation Bill and to provide a detailed report to the Assembly by May 2014 on the range and extent of issues raised by stakeholders on the draft Nature Conservation Bill.
The Roundtable was held on 14 April 2014 and the final report delivered to the Assembly on 6 May 2014.
C5 Auditor-General and Ombudsman reports
No recommendations were made with regards to the Commissioner.
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Section D — Legislation-based reporting
D1 Public interest disclosure
Our Office did not receive any public interest disclosures during 2013–14.
D2 Freedom of Information
The Freedom of Information Act 1989 provides a legally enforceable right of access by citizens to all documents in the possession of the ACT Government, subject only to exemptions to protect the legitimate interests of the ACT Government, and third parties who deal with the ACT Government.
The Freedom of Information Act 1989 requires certain reports to be compiled and included in the agency annual report. This report comprises three sections; a Section 7 statement; a Section 8 statement; and a Section 79(2) statement.
D2.1 Section 7 statement
In accordance with the requirements of Section 7 of the Freedom of Information Act 1989, the following statement is correct to 30 June 2014. It reports on the particulars, functions and powers of the Office, as well as certain categories of documents held by each agency, and the arrangements for public participation in formulation of policy and operations.
Organisation functions and powers
Our enabling legislation is the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993. The Act specifies that the Commissioner shall:
• produce State of the Environment reports for the ACT;
• investigate complaints from the community regarding the management of the Territory’s environment by the ACT Government and/or its agencies;
• conduct investigations directed by the Minister;
• initiate investigations into actions of the ACT Government or its agencies, where those actions have a substantial impact on the Territory’s environment; and
• make recommendations for consideration by the ACT Government, and include in our Annual Report the outcomes of those recommendations.
The Act includes an objects clause and specified timelines, with reports presented by the Minister to the Legislative Assembly by six sitting days, and a government response to State of the Environment reports within six months of the day the Minister receives the report. Our Office administers the Act.
Public participation
Our Office has consulted with different government and non-government stakeholders during the reporting period on a range of activities, including Weathering the Change: Action Plan 2 Implementation Status Report (ISR), and the 2015 State of the Environment report.
Our consultation processes include:
• a public submission on the Nature Conservation Bill 2013 Exposure Draft;
• focus groups, expert panels and reference groups for specific purposes;
• comments on draft documents;
• briefings and discussions with Ministers and other members of the Legislative Assembly; and
• seeking and sharing information via the Office’s website and Twitter.
Documents
Documents produced by our Office on various aspects of our activities are available without charge on our website or on request. These include:
• annual reports (1997 to the present);
• ACT State of the Environment reports from 1997 to the present;
• regional State of the Environment reports from 2004 to the present;
• investigation reports;
• discussion papers, information pamphlets and fact sheets; and
• recommendations from State of the Environment reports and investigations.
These documents are also available by phoning the Office and can be posted to any member of the community. They are also available through our website, which is the preferred method of transmittal.
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Other kinds of documents that may be available under the Freedom of Information Act 1989 include:
general records, including internal, interdepartmental and public documents such as minutes of meetings, agendas and background papers, policy statements, correspondence and administrative records;
• personnel records;
• financial records; and
• details of contracts and tenders.
Facilities for access
Documents produced by our Office are available to the public as accessible PDF documents on our website <www.envcomm.act.gov.au> or in hard copy (where available) upon request.
Our Office can be reached by bus and has access for people with disabilities.
D2.2 Section 8 statement
The Act provides guidance for the role and functions of the Commissioner as well as detailed specifications for the conduct of investigations. The Act forms the basis of our operational procedures; it is available to the public and can be found on our website: www.envcomm.act.gov.au.
D2.3 Section 79(2) statement
In accordance with Section 79(2) of the Freedom of Information Act 1989, the following is a report on decision-making in relation to FOI requests received by our Office during the year. Access decisions in relation to FOI requests are categorised in terms of full release, partial release, entirely exempt, technical refusal (no documents located), still being processed, transferred, and withdrawn.
Requests for access
In 2013–14 the Office did not receive any requests for access to documents through FOI legislation.
D3 Human Rights Act
The Human Rights Act 2004 (HRA) came into force on 1 July 2004. Its purpose is to respect, protect and promote human rights in the ACT. The HRA aims to ensure, to the maximum extent possible, that all Territory statutes and statutory instruments are interpreted in a way that respects and protects human rights. The HRA also creates a duty on public authorities to act consistently with human rights. All Office work policies and practices adhere to the HRA. In addition, HRA principles are adopted by the Office through the promotion and advocacy of ESD.
Office staff members are employed through the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate. All staff members receive an induction which includes training on the ACT Public Service Respect, Equity and Diversity (RED) framework. The RED framework aims to foster a workplace that values individual differences and is respectful, courteous and fair. RED training includes information on legislative obligations including the HRA.
D4 Territory Records Act
Our Office is independent of the ACT Government; however, our records are managed in accordance with the Territory Records Act 2002.
‘Objective’, an Electronic Document and Records Management System (EDRMS) has been adopted by the Office and is now used for record and file management with support from ESDD.
The Office is committed to ensuring records containing sensitive information, including those that contain personal information and those which enable people to establish links with their Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander heritage are appropriately managed and preserved.
The Office will continue to work to identify and preserve valuable records as part of its records management program. The Office uses the tools developed by Archives ACT to assist members of the community to interpret older records that are released for public access.
In 2013–14 the Office received no requests for information under the open access to records provision of the Act.
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D5 Legal services directions
Further information on our Office’s model litigant guideline is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
D6 Notices of non-compliance
Our Office did not receive any notices of non-compliance in 2013–14.
D7 Bushfire risk management
Our Office does not own or manage any Territory land and is therefore not required to report its operations in relation to the either the Strategic Bushfire Management Plan or the Bushfire Operations Plan.
D8 Commissioner for the Environment
Amendments to broaden the scope of the Commissioner for the Environment Act 1993 including a name change to Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993 took effect in May 2012.
The Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment Act 1993 requires that all ACT Government agencies preparing their annual reports for a financial year must include in those reports information on:
• legislated requests from the Commissioner;
• responses to any Commissioner-legislated requests;
• any investigations of their actions by the Commissioner;
• any recommendations made by the Commissioner as a result of any investigations; and
• any action the agency has taken during the year in relation to any Commissioner recommendations.
The Office then provides a whole of government overview of agencies’ responses to these requirements. This overview can be seen in Section B2.6 of our annual report.
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Section E — Human resources management reporting
E1 Human resource performance
Our Office has a strategic plan, which reflects the environmental context in which we operate and sets a clear direction for us. Our strategic plan states our vision, mission, values and objectives as detailed in Section B1. Our strategic plan is reviewed regularly to ensure that it remains valid.
This year office staff members have undertaken a range of training and development courses, while achievement frameworks have been in place since March 2014.
E2 Learning and development
Our Office has a commitment to strengthening workforce and organisational capacity through building skills and capabilities. This learning and development is guided by achievement plans and supported through the strategic plan.
E3 Work health and safety
Our Office is committed to providing a safe and healthy workplace and maintaining the health, safety and welfare of its employees. Occupational health and safety is managed in accordance with the provisions of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011, (effective as of 14 June 2013).
During 2013–14 the Office did not receive any notices under the revised Act, and there were no notifiable incidents. The Office does not pay a first-tier worker’s compensation premium. Two stand-up desks were provided in 2013–14 to aid staff health management.
Further information on our Office’s work health and safety is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
E4 Workplace relations
Further information on our Office’s workplace relations is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
E5 Staffing profile
Further information on our Office’s staffing profile is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
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Section F — Financial management analysis
F1 Financial management
Further information on our Office’s financial management is covered in the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate’s annual report.
F2 Financial statements
The ACT Government appropriation for the Office in 2013–14 was $1,580,000, comprising a base budget of $1,306 000 plus $262,000 in rolled-over funding for the ACT State of the Environment report 2015 and potential investigations, as well as $12,000 for the revised wage parameters in the Supplementary Appropriation.
The financial transactions for our Office are formally reported in the consolidated financial statements of the Environment and Sustainable Development Directorate Annual Report as part of ‘Expenses on Behalf of the Territory’.
F3 Capital works
Our Office is not undertaking any capital works.
F4 Asset management
F4.1 Assets managed
Our Office does not own or manage any major assets, but maintains a portable asset register.
Office accommodation
The Office is accommodated at 1 Constitution Avenue, level 2 of the Canberra Nara Centre. This building is a single-purpose office building which houses staff from different directorates across the ACT public service, predominantly staff from the Chief Minister and Treasury Directorate (CMTD).
The current office occupies 118.59 square metres (this includes access to kitchens and public amenities for all staff based on a proportion of the tenancy floor space).
F5 Government contracting
F5.1 Procurement principles and processes
Consistent with the newly updated provisions governing procurements up to $200,000, the Office has worked, and will continue to work with ACT Procurement Solutions to complete procurement actions where necessary.
F5.2 External sources of labour and services individual contracts exceeding $25,000
During 2013–14 the Office has six contracts exceeding $25,000 (details below).
Table 10 details the contracts for works and services for individual contracts that exceeded $25,000 and smaller contracts awarded to the same contractor that in total exceeded $25,000.
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Table 10 Summary of contracts over $25,000
Contractor Description and reason for contract $ (inc GST) Procurement type
Date contract let
Australia National University (ANU) – Quentin Grafton
Report to evaluate the approaches to measure performance towards achieving the ACT-legislated greenhouse gas emission targets. Establish methods to link, where possible, causation or association from the AP2 actions in each sector to current trends in ACT greenhouse gas emissions. In addition, a graded assessment scheme will be developed for each relevant sector.
$55,000 Simple purchase 22/11/2013
Uniquest – Professor Mark Hockings and Dr Andrea Leverington+
Develop a methodology for assessing the effectiveness of management responses. This includes workshops with Office staff and other relevant stakeholders. Conduct assessments for two State of the Environment themes. Provide advice and assistance to the Office to conduct the remaining assessments.
$50,264.50 Single select 22/11/2013
Enolnsights — Dr Steven Cork§
Provide written and oral advice to OCSE during the writing of the 2015 SoE Report. This includes research and liaison with experts on matters related to the SoE Report. Draft reports and review documents prepared or commissioned by the Office for the SoE Report.
$50,288 Single select 18/07/2013
Biotext
Biotext are Canberra based experts in science writing. They have expertise with both the 2011 Australian State of the Environment Report and South Australia’s SoER. They have been engaged to provide consultancy services and advice in relation to the data collection and analysis for, and the structure of, the 2015 State of the Environment Report (SoER), to edit all the papers and contents for the 2015 SoER and to design and prepare the content for the SoER website
up to a maximum
of S141,394single select 17/7/2013
Dr Kenneth Hodgkinson*
Inspection of specified natural temperate grassland sites within urban Canberra and undertaking of photographic and floristic assessments.
$47,500 Single select 13/04/2013
+ Uniquest was a single select. The minute was signed off for the following reasons; the project requires in-depth knowledge of both Australian and international research into all aspects of management effectiveness evaluation. Uniquest’s experts, Professor Mark Hockings and Dr Andrea Leverington have the specialist skills in the requisite area and the necessary experience through their work with authorities and governments to develop a suitable methodology for assessing the effectiveness of management responses in the ACT.
§ Dr Steven Cork was a single select. The minute was signed off because the project was also specialist in nature and required specific skills and knowledge. Dr Cork is a leader in his field, specialising in the relation between the environment and human health and well-being and has extensive SoE reporting experience. Furthermore, Dr Cork is the only available provider of these services in Canberra.
* Dr Hodgkinson was single select. The minute was signed off for the following reasons; Dr Hodgkinson could meet the necessary timeframes, as implementation was urgent to cover both Autumn and Spring periods for 2013, the project was also specialist in nature and required specific skills and knowledge, from his work on the Grassland Investigation, Dr Hodgkinson was also familiar with the background of the advice required.
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F6 Statement of performance
Table 11: Accountability indicators for the Office of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment
Accountability indicators(a)Original target
2013–14Actual result
2013–14 Variance from amended target
Report on the uptake of recommendations on the ACT State of Environment Report 2011 and special reports.
June 2014 June 2014 0%
Completion of ministerial-initiated investigations in accordance with Minister’s direction.
100% n/a n/a
Completion of Commissioner-initiated investigations in accordance with terms of reference.
100% n/a n/a
No Commissioner-initiated investigations were conducted in the 2013–14 financial year.
Completion of complaints-generated investigations in accordance with terms of reference.
100% n/a n/a
No complaints generated investigations were initiated in the 2013–14 financial year.
Reports on complaints about management of environment by Territory or territory agency.
June 2014 June 2014 0%
Two complaint reports delivered. Three further complaints investigated yet to be finalised.
