Executive Summary

Secretary’s review

Over the year 2013–2014, the Department supported the delivery of major Government policy initiatives to promote the conservation and sustainable use of Australia’s natural resources. The Department continued to deliver a diverse ongoing work programme spanning environmental regulation, programme delivery and scientific research. A major focus was placed on improving the efficiency and effectiveness of the Department, with a strategic review of the Department undertaken to examine its roles and functions, and to advise on the most effective structure and operation.

Following the change of government in September 2013, the Department presented the Incoming Government Brief to the new Minister, the Hon Greg Hunt MP, and Parliamentary Secretary, Senator the Hon Simon Birmingham. Over subsequent months, the Department focussed on delivering the Government’s priorities of repealing the carbon tax legislation, preparing the Emissions Reduction Fund, streamlining environmental regulation and establishing the Green Army.

The Government introduced the carbon tax repeal legislation as its first item of legislative business in the 44th Parliament. This package of legislation was enacted by Parliament on 17 July 2014.

Since September 2013, the Department has undertaken extensive consultation and research to implement the Emissions Reduction Fund and other elements of the Government’s Direct Action Plan on climate change. In April 2014, the Government released a White Paper setting out the final design of the Emissions Reduction Fund. Through a reverse auction process, the Emissions Reduction Fund will support projects that reduce emissions or store carbon in the land, and will be one of the major policies that will assist Australia in meeting the unconditional target of reducing Australia’s emissions to 5 per cent below 2000 levels by 2020. The Carbon Farming Initiative Amendment Bill 2014, which will establish the architecture of the Emissions Reduction Fund, was introduced to the House of Representatives on 18 June 2014.

The Department is delivering the Government’s election commitment to reduce unnecessary duplication and administration in regulation, particularly by progressing a One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals by the Commonwealth and the States and Territories. Following the process outlined in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, State and Territory environmental assessment and approval systems will be accredited under national law to create a single approval process that meets both Commonwealth and State environmental standards and requirements. The Department calculates that business will save around $420 million a year from streamlined administrative processes for environmental approvals. At 30 June 2014, negotiations for assessment and approvals bilateral agreements were well under way with all States and Territories.

The Department has supported the Government to implement the Green Army Programme, designed to provide opportunities for young Australians aged 17 to 24 years to gain training and experience in environmental and heritage conservation fields and explore careers in conservation management. The projects are intended to generate real benefits for the environment. Green Army projects will commence in 2014–15 and will be guided by local community needs and contribute to Australia’s national and international environmental priorities and obligations.

Throughout 2013–14, the Department managed a wide variety of ongoing environmental policies, programmes and operational matters. These include the reform and delivery of the National Landcare Programme, water resource and infrastructure policy, the protection of listed species, ecological communities and heritage sites, the regulation of hazardous chemicals and waste, and the coordination of Australia’s operations in Antarctica. Strengthening protection of the Great Barrier Reef has been a major focus of the Department.

The Department was active in pursuing matters of international importance to Australia. Among other priorities, the Department participated in United Nations working group meetings to progress negotiations on an international instrument to address marine biodiversity beyond national jurisdictions. The Department participated in meetings under the International Whaling Commission as part of the Australian Government’s objective to reform the commission into a conservation-oriented body. The Department has worked with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade to advance Australia’s interests with respect to land sector and deforestation emissions under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change.

The Department was affected by significant machinery of government changes following the 2013 Federal election. In particular, the Department acquired responsibility for advising the Government on domestic climate change policy. Functions relating to Indigenous policy were transferred to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet.

In November 2013, the Department’s Executive Board commissioned a strategic review of the organisation. The aim of the review was to position the Department as a strong and resilient organisation able to deliver the Government’s agenda. The review considered the Department’s operations and structure in the context of the incoming Government’s priorities and the broader fiscal environment. It involved wide consultation with staff, and their views were reflected throughout the final report.

Following the release of the final report in April 2014, the Department further strengthened its governance and streamlined its organisational structure and internal management processes. Departmental activities were reprioritised and the Department moved to a three group organisational structure, including an Office of Environmental Science and Economics to provide support to other areas of the Department in multidisciplinary analytics and best-practice implementation and risk management. Further changes were made to strengthen the skills and capabilities of staff, broaden span of control by reducing the numbers of senior staff and increasing the size of work units, and devolve decision-making responsibility. These changes leave the Department well-placed to remain within budget and to deliver the Government’s priorities.

The review informed the Department’s engagement with the Commission of Audit which reviewed how broader government operations could be streamlined and improved.

Outcome 1: Biodiversity and Ecosystems

Since September 2013, the Department has worked to develop and implement the Green Army Programme, a major Government election commitment. The programme will support teams of up to 10 people aged 17 to 24 years to undertake practical, grassroots environmental action to support local environment and heritage conservation projects. In March 2014, the Department released a request for tender to appoint service providers for the programme. Five organisations were selected to deliver the programme nationwide from 2014 to 2017.

Applications for the first round of Green Army projects were open from 9 April to 9 May 2014.
A total of 210 proposals, comprising 442 individual projects, were received. A total of 250 projects are expected to commence in the 2014–15 financial year. The programme was launched on 2 August 2014.

The Department continues to support work to maintain the health and resilience of the Great Barrier Reef, one of the world’s greatest natural wonders. The Department is delivering the Government’s commitment to invest $200 million towards improving the health of the Reef, including $160 million over five years (2013 to 2018) for conservation activities (predominantly under the National Landcare Programme) and $40 million through the Reef Trust, which will support the long-term sustainability of the Great Barrier Reef. In addition, work started on the development of the Reef 2050 Long-term Sustainability Plan, an over-arching framework that will guide the protection and management of the World Heritage Area from 2015 to 2050. This is outlined further under Outcome 5.

The Department continued to support Australia’s unique biodiversity through the system of threat abatement planning. In 2013–14, the Department:

  • made a threat abatement plan for plant disease caused by Phytophthoracinnamomi, a pathogen that causes root rot in native vegetation (January 2014)
  • completed three statutory reviews of threat abatement plans for competition and land degradation by rabbits and goats, and predation by the European red fox
  • supported actions under threat abatement plans through funding a range of research and other projects, including field efficacy trials for a broadscale toxic-bait system (Curiosity™) for the control of feral cats in conservation areas.

The Department completed assessments of 23 fisheries, including the Western Australian Pilbara Trawl Fishery, the New South Wales Ocean Trap and Line Fishery, and the Commonwealth Southern Bluefin Tuna Fishery. All were declared as approved wildlife trade operations under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Outcome 2: Sustainable Population and Communities

In October 2013, Australia signed the Minamata Convention on Mercury, a multilateral agreement on practical actions to protect human health and the environment from the adverse effects of mercury. The Department led Australia’s engagement in negotiations for the convention and is leading work on the ratification process.

Following the Meeting of Australian Environment Ministers in April 2014, the Department is working with States and Territory officials to support governments in establishing a National Clean Air Agreement, to be in place by July 2016.

In May 2014, the Department began a review of the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 and related legislation. The review aims to ensure that Australia meets its obligations and objectives for reducing emissions of ozone-depleting substances and to identify opportunities to streamline the operation of the Act, including reducing regulatory compliance costs for business and the community. In March 2014, a first set of deregulatory amendments to the Act, including exemptions for low-volume importers, was introduced into Parliament.

The Department oversaw completion of the third independent review of the Product Stewardship (Oil) Act 2000 and relevant provisions of customs and excise legislation. The final report was tabled in Parliament in December 2013, and the Government’s response will be delivered in 2014–15. The May 2014 Budget contained a measure to restore the Product Stewardship for Oil scheme to budget neutrality by increasing the levy to 8.5 cents per litre of oil or kilogram of grease from 1 July 2014.

The National Television and Computer Recycling Scheme (the first co-regulatory product stewardship scheme established under the Product Stewardship Act 2011) completed its second year, providing 635 free television and computer collection services around Australia. In its first year the scheme almost doubled the recycling rate, and industry was on track to recycling more than 43 000 tonnes in 2013–14.

Outcome 3: Antarctica

In 2013–14, the Department continued to support Australia’s national interests through maintaining an active presence at the three permanent research stations of Casey, Davis and Mawson. The Department further supported the Government’s strategic interests through the commissioning of Dr Tony Press to prepare a 20 year strategic plan for Australia’s Antarctic operations.

The Department began the process of procuring a new icebreaker to replace the ageing Aurora Australis. Once built, the new icebreaker will transport personnel, cargo and fuel to Australia’s research stations and be a platform for marine and sea-ice science. Following a request for proposal process, two companies were selected to bid in a restricted request for tender to design, build, operate and maintain the icebreaker. The Government announced in the 2014–15 Budget that it would proceed with the procurement process, and the request for tender was released on 31 July 2014.

During the 2013–14 Antarctic summer, the Department was required to manage a number of unexpected and resource-intensive operational challenges. These included:

  • assisting in the rescue of the MV AkademikShokalskiy after the privately chartered vessel became trapped in sea-ice near Commonwealth Bay
  • responding to a helicopter accident near Davis and safely retrieving injured personnel
  • completing an aerial resupply of Mawson when water-based resupply was impeded by heavy coastal sea-ice.

Throughout 2013–14, the Department continued to support world class Antarctic science. A major scientific project to recover ice-cores from a high-altitude site, Aurora Basin North, deep in the interior of the Antarctic continent was successfully conducted in 2013–14 due to strong logistical cooperation between France and Australia. Scientists from 15 partner organisations from Australia, China, Denmark, France, Germany and the United States participated in the fieldwork. The recovered ice-core record extends to 2000 years and fills a large gap in the array of Antarctic climate records.

Outcome 4: Water

The Department, together with the Murray–Darling Basin Authority, led the Australian Government’s engagement on water reform in the Murray–Darling Basin. All Basin jurisdictions have signed the Intergovernmental Agreement on Implementing Water Reform in the Murray–Darling Basin and the associated national partnership agreement, ensuring the cooperative implementation of these reforms.

Consistent with that agreement, jurisdictions are working collaboratively to develop an agreed package of supply, efficiency and constraints measures for consideration under the Sustainable Diversion Limit adjustment mechanism by mid-2016. This mechanism will provide the Minister with the opportunity, based on the advice of the Authority, to adjust Basin Plan Sustainable Diversion Limits within defined limits to achieve equivalent or better environmental, social and economic outcomes. The Authority’s Constraints Management Strategy, released on 28 November 2013, is informing governments of constraints that limit the capacity to deliver environmental water to the Murray–Darling Basin.

In June 2014, the Department released the Water Recovery Strategy for the Murray–Darling Basin, outlining the future approach for water recovery for the environment. The Government is giving priority to investment in water savings infrastructure projects over purchasing as a means of returning water to the environment. Over $2.3 billion is forecast to be spent on infrastructure over the next four years, with $644 million allocated to buybacks.

The Water Recovery Strategy confirms the Government’s commitment to implementing the Murray–Darling Basin Plan on time and in full, while also establishing a 1500 gigalitre cap on surface water purchasing in the Basin. The 1500 gigalitre cap addresses community and industry concerns over the potential adverse social and economic impacts on irrigation dependent communities that may arise from water purchases.

The total amount of water recovered for ‘bridging the gap’ between sustainable diversion limits and existing diversions in the Murray–Darling Basin Plan reached 1904 gigalitres.

The Department continued its work to strengthen the science underpinning regulatory decisions on the water related impacts of coal seam gas and large coal mining developments. This was supported through the provision of 21 pieces of advice to the Commonwealth and State government regulators by the Independent Expert Scientific Committee on Coal Seam Gas and Large Coal Mining Development. The methodology for bioregional assessments was published in October 2013 and the first four context statements were published in June 2014.

Outcome 5: Environmental Protection and Heritage Conservation

On 1 November 2013, the Australian Government announced that the Australian Heritage Strategy would form one of Australia’s key heritage priorities. The Department supported this policy by preparing the draft Australian Heritage Strategy, which was released for consultation on 14 April 2014. The strategy is expected to be finalised in 2014–15.

In April 2014, the Macquarie Island World Heritage Area was declared free of ship rats, rabbits and house mice following a seven-year $24 million joint Australian and Tasmanian government project. The invasive pests were causing widespread damage to the island’s exceptional and delicate flora and fauna and its unique geology. The success of the project has resulted in protection of nesting seabirds and regeneration of island vegetation.

As part of its support for the Government’s efforts to better define, protect and communicate the outstanding universal value of the Great Barrier Reef, the Department developed Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 referral guidelines for the outstanding universal value of the Great Barrier Reef World Heritage Area.

The Department has continued to support the Government to develop innovative and collaborative approaches to the management of the Great Barrier Reef through the development of the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan. In December 2013, the Great Barrier Reef Ministerial Forum agreed the scope of the Plan, which includes a vision, outcomes framework and integrated monitoring and reporting to guide management of the Reef for the next 35 years. Building on the work of the comprehensive strategic assessment and the public comments received on the draft strategic assessment reports, the Department commenced drafting the Plan with the Queensland Government and the Reef 2050 Long Term Sustainability Plan Partnership Group, comprising senior representatives from leading non-government bodies, industry groups, Indigenous organisations and community groups. The draft Plan was released for public comment in September 2014. The plan will be considered by the World Heritage Committee in mid-2015.

The Department continued its work to identify and conserve threatened species and ecological communities:

  • Four communities were added to the national list of threatened ecological communities: a eucalyptus woodland on the Eyre Peninsula, a mallee woodland on Kangaroo Island, a shrubland on the south coast of Western Australia, and subtropical and temperate coastal saltmarsh across Australia.
  • Eleven recovery plans were made or adopted for 25 listed threatened species and two listed threatened ecological communities. These include a recovery plan for 10 nationally threatened plant species on Kangaroo Island, a multi-species recovery plan covering four threatened species of rock wallaby, and a revised recovery plan for the Great White Shark.
  • The Department continued to participate in the orange-bellied parrot recovery programme. Implementation of the programme’s actions have increased the number of birds in the wild and improved the quality of the captive insurance population. These results are believed to have significantly reduced the likelihood of extinction of the species, which was in critical decline
    in 2010.

From November 2013 the Department began accepting applications for trade in native and Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora specimens through a new online permitting system. The system acts as a single point for wildlife trade permits, capturing and storing applicant information electronically and allowing for online payments. This results in administrative efficiencies for both the Department and applicants.