Minister’s Foreword
Australians share a commitment to a sustainable Australian continent. The Howard Government is delivering on that commitment, by addressing the problems created by unsustainable practices in the past, and looking to the future.
The Sustainable Environment Committee of Cabinet, chaired by the Prime Minister, takes responsibility for ensuring that environmental considerations are central to decisions on economic growth and development. The whole-of-government task is being delivered through a partnership of Australian Government portfolios and agencies, by all levels of government and most importantly, by the Australian people living in remote communities, small country towns and in our largest cities.
The Howard Government’s record proves that economic development need not be at the expense of environmental values or social cohesion. Through successive budgets, the Howard Government has invested more resources than ever before into environmental programmes and put in place a strategic framework to address environmental issues of national concern. This strategic framework aims to achieve integrated natural resource management across all of Australia’s catchment regions (56 in all) and throughout Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone and continental seas by means of regional marine planning. The strategic approach to natural resource management is complemented by an integrated national approach to energy and greenhouse gas emissions
The Government’s sustainability strategy is underpinned by powerful legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, and ecosystem based planning and management for our fisheries, coral reefs, and broader marine and terrestrial resource management. Australia has become the first nation to identify terrestrial biodiversity hotspots (15 of these) and is making an unprecedented effort to identify areas representative of unique ecosystems through strategic marine planning, most dramatically in relation to the Great Barrier Reef.
One of the key features of the Government’s approach is the identification of heritage protection and management as an essential tool for sustainability. This year, for the first time, we now have a national legislative regime for the protection of Australia’s natural, Indigenous and historic heritage. Laws at the national level are focused closely on matters of national environment significance. We can now ensure that places nominated by Australians as being of outstanding national significance from Aboriginal rock art galleries, to the Melbourne Exhibition Building and the Sydney Opera House are protected, conserved and understood.
The Government will continue to ensure that matters of national environmental significance are given full and timely consideration in development proposals, and that industry groups using the legislation are supported to ensure that they can comply with the legislation in a practical and effective manner.
Australia has unique opportunities in the pursuit of sustainability. We are the only nation to occupy an entire continent. We have a highly flexible and adaptive market economy that is increasingly focused on environmental products and services and on triple bottom line reporting. Across Australia regional communities and individuals, with support from the Australian Government, are doing outstanding work to address our environmental challenges.
This year’s Budget Statement shows significant new investments in sustainability both in the environment and heritage portfolio and across government with $839.3 million over four years of new measures. The 2004-05 environment and heritage budget provides, yet again, a record level of environmental expenditure support for environmental action at $2.4 billion.
This Budget will provide an extra $300 million to continue the Natural Heritage Trust (the Trust), the largest and most successful environmental rescue effort ever undertaken in Australia’s history, into 2007-08. This new funding will build on the unprecedented level of investment in our environment adding a twelfth year to the Trust and bringing total investment in the Trust to $3.0 billion. Introduced by the Howard Government in 1996-97, the Trust will continue to provide the foundation for a sustainable Australia with funding for practical, strategic and results oriented actions by the Australian people and all levels of government.
This Budget builds on the unprecedented level of investment in our environment through the $3.0 billion Natural Heritage Trust and, with the States and Territories, the $1.4 billion National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality (NAP). In 2004-05, working in close partnership with State and Territory governments, regional bodies and local governments and communities, the Australian Government will invest $310 million from the Trust and $152.7 million from the NAP.
These investments, through careful planning and strategic interventions, are starting to produce improvements in ecosystem health and take us along the path to sustainability. The Australian Government will maintain that investment into the future, providing vital resources to address the damage of the past and harness opportunities for the future.
This budget reaffirms the landmark $200 million for a Basin-wide strategic approach to water over-allocation in the Murray-Darling Basin agreed at COAG in August 2003, announced in the 2003-04 Additional Estimates. This $200 million contribution is proof of the Howard Government's commitment to partnerships with the State and Territory Governments to improve the health of one of our biggest natural icons, the Murray River system. It is subject to satisfactory agreement between the partners on the introduction of the National Water Initiative. This will take the Howard Government expenditure on the Murray to $1 billion.
This Budget contains an additional $30.3 million for the Great Barrier Reef to support the new zoning plan for the Marine Park, and an additional $70.3 million to support a significant strengthening and refocusing of our actions to combat the effects of climate change.
The Budget also extends the National Landcare Programme an additional two years by providing $80 million ($40 million in both 2006-07 and 2007-08). The Landcare programme is central to community involvement in natural resource management and the new funding will bring the Howard Government’s investment in this programme to $159.5 million over the next four years.
Australia, with one of the longest and most diverse coastlines of any nation, and most of the Australian population concentrated along the coast, has led the world in developing an integrated and articulated Oceans Policy. Our Exclusive Economic Zone and continental seas are better protected now through regional marine plans to manage our fisheries, coral reefs, and coastlines. Our vast Southern Ocean territories are more secure against the incursions of illegal fishers.
Australia will continue to be a responsible and effective contributor to international efforts to better protect the world’s natural environment and heritage. We are supporting work in our region to protect areas of high biodiversity value that are under threat. We are working with our Asia-Pacific neighbours on cooperative projects to minimise the threat of imported diseases and pests, while conserving migratory species and controlling trade in endangered species.
We are cooperating with like-minded nations in protecting the Antarctic and pursuing greater protection for the whales that migrate through our waters, especially against so-called “scientific whaling”. We are contributing effectively to a range of global initiatives and agreements, from those that aim to eliminate the production, use and emission of persistent organic pollutants to those that seek to cooperate to protect and conserve the outstanding natural and cultural heritage of the world.
More Australians are making a difference, being careful with their water and energy use, reducing their reliance on plastic bags, and driving more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly cars. Together with national standard setting and the appropriate use of national environment measures and standards, these efforts are paying dividends.
The air quality of our major cities is improving while our cities grow and expand as our economy improves. Our buildings are becoming more energy efficient, our cities more sustainable, although much remains to be done. The Australian Government will continue to seek improvements in our national approach, through working towards common national standards for the sustainability of our built environment.
Governments cannot achieve a sustainable continent unless all Australians play their part. On behalf of the Howard Government, let me take this opportunity to thank all those who are involved in helping put Australia’s environment and our heritage on a more sustainable basis. We will maintain our support for your efforts into the future.
DAVID KEMP
Australian Government Minister for the Environment and Heritage