CHAPTER 6
6.1 During the course of the inquiry the Committee heard from a number
of community groups and individual members of the public. The Committee
was impressed with the level of awareness displayed and the degree of
concern expressed in relation to relevant issues, and also with the evident
willingness on the part of concerned groups and individuals to make commitments
of time, energy and resources to working locally to protect the marine
environment. The Committee believes that members of the community such
as these have an invaluable contribution to make.
6.2 There is evidence of great enthusiasm and commitment on the part
of the community in general. Professor Tom McMahon, Deputy Director of
the Cooperative Research Centre for Catchment Hydrology at Monash University,
spoke of the 'enormous number of local people' who come to CRC field days
and ask questions: 'They take that and then use it.' [1]
6.3 The Resource Assessment Commission recognised the importance of public
consultation and participation in management of the coastal zone. The
Commission proposed nine National Objectives for Coastal Zone Management
for its proposed National Coastal Action Program (4.17, above) and 26
General Principles for Resource Management.[2]
The objectives are consistent with the National Strategy for Ecologically
Sustainable Development (4.73, above).
6.4 Objectives and Principles relevant to community involvement in the
management of marine pollution include:
Informed, public participation, in open, consultative processes
dealing with management of coastal resources should be ensured. Arrangements
for attempting to resolve competing demands or aspirations should be
established. (Objective 7) Indigenous interests in the coastal zone
should be recognised and incorporated into management arrangements.
(Objective 8) Effective and high-quality public consultation and participation
should be encouraged before decisions are made. For the participation
to be effective, the public requires sufficient information and opportunity
to be informed about alternative resource uses and the benefits and
losses associated with them. Processes for deciding about resource allocation
and management should be open and publicly documented to allow for scrutiny.
(Principle 12) Local communities should be encouraged to share responsibility
for management of local coastal zone resources and to participate in
forums to determine management strategies at local and regional levels.
(Principle 19)
6.5 The Committee fully endorses these Objectives and Principles. Community
participation in the assessment and management of land based marine pollution
enhances community ownership of the problem and ensures that an awareness
of the problem and a recognition of the need for a solution exists in
the community. Such participation can also identify strategies which are
responsive to community concerns and generate broader decision making
perspectives not limited to past practices and interests.
6.6 Community groups have been prominent in marine environmental conservation
and in raising public awareness of issues affecting the marine environment.
According to the Marine and Coastal Community Network (6.27, below), there
are over 2,600 non-government organisations in Australia with particular
interests in the coastal and marine environments. These include fishing
and dive clubs, industry and utility agencies and community groups with
a conservation focus.[3]
6.7 Conservation and community groups with marine and coastal interests
range from small groups with particular local concerns to major conservation
groups such as the Australian Conservation Foundation and Greenpeace.
General issues identified by major conservation groups include sand mining
and offshore petroleum, coastal zone development, land use and clearing
of catchments, pollution, the effects of fishing, degradation of beaches
and the effects of tourism.
6.8 A critical factor in encouraging local communities to become involved
in environmental issues, and in ensuring their continuing commitment,
is the need to ensure that genuine consideration is given to their views.
According to Mr John Foss of the Surfrider Foundation, the Otway Region
Water Authority, with the support of the Environment Protection Authority
of Victoria, proposed extending the Lorne sewage outfall and upgrading
it to secondary treatment, disregarding the local community's opposition
and its preference for land based treatment.[4]
6.9 According to the Otway Region Water Authority, however, serious consideration
had been given to land based treatment but the geography of the area made
it uneconomic, and the community had largely approved the new treatment
plant. Sewage would be treated to almost tertiary standard before discharge
to the sea, considerably improving the amenity of the local beaches and
reducing the impact on the marine environment. The Authority's submission
stated that there had been five years of community consultation relating
to the project.[5]
6.10 As the outcome at Lorne clearly demonstrates, public consultation
and participation will not guarantee universal satisfaction with decisions
made. What is important is that the consultation and participation is
genuine and that the relevant authorities take community concerns into
account and draw on community knowledge and expertise when making decisions
that will affect the community and its environment.
6.11 It is just as important for communities to take part in major planning
decisions as it is to be involved directly in smaller local projects such
as dune reclamation and beach clean-up activities. Community frustration
and cynicism can easily develop when members of the community feel excluded
from participation in major planning proposals such as residential developments,
sewage treatment works or industrial and commercial developments.
6.12 Access to information is a significant factor in maximising the
community's ability to participate in monitoring and management of those
activities likely to be sources of marine pollution. The Australian Seafood
Industry Council argued that the public should have unrestricted access
to compliance and monitoring data and licence requirements.[6]
6.13 Mr Tony Bazeley of the Port Adelaide Residents Environment Protection
Group told the Committee that it was becoming increasingly difficult to
get information. He said that given the charges for access to discharge
licences, and with 27 licensees in his group's area, it was becoming prohibitive
for small community groups to obtain detailed information.[7]
6.14 The Committee believes that members of the community should have
reasonable access to information relevant to the local environment. Such
information should be available at little or no cost and should include
scientific information as well as details of proposed developments and
their impacts.
Recommendation 23: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State and local authorities to develop uniform legislation
requiring local councils to provide information relating to the health
of the marine environment and to the impact of proposed developments,
waste disposal practices and licence conditions, on request.
Recommendation 24: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State and local authorities to develop models for
community participation in local authority processes, and uniform legislation
requiring local councils to provide opportunities for the community to
be involved in the decision making process relating to proposed developments
and their impact on the environment.
6.15 A prime example of community involvement is catchment management.
Among the management principles of the Richmond Catchment Management Committee,
referred to at 5.20, above, were the view that all members of the catchment
community should have the opportunity to voice their opinions and concerns,
and that change should be achieved through information, awareness, and
consultation rather than through confrontation.[8]
6.16 Similarly, the submission of the Queensland Government stated that:
The [catchment management] initiative aims to bring government
and the community together to work as partners ... The strategy relies
totally on the involvement and commitment of government (State and local)
and community groups in coming together to identify and address the
key natural resources management issues and actions in their respective
catchments.[9]
6.17 However, as was suggested at 5.26, above, catchment management committees
can be captured by certain constituencies. Mr Christopher Davis, Executive
Director of the Australian Water and Wastewater Association, told the
Committee that one of the problems with catchment management committees
is that they do not have final authority in their area. Another is that
some committees are perceived to be captured by certain constituencies.
He said that:
it depends where they are, but there is a feeling in some catchment
management committees that they have been captured by certain interests
and they do not necessarily serve the broader interests of the community
at large.[10]
6.18 The Committee believes that it is vital to ensure that all sectors
of the community are represented and heard on catchment management committees:
agricultural, industrial, commercial, local government and community groups,
and that no particular group is in a position to determine strategies
favourable to its own interests but not to those of the community at large.
Recommendation 6: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth Government
work with State and local authorities to oversee catchment management
policies from the perspective of their eventual impact on the marine environment,
and to develop strategies to ensure that catchment management committees
are genuinely representative of catchment communities.
6.19 Many community groups are involved in monitoring their local environment.
Some schools are actively involved in water quality monitoring or researching
other aspects of marine pollution, and the importance of targeting school
students is discussed later in this chapter. Coastcare, discussed below
at 6.32, provides a mechanism for communities to work with local authorities
in the management of their environment.
6.20 A number of organisations and individuals noted the importance of
involving the community in the monitoring and management process. Dr Graham
Harris of the Academy of Science told the Committee that:
The community involvement is also an important but difficult
matter. I have had a lot to do with community groups over the last little
while and clearly they wish to be involved, clearly they wish to have
more information and there is an important role for them ... In the
Port Philip Bay study we have actually recommended that the community
be involved in the ongoing monitoring of the Bay. There are some things
they can do in terms of fishing and keeping an eye on fish stocks and
also monitoring things like seagrass beds and so on, which are important
ecosystem components, and local communities can keep an eye on some
of these important ecosystem components.[11]
6.21 The 1994 Ocean Outlook Congress reported that:
Attention should be given to encouraging the participation of
local communities in monitoring activities and to ensure that the scientific
process is at the core of the management and monitoring strategy.[12]
6.22 The Committee endorses these views, and believes that community
participation in monitoring the state of the marine environment can provide
valuable information to managers and also give the community a sense of
ownership and therefore of commitment to protecting its local marine environment.
Recommendation 25: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State and local authorities to provide opportunities,
such as those offered by Coastcare, for members of the community to participate
in monitoring and management of the marine environment and in the formulation
of policies and programs relating to such activities.
6.23 The importance of an approach which involves indigenous peoples
in the management of the coast and particularly of conservation areas,
including national parks, marine parks and World Heritage Areas is addressed
by twelve RAC recommendations. Implementation of these recommendations
would provide for indigenous communities to participate effectively in
the Inquiry's National Coastal Action Plan and to complement and extend
initiatives for community involvement.[13]
6.24 A number of indigenous groups drew the attention of the Committee
to the relatively large proportions of Aboriginal and Islander peoples
living off coastal marine resources and the significant impact of marine
and coastal pollution on their food sources.[14]
6.25 Mr Geoffrey Dews, Marine Strategy Coordinator, Torres Strait Island
Coordinating Council, told the Committee that: 'Torres Strait Islanders
are possibly the highest consumers of seafood of any race in the world.'
He noted that anything in the marine environment affected by pollution
may affect the Islanders' protein source and their traditional source
of food. (See 3.158, above.) Mr Dews also commented on the need to inform
Islanders of the results of relevant research in appropriate language
and at an appropriate time. [15]
Recommendation 26: The Committee recommends the development of strategies
to assist indigenous communities in the management of their parts of the
coastal zone.
6.26 The importance of conservation groups is well recognised by government.
The Commonwealth report 'Supporting Community Conservation Action in Australia'
noted that voluntary conservation organisations 'are more cost-effective,
more responsive, more innovative, have excellent community networks and
are more trusted by the Australian community than governments and the
private sector'.[16]
6.27 Because of the importance of such groups, a network of marine environmental
organisations within Australia, the Marine and Coastal Community Network
(MCCN), was established in the Ocean Rescue 2000 program (4.95, above).
6.28 The MCCN commenced operations in 1993 and serves as a focal point
for over 2,500 non-government organisations. It has a full-time National
Coordinator and six Regional Coordinators covering each state and the
Northern Territory. The Network's role is a coordinating one and it produces
a regular news bulletin, Waves. It also organises workshops and
coordinates the annual Ocean Care Day.
6.29 The Network has been allocated a total of $6 million over four years
from 1997/98.[17] Its primary
aim is to encourage and facilitate community support for the conservation
and ecologically sustainable use of Australia's marine and coastal environments.
Its goals are:
- to promote understanding and awareness throughout the community
of current and potential impacts on marine and coastal ecosystems,
and of the need to manage human activities;
- to identify and encourage liaison amongst community, industry and
other user groups and individuals with interests in marine and coastal
environments;
- to provide information to all spheres of government;
- to encourage community consultation and participation in marine
and coastal initiatives;
- to encourage government agencies to consult with coastal communities;
and
- to provide a forum for free discussion and community input into
decision making processes.
6.30 The principles under which the network operates are that:
- the community has a right to be involved in decision making;
- good decision making relies on relevant, accessible, up-to-date
information that is clearly understandable;
- there is a need to manage human activities to ensure that long-term
sustainable use of marine ecosystems can be achieved, and detrimental
environmental impacts are minimised; and
- everyone has a right to their point of view, but decisions that
affect whole communities should be based on informed and considered
opinions.
6.31 Network coordinators have found that there is a great deal of interest
and enthusiasm in the marine environment in the Australian community but
knowledge on marine conservation is very limited. They have found that
members of the public are confused about responsibilities regarding the
marine environment and invariably express their frustration when trying
to report a problem to the 'appropriate authorities'.[18]
6.32 Among the recommendations of the Resource Assessment Commission's
Coastal Zone Inquiry were the establishment of Coastcare groups and measures
to ensure that community groups are provided with an opportunity to participate
in the formulation of policies and the conduct of programs relating to
the management of coastal zone resources. The Coastcare program would
extend and complement existing initiatives for community involvement in
integrated catchment management.[19]
6.33 The Commonwealth Coastal Policy established a Coastcare program
to harness community interest in the coastal zone and link it to appropriate
skills, expertise and resources, thereby promoting an effective vehicle
for changing the way the coast is managed. The program focuses primarily
on publicly owned or managed terrestrial and marine environments. It aims,
as far as possible, to build on existing community activities and to accommodate
existing management responsibilities and arrangements.
6.34 The program provides opportunities for communities to work with
their local managers, usually the local council, to identify problems
along their stretch of the coast and then to develop and implement solutions.
Regional facilitators support the development and implementation of these
projects. The Commonwealth and State Governments are providing matching
funding for Coastcare projects and the Commonwealth is providing additional
funding to employ the Coastcare facilitators, who are hosted by State
and local governments.[20]
6.35 More than 140,000 members of the community participate in Coastcare
programs.[21] Coastcare provides
funding for a range of activities to:
- protect and rehabilitate sensitive coastal areas;
- develop and implement local management plans;
- enhance sustainable tourism, recreation and other activities, including
access to the coast;
- monitor coastal environments; and
- involve local industries in community projects and the adoption
of sustainable practices.[22]
6.36 The Committee welcomes initiatives such as Coastcare and believes
that all spheres of government should take active steps to ensure that
community interest and expertise is appropriately harnessed to assist
in the management of the coastal and marine environment.
6.37 In recent years increasing community concern about environmental
issues has led to the development of environmental topics in school subjects
such as science and geography, and separate environmental courses. These
have tended to focus on the terrestrial environment for a variety of reasons,
including the community's greater familiarity with terrestrial issues
and the lack of teachers trained in marine subjects. According to SOMER,
most Australians leave school with little understanding of the sea and
the important issues affecting the marine environment.[23]
6.38 Formal marine education in schools is relatively new in Australia
and despite some excellent programs the quality and quantity of marine
education is generally limited. However, several States have developed
specialist marine education subjects at upper secondary level, combining
practical maritime skills with marine environmental education. A number
of schools around Australia have also developed marine studies subjects
at Year 9 and 10 levels.
6.39 Museums, aquaria and other centres provide educational programs
on site and produce material for use in schools, as well as incorporating
a strong educational theme in their general exhibition programs. Commonwealth
and State agencies such as national parks services and the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park Authority, and conservation organisations, also produce
educational material on the marine environment.
6.40 Many schools base their marine studies on Seaweek, the yearly national
awareness week organised by the Marine Education Society of Australasia
(MESA). MESA began in 1988 to meet the need for a marine based subject
association. Membership includes teachers, resource managers, commercial
interests and community groups interested in marine education. MESA has
identified a number of desired outcomes for marine education.[24]
6.41 MESA has been involved in the Coastal and Marine Schools Project,
which aims to extend and develop a curriculum and professional development
program for teachers that promotes and encourages coast and marine studies
from Kindergarten to Year 12. The Project is funded by Environment Australia.
6.42 During its visit to Ballina on the north coast of NSW in May 1997
for hearings and inspections, the Committee was presented with details
of the Marine Studies program at Ballina High School. Marine Studies was
introduced as a formal subject at the school in 1977. It is currently
a Content Endorsed Course (i.e. it is not eligible for inclusion in a
student's Tertiary Entrance Ranking), prior to the development of a Board
Developed Course which would count towards a student's TER.
6.43 The current Content Endorsed Course for NSW was written by Mr Mick
O'Connor of Ballina High, the only gazetted Head Teacher Marine Studies
in the State, and Mr Gary McCoy from Tweed River High. The course includes
maritime skills such as boat handling and water safety; marine science
components such as water quality monitoring, marine ecosystems and units
on various forms of sea life; and issues such as coastal management, aquaculture
and fisheries.
6.44 According to the school, courses are heavily supported by the local
community, both financially and with expertise. They are seen by the community
as worthwhile, relevant and as a means of instilling suitable attitudes
in students to the marine environment and ecosystems on which Ballina
depends so heavily.
6.45 Ballina High School is also seeking the establishment of the school
as a regional and state Resource School for Marine Studies. It is envisaged
that the school, strategically located on a river and the sea, could become
a resource centre for all schools in northern NSW and a centre of excellence
for the Department of School Education. Such a centre would require the
commitment of significant funds but would avoid the costly and inefficient
duplication of resources, and provide opportunities and resources beyond
the financial capacity of most schools.
6.46 Students from other schools would come to Ballina High to use the
resources, develop practical skills in the laboratories and aquaculture
facilities and work in the estuary and ocean, within three blocks of the
school. Such a system already operates successfully in Queensland, where
Marine Studies has TER status. Schools in the Mackay area, for example,
operate out of the Pioneer High School Marine Centre.[25]
6.47 The Committee believes that courses such as those developed at Pioneer
High School and Ballina High School, and the successful involvement of
the local community in educational courses, are to be applauded. The general
community and the formal educational system working together can be a
powerful instrument for shaping the attitudes of young people.
6.48 The reluctance in some quarters of the educational establishment
to give full academic status to interdisciplinary courses with significant
'hands on' elements must be overcome if attitudes and understanding of
the kind required for change to occur are to become part of the fabric
of our thinking about the environment.
Recommendation 27: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State education authorities to explore the possibility
of establishing marine science courses, with equal status to other tertiary
entrance subjects, in all States, and to provide funding for marine resource
centres at strategically located schools.
6.49 TAFE marine courses tend to focus on maritime skills. Some courses
contain elements which reflect the interests of industry so that employees
receive relevant job training in areas such as resource management, aquaculture
and tourism. The Australian Maritime College in Launceston, Tasmania,
specialises in maritime training. It was established as a national centre
for applied studies in all aspects of fisheries.
6.50 Marine components have traditionally been a part of university subjects
such as botany and zoology but specialist undergraduate and post-graduate
courses in marine studies have increased greatly since the 1970s. Areas
of specialisation mostly reflect the history and geography of particular
institutions.[26]
6.51 Professor Leon Zann stated in his submission to the inquiry that
Australia is the driest continent and that every Australian must be generally
aware of the need for water and waste management, and their own responsibilities.
This necessitates a continuing national education program, from schools
to senior citizen groups, and particular support for specialist community
groups such as total catchment management groups.[27]
6.52 The Commonwealth supports community involvement in the management
of the marine environment through the National Marine Education Program.
As part of Ocean Rescue 2000 the Program was designed to develop an understanding
of the importance of conservation and the sustainable use of marine resources
and how members of the community can work together to safeguard marine
environments for the future. It aims to provide accurate and timely information
based on the latest marine research and targets the general community,
schools, the media, industry and recreational groups.[28]
6.53 The objectives of the Program are to provide the community with:
- an awareness, appreciation and understanding of the marine environment
and of the need for its conservation;
- environmentally responsible attitudes; a commitment to work for
change; a wide range of skills and behaviour for successfully tackling
coastal environmental problems;
- the ability to contribute actively to the planning and management
processes; and
- a high level of commitment to, and compliance with, future management
programs.[29]
6.54 Educating the community in general about marine pollution is central
to tackling the problem, but doing so involves difficulties. Ms Caroline
Williams, of the University of Tasmania, argued in her submission to the
inquiry that:
Combating marine pollution involves questioning current consumption
levels and lifestyle, as well as waste prevention, reduction and disposal
strategies. It is because the problem is intimately related to all that
we do that it has proven so intractable, and that it has been so difficult
to adopt specific measures to manage or control it.[30]
6.55 Mr Borvin Kracman of MFP Australia spoke of the difficulty of convincing
authorities and developers that water reuse systems such as those being
developed by MFP in its New Haven Village project were a preferable alternative
to traditional infrastructure systems. He told the Committee that education
of the general community is a gradual, evolutionary process:
The first process really is to educate the professional community
and the community at large that infrastructure development of the 19th
and 20th centuries is not sustainable ... That is going to be an evolutionary
thing. It is probably going to take at least a generation of about 20
years.[31]
6.56 According to the National Museum of Australia, museums play a significant
role in educating the public about ecologically sustainable development
through exhibitions and other public programs. The National Museum's submission
stated that:
Museums are committed to community outreach and involvement,
provide an important focus for community issues and concerns and are
an important information resource.[32]
6.57 In 1995, in partnership with the Australian Heritage Commission,
the National Museum developed a travelling children's program which aimed
to raise awareness of threats to the environmental and cultural heritage
of coastal places. The program, called Coasting Around the Edge, was aimed
at children in Years 1-5. Its goals were:
- to allow students to explore ideas and values related to the Australian
coast in a way that is fun and informative;
- to encourage students to value the natural and cultural heritage
of the Australian coast; and
- to encourage a sense of personal responsibility and commitment to
positive action in preserving the heritage values of the coast.[33]
6.58 The Committee acknowledges the vital role of museums in providing
educational services to the general community, and believes that funding
for museums must be maintained at levels adequate to support both research
and educational functions.
6.59 The value of involving members of the community in marine pollution
issues, and particularly of targeting school children, was highlighted
by Dr Nigel Wace, who undertakes an annual survey of beach litter at Anxious
Bay in South Australia. He began his surveys in 1991, and has been assisted
by students from Adelaide, Streaky Bay and Elliston. Quite apart from
the value of the research itself, Dr Wace said that: 'Another aspect of
this which appeals to me is the purely educational one: getting schools
involved.' [34]
6.60 Mr Chris Gray, also working on beach litter, particularly its effect
on seabirds, referred to the value of marine pollution research projects
conducted by students at Queenscliff High School in Victoria, now Bellarine
Secondary College.[35]
6.61 Some major user and interest groups, such as the fishing industry,
divers, eco-tourist operators and conservation groups have developed programs
to reshape the attitudes of target groups and their behaviour towards
the sea. Some marine management agencies, such as the Great Barrier Reef
Marine Park Authority, have developed successful community education and
user-extension programs.[36]
6.62 The GBRMP Act requires the Authority to involve the public in many
of its decision making processes, including zoning and formulating management
plans, as this increases public acceptance and a sense of ownership, and
leads to more effective planning. Input from reef users and conservation
groups occurs through the GBR Consultative Committee, which comprises
representatives from management, tourism, fisheries, conservation, aboriginal
communities, local government and other relevant organisations and groups.[37]
6.63 The Authority aims, through coordinated education and extension
programs, to inform users of the Park, and the community generally, of
the potential water quality issues impacting the Reef. By implementing
these strategies the Authority promotes the commitment, skills and knowledge
of stakeholder groups to participate in achieving water quality standards
necessary for the long-term sustainability of the reef.[38]
6.64 The Authority supports and liaises with agricultural bodies, landcare
organisations, catchment coordination committees and conservation organisations.
The principal aim of this liaison is to raise the awareness of potential
downstream effects of agricultural practices on estuarine and marine waters.[39]
Dr Ian McPhail, Chairman of GBRMPA, told the Committee that the Authority
sees it as important to be actively part of movements such as landcare:
We employ a rural liaison officer - a farmer - and she works
with rural communities along the coast of the Great Barrier reef on
the consequences of land use management on the Great Barrier Reef.[40]
6.65 GBRMPA has assisted local communities in ten coastal towns in the
Marine Park region to set up and run Regional Marine Resource Advisory
Committees. Representatives include the entire cross-section of marine
resource user and interest groups plus representatives of local government
and State and Commonwealth management agencies. Marine pollution issues
and concerns at a local level are dealt with and forwarded to the relevant
agencies, and management agencies can use the Committees to disseminate
information.
6.66 GBRMPA is involved with many aspects of school and community education.
The Authority responds to thousands of requests for information from students,
teachers and the public about threats to the marine environment and management
issues. Marine pollution is a common subject of such requests. The Authority
also supports formal education initiatives in the marine field, including
teaching materials, training and teacher conferences.[41]
6.67 Ms Cathy Parsons, of the Office of National Tourism, told the Committee
that in the ecotourism sector, education is part of the operator's way
of life, and that more of the larger operators are becoming sensitive
to the fact that tourists not only want to enjoy but to learn about their
environment.[42] In giving evidence
to the Committee on another matter Ms Parsons referred to the new national
ecotourism accreditation program set up with support from the Commonwealth.[43]
The Committee welcomes such initiatives and efforts by ecotourism operators
to educate the community about the issues relating to marine and coastal
pollution.
6.68 As pointed out at 3.128, above, a large number of commercial seafood
species spend some part of their life cycle in estuaries, and much of
Australia's commercial fishing takes place in estuaries and the near-shore
zone. Commercially important species are therefore vulnerable to the dual
depradations of pollution and habitat destruction. The fishing industry
is increasingly aware of the need for protection of the marine environment
and has become involved in education campaigns within the industry and
in the wider community.[44]
6.69 Dr McPhail told the Committee that:
I think we have also got a much greater community awareness now.
After all, quite frankly, the most vociferous and best organised protectors
of mangroves nowadays are not greenies; they are the fishing industry,
who recognise that if you do not have fry, you do not have fish. If
you do not have healthy mangroves, you do not have healthy fish breeding
areas, you do not have natural siltation traps you do not have all of
those things which protect fisheries. Fish farming in rivers is now
creating a fairly active debate between the fish farmer and the terrestrial
farmer as to the material that is coming down the stream.[45]
6.70 The Australian Fisheries Management Authority coordinates Fishcare,
a program being developed to provide guidance and strategies for national
planning, coordinated actions and community participation to assist in
rebuilding Australia's fisheries to more productive and sustainable levels.
The program is designed to:
- develop an awareness and understanding among the community of the
issues so as to improve the level of debate on contentious issues,
encourage appropriate behaviour and encourage an appropriate use ethic
amongst the wider community so that more informed decisions can be
made;
- encourage the active participation of the wider community and governments
in working together to solve problems;
- identify and prioritise key problems and develop strategies to address
them;
- identify and influence groups, activities and programs which impact
on the subject area; and
- collect information on key indicators of the state of the subject
area.
6.71 A 1994 Australian National Audit Office audit of the Australian
Maritime Safety Authority recommended that the Authority consider developing
a mechanism for more effective representation by coastal local government
councils. AMSA supported the recommendation and the March 1995 meeting
of the National Plan Advisory Committee agreed to establish closer links
with organisations such as the Marine and Coastal Community Network. NPAC
also agreed that representation by environmental community groups would
be at the local and regional level and that a standing agenda item be
included at all NPAC meetings to allow for each State and Northern Territory
representative to report on local community issues.
6.72 During an oil spill response National Plan arrangements provide
for briefings of local community leaders so that response activity is
clearly understood and spill responders are able to take advantage of
local knowledge. On completion of a major oil spill response public hearings
may be held to assess the effectiveness of the response from a community
perspective. This was undertaken during the Iron Baron incident.[46]
6.73 AMSA provides information on the National Plan through Waves,
the newsletter of the Marine and Coastal Community Network. It also produces
an educational kit on issues related to ship sourced pollution for use
in high schools, launched in September 1996.[47]
The kit is designed to meet the demand from schools for information on
oil spills, pollution of the sea and other marine environmental matters.
It includes written material, a CD-ROM game and material to assist teachers.
It aims to raise appreciation of Australia's natural heritage and an understanding
of the functions of pollution management.[48]
6.74 The Queensland Farmers' Federation stated in its submission that
stakeholders must have strong involvement in the development of programs,
policies and legislation and that this would be the most effective mechanism
for achieving durable and meaningful change on-farm. The Federation stated
that stronger ownership of outcomes would be engendered by strong involvement
in the process.[49]
6.75 The Surfrider Foundation was established in 1991 as a non-profit
environmental organisation dedicated to the protection of Australia's
oceans, waves and beaches through research, education, conservation and
community development. It is Australia's largest community based coastal
environmental group and is actively involved in lobbying local and State
governments to address such issues as sewage and stormwater outfalls.
6.76 The State of Our Surf (SOS) report was begun in 1993 as a baseline
survey to determine the extent of adverse development and pollution of
Australia's 600 popular surfing beaches.[50]
The 1995 SOS report, Human Impact on Australian Beaches, involved
a network of approximately 340 volunteers who completed 1,612 surveys
on 1,392 mainland beaches and 220 island beaches. The project targeted
beaches throughout Australia and examined issues such as the nature of
adjacent land use, property development, direct and diffuse pollution
sources, litter and beach management initiatives.[51]
6.77 While the Foundation acknowledges the limitations of a survey of
this kind and the variability of the quality of the data received, there
is no doubt that the project makes a major contribution to the community's
knowledge of one aspect of the coastal environment, and illustrates the
significant role that community groups can play in addressing the issues
involved in marine and coastal pollution.
6.78 The Surfrider Foundation has a strong education charter and in 1995
produced a Marine and Coastal Environmental Issues Kit for schools and
community groups. The Gold Coast branch of the Foundation received a grant
early in 1997 to work with school students testing stormwater outfalls.[52]
The Foundation believes that education at the community and industry level
has an important role to play in the protection and preservation of marine
and coastal areas.[53]
6.79 The Committee welcomes continuing efforts by industry and community
groups to educate members of the public and operators within particular
industries about marine pollution issues. The greater the level of awareness
of general and industry-specific issues the more likely it is that individuals
and organisations will understand that it is in their own interest and
that of the community at large to manage their activities so as to minimise
the effect on the marine environment.
6.80 The Committee acknowledges that the problem of marine pollution
is intimately related to everyday activities and that there is a difficulty
in educating the community to question current consumption levels and
lifestyle. However, the Committee believes that formal and informal educational
processes should be used to raise the profile of marine pollution issues
and to increase community awareness and understanding of the impact of
work and domestic practices on the marine environment.
Recommendation 28: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State and local authorities to provide funds to relevant
peak industry bodies, including the tourism sector, to develop educational
materials for use within particular industries, in schools and in the
general community.
Recommendation 29: The Committee recommends the development of a general
media campaign, such as the Do The Right Thing campaign, to raise community
awareness of marine pollution issues and the effect of everyday activities,
including those in the home, on the marine environment.
6.81 In 1995 the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa in South
Australia established an Environmental Advisory Committee, made up of
elected members, a staff member and community representatives. The community
representatives are chosen by advertising for members in the local paper
and then making a selection from the applications received, based on established
criteria. The committee meets once a month and if necessary recommendations
are made to Council for possible action. Any environmental matters that
may be raised at the Council level will generally be referred back to
the committee for comment.[54]
6.82 Mr Kallan Dennis of the South Coast Peace and Environment Group
told the Committee that it was one of the first such advisory bodies established
by local councils. He said that after twelve months there were still issues
of communication between Council and the Committee to be resolved and
that it was yet to be seen whether the process would be effective in the
long term.[55]
6.83 In correspondence with the Committee the Council indicated that
in 1997 it hopes that its Environmental Advisory Committee will be involved
in establishing environmental policies based on Agenda 21 for the Council
through the assistance of the Mount Lofty Ranges Catchment Program.[56]
6.84 The constructive relationship that can be developed between community
groups and local government is illustrated by a joint project being developed
by the Council and the Signal Point Riverine Environment Group. The wetlands
project will filter local stormwater using reed beds in a permanent lake
for a birdlife habitat and local community use. The project has the double
benefit of the use and cleansing of stormwater and the provision of a
wetlands environment for birdlife and the enjoyment of the community.[57]
6.85 The Committee welcomes such initiatives as those being developed
by the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa and believes that cooperative
efforts between local government and the community can play a very constructive
role in addressing issues of marine pollution.
Recommendation 24: The Committee recommends that the Commonwealth
Government work with State and local authorities to develop models for
community participation in local authority processes, and uniform legislation
requiring local councils to provide opportunities for the community to
be involved in the decision making process relating to proposed developments
and their impact on the environment.
Meg Lees
Chair
Footnotes:
[1] Official Hansard Report,
Melbourne, 7 March 1997, p. 342.
[2] Resource Assessment Commission,
Coastal Zone Inquiry, Final Report, pp 111-118.
[3] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 145.
[4] Official Hansard Report,
Melbourne, 7 March 1997, pp 370-371.
[5] Otway Region Water Authority,
Submission No 117, pp 1-6.
[6] Australian Seafood Industry
Council, Submission No 68, p. 15.
[7] Official Hansard Report,
Glenelg, 14 February 1997, p. 165.
[8] Richmond Catchment Management
Committee, Richmond Catchment Management Strategy, p. 16.
[9] Government of Queensland, Submission
No 108, p. 2.
[10] Official Hansard Report,
Canberra, 25 March 1997, pp 380-381.
[11] Official Hansard Report,
Melbourne, 7 March 1997, p. 284.
[12] CSIRO Division of Oceanography
et al, Ocean Outlook, A Blueprint for the Oceans, p. 18.
[13] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 369.
[14] Central Queensland Aboriginal
Land Council, Submission No 38, p. 1; NSW Aboriginal Land Council, Submission
No 55, pp 1-2; Manbuynga ga Rulyapa, Submission No 105, p. 2.
[15] Official Hansard
Report, Cairns, 2 November 1995, pp 16-17.
[16] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 149.
[17] Department of the Environment,
Sport and Territories, supplementary material, 11 September 1997.
[18] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 149.
[19] Resource Assessment Commission,
Coastal Zone Inquiry, Final Report, p. 368.
[20] Department of the Environment,
Sport and Territories, Submission No 111, p. 24.
[21] Investing in our Natural
Heritage, The Commonwealth's Environment Expenditure 1997-98, p. xvi.
[22] Department of the Environment,
Sport and Territories, Submission No 111, p. 24.
[23] Our Sea, Our Future:
Major Findings of the State of the Marine Environment Report for Australia,
p. 34.
[24] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, pp 389, 392-393.
[25] Ballina High School, Curriculum
documents: Marine Studies at Ballina High School; Ballina High
School Marine Studies Resource Centre Proposal.
[26] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 393. (A comprehensive
review of undergraduate and post-graduate courses in marine studies is
contained in Johnson and Bleakley, Careers in Marine Science, 1993,
produced by the Australian Marine Sciences Association.)
[27] Professor Leon Zann, Submission
No 12, p. 6.
[28] Department of the Environment,
Sport and Territories, Submission No 111, p. 24.
[29] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 395.
[30] Ms Caroline Williams, Submission
No 32, p. 2.
[31] Official Hansard Report,
Glenelg, 14 February 1997, p. 155.
[32] National Museum of Australia,
Submission No 18, p. 1.
[33] National Museum of Australia,
Submission No 18, p. 3.
[34] Official Hansard Report,
Canberra, 11 February 1997, p. 135.
[35] Official Hansard Report,
Melbourne, 7 March 1997, pp 313-314.
[36] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 395.
[37] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 419.
[38] Great Barrier Marine Park
Authority, Submission No 25, p. 2.
[39] Great Barrier Marine Park
Authority, Submission No 25, p. 29.
[40] Official Hansard Report,
Townsville, 20 May 1997, p. 543.
[41] Great Barrier Marine Park
Authority, Submission No 25, pp 29-30.
[42] Official Hansard Report,
Canberra, 11 February 1997, p. 129.
[43] Senate Environment, Recreation,
Communications and the Arts References Committee, Inquiry into Access
to Heritage, Official Hansard Report, Canberra, 6 August 1997,
p. 260.
[44] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 396.
[45] Official Hansard Report,
Townsville 20 May 1997, p. 546.
[46] Australian Maritime Safety
Authority, Submission No 13, p. 13.
[47] Official Hansard Report,
Canberra, 25 March 1997, p. 410.
[48] Department of Transport
and Regional Development, Submission No 67A, p. 9.
[49] Queensland Farmers' Federation,
Submission No 40, pp 11-12.
[50] The State of the Marine
Environment Report for Australia: Technical Summary, p. 148.
[51] Michael Legge Wilkinson,
Human Impact on Australian Beaches, pp 8, 13-14.
[52] Official Hansard Report,
Melbourne, 7 March 1997, p. 364.
[53] Surfrider Foundation Victoria,
Submission No 48, p. 4.
[54] Letter to the Committee
from the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, 25 February 1997.
[55] Official Hansard Report,
Glenelg, 14 February 1997, pp 197-198.
[56] Letter to the Committee
from the District Council of Port Elliot and Goolwa, 25 February 1997.
[57] Sunday Mail (SA),
1 June 1997, p. 69.