New era of recycling and new jobs for Victoria
Source: Victoria. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
"Almost $54 million will be spent over the next five years to assist councils, community and industry to adapt to increased recycling opportunities."

Carbon Down
Source: Victoria. Department of Environment and Climate Change.
A new website - Carbon Compass has been launched to help small and medium businesses reduce their carbon footprint.

Carbon Down website.

New laws draw a line in the sand
Source: Queensland. Minister for Natural Resources. Media Release.
" Public access to Queensland’s beaches has been protected after new laws were passed in State Parliament. Natural Resources Minister, Stephen Robertson said new surveying rules would clear up uncertainty about where coastal boundaries lie. “We’ve set clear boundaries about who owns what along our beaches,” Mr Robertson said. The Natural Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2010 clarifies the location of land boundaries that, by nature, shift with the movement of the sea, rivers and creeks. “One of the main catalyst for change was growing concern that beaches could be taken into private ownership,” he said."

Draft Queensland Greenspace Strategy
Source: Queensland. Premier. Media Release.
" Premier Anna Bligh has announced plans for a major new park and released a Draft Queensland Greenspace Strategy in the lead up to the Queensland Growth Management Summit on March 30 and 31. “Opening up and creating more greenspace for Queenslanders to enjoy is part of our growth management strategy,” said the Premier. “More greenspace is essential if South East Queensland is to retain the lifestyle we are famous for."

Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin
Source: Australia. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
"The health of the Murray-Darling Basin is in decline. Available water is currently over-allocated, and this problem is likely to become worse as water availability declines due to climate change. The Australian Government's Restoring the Balance in the Murray-Darling Basin Program is an important component of Water for the Future, the Australian Government's $12.9 billion national plan on water. Under Water for the Future the Government has committed $3.1 billion over 10 years to purchase water in the Murray-Darling Basin. The program will complement a range of other measures to achieve sustainable water management in the Basin."

Water in Australia: Water for the Future
Source: Australia. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
"Australia faces major challenges in ensuring sustainable water supply in the face of drying climate and rising demand for water. In response, the Australian Government's framework, Water for the Future, provides national leadership in water reform for all Australians. The Australian Government's Water for the Future priorities will be delivered through a ten-year, $12.9 billion investment in strategic programs, improved water management arrangements, and a renewed commitment to deliver a range of water policy reforms in both rural and urban areas."

Regional Development Australia
Source: Australia. Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government.
"Regional Development Australia (RDA) is a partnership between the Australian, state and territory and local governments to support the growth and development of Australia’s regions. RDA committees will build partnerships between governments, regional development organisations, local businesses, community groups and key regional stakeholders to provide strategic and targeted responses to economic, environmental and social issues affecting the regions of Australia. RDA is delivered through a national network of 55 committees."

The Future of the International Whaling Commission: An Australian Proposal
Source: Australia. Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts.
"On 25 February 2010 Australia's response to the International Whaling Commission (IWC) Chair's report concerning the future of the Commission was released. Australia has been an active participant in the 'Future of the IWC' process from its inception at the March 2008 intersessional meeting of the IWC in the United Kingdom. The Australian Government remains resolutely opposed to commercial whaling and unilateral 'scientific' whaling, and strongly supports the global moratorium on commercial whaling."

Land clearing guidelines: Northern Territory Planning Scheme
Source: NT Government
Key changes from the 2006 Guidelines include:
· A heavy onus on landowners to prove that their proposed land clearing applications are sustainable.
· Specific regulations for the Daly River region such as the 1km buffer zone;
· Requirements to ensure greenhouse gas emissions from landclearing are properly estimated;
· All applications above 200ha will be referred to the minister to determine whether additional investigations are warranted through an Environmental Impact Statement.

SCHOOL’S IN FOR RECREATION AS PART OF GREEN SPACE PLAN
Source: Queensland. Premier. Media Release
"Queenslanders will get the chance to have their say on how school ovals and playing fields could be transformed into recreational green spaces in the lead up to the Queensland Growth Management Summit on March 30 and 31.
Premier Anna Bligh said the idea will be included in a series of documents that will be progressively released for consultation over the next four weeks.
Ms Bligh said an important area to be looked at for better growth management was the expansion of land for public recreation rather than conservation.
"We want to open up as much green space as possible, particularly in the South East Queensland corner, to ensure the amount of land for public recreation expands in line with a growing population," she said.
Some school ovals do open after hours on an ad hoc basis but what we are proposing is a structured scheme that can open up schools right across the State."

Enhanced Renewable Energy Target Scheme
Source: Australia. Minister for Climate Change and Water & The Hon Greg Combet AM MP. Joint Media Release.
"The Rudd Government’s Renewable Energy Target scheme will be enhanced to provide greater certainty for households, employees and businesses within the renewable energy industry, as we build the low pollution economy of the future. From 1 January 2011 the Renewable Energy Target, which guarantees 20 per cent of Australia’s energy in 2020 will come from renewable sources, will include two parts - the Small-scale Renewable Energy Scheme (SRES) and the Large-scale Renewable Energy Target (LRET)."

Queensland’s clean wind energy potential mapped
Source: Queensland. Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy and Minister for Trade. Media Release
"The Bligh Government has released a map of Queensland’s wind energy potential to help lead clean energy companies to prime development sites in Queensland. Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Stephen Robertson said the map will show the international community of clean energy investors that Queensland is well and truly open for business.
“We know Queensland has the natural resources necessary to become a renewable energy leader, and the wind map will provide evidence of this to the world,” he said.
“The Wind Atlas highlights zones of wind speed and strength across the State."
“These zones are represented in colour ranges from blue to red with red being the highest wind farm potential. In particular, the areas around the regions including Atherton to Cooktown through to Cairns are shown to be peculiarly windy, with higher wind renewable energy potential.”

NEW NOISE CAMERA TRIAL TO REDUCE TRUCK DISTURBANCE
Source: Victoria. Minister for Roads & Ports. Media Release
"A new noise camera system will be used to monitor heavy vehicles as part of a Brumby Labor Government commitment to reduce excessive truck noise on Victorian roads. Roads and Ports Minister Tim Pallas said excessive truck engine brake noise was a problem in some areas, with new noise cameras to be used for road surveillance and enforcement starting next month.“We understand people are concerned about trucks on our roads, which is why the Brumby Labor Government is taking action to build a better transport system and move trucks away from residential streets,” Mr Pallas said.“Not all heavy vehicles emit excessive noise, but loud engine brakes are inappropriate in built up areas and can affect a community’s quality of life. The new noise cameras will allow VicRoads to enforce the heavy vehicle national noise emission standards across Victoria and to reduce noise from engine brakes – with non-compliance ultimately resulting in suspension of a truck’s registration.”

Northern Pipeline (Qld) approved with strict conditions.
Source: Australia. Minister for Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts. Media release
"The northern pipeline interconnector will be allowed to proceed under national environment law but must meet strict environmental conditions. A departmental delegate has determined that, with the mitigation measures in place and the strict conditions imposed on the project, it will not have unacceptable impacts on nationally protected matters. In light of this limitation, the project will not have a significant impact on matters protected under national environment law."

Tougher legislation to safeguard against environmental lead exposure
Source: Tasmania. Director of Public Health
" More stringent guidelines to monitor and protect Tasmanians from environmental exposure to lead have come into effect. The Director of Public Health, Dr Roscoe Taylor, said the guidelines, issued under the Public Health Act, significantly reduce the level at which lead in blood becomes notifiable to health authorities. “Tasmanians also should be aware of measures they should take to avoid environmental exposure to lead. These include being careful when renovating older homes, briefly flushing cold water taps before drinking, and never drinking directly from external or hot water taps.” The changes mean that blood-lead levels will need to be notified when they are recorded at 10 micrograms per decilitre, rather than the 15 micrograms per decilitre which has applied until now."

$10million for low emissions technology development
Source: WA . Minister for Energy and Minster for the Environment
The State Government is offering up to $10million to help develop sustainable, low-emission technologies to reduce Western Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions. Energy Minister Peter Collier said funding was subject to successful applicants matching every $1 invested by the State Government with $3 from elsewhere.

Permanent Native Forest Estate Policy
Source: Tasmania. Dept of Infrastructure, Energy and Resources
"Broad scale clearing and conversion of native forest on private land in Tasmania will be progressively phased out by 2015. An annual limit of up to 40 hectares of conversion per property will be imposed until 2015, after which only small-scale clearing of 20 hectares over any five-year period will be allowed. The new measures by the State Government are part of an updated policy for maintaining a permanent native forest estate. A limit of 40 hectares of conversion each year on any property has been introduced to ensure the remaining area available for conversion is managed equitably for the benefit of all landowners. The government says the revision will provide the landowners with certainty that they will have a continuing opportunity to undertake small-scale clearing to develop their farms for some years to come. The policy does not restrict the sustainable use of native forest, only the conversion to other land uses."

DIRECT ACTION ON THE ENVIRONMENT AND CLIMATE CHANGE
Source: Australia. Federal Opposition. Policy
"A Coalition Government will take direct action to reduce Australia’s greenhouse gas emissions by five percent by 2020. The Coalition’s climate action policy provides incentives for Australian families and businesses to reduce their carbon emissions and focuses on meaningful, effective and direct action to improve Australia’s environment."

THE COALITION'S DIRECT ACTION PLAN - POLICY
Source: Australia. Opposition Leader. Policy
"A Coalition Government will implement a climate change strategy based on direct action to reduce emissions and improve the environment. Direct action on soil carbons will be the major plank of our strategy, supported by other direct action measures that will reduce CO2 emissions by 5 per cent by 2020 based on 1990 levels and deliver significant environmental outcomes – without the need for a great big new tax."

ACT4NATURE – YOU CAN MAKE A WORLD OF DIFFERENCE
Source: Victoria. Minister for Environment & Climate Change. Media Release
"Environment and Climate Change Minister Gavin Jennings urged Victorians to sign up for the Act4Nature campaign which encourages people to protect our precious animals, plants and ecosystems. Mr Jennings said many of our native species are under threat from climate change, growing population and increasing consumption. “The Brumby Labor Government strongly urges Victorians to sign up to the 12-month Act4Nature campaign because we understand how important a healthy and thriving environment is to our community,” Mr Jennings said."