Design and delivery of resource management programs

Governments must commit to funding for a single successor programe to the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality and the Natural Heritage Trust programe that:

a) includes agriculture and farm viability as core elements

b) provides financial incentives for farmers and other landholders to achieve environmental benefits on private land for the benefit of the broader community

c) builds on the existing regional approach, with a consistent framework for governance, planning, financial accountability and monitoring

d) eliminates duplication between the Australian, state and territory governments and regional groups, and between the range of different environmental programs

e) delivers effective on-farm results, engages successfully with industry, and is supported by consistent high quality data and scientific analysis.

Government response

Recomendations 9(a) to 9(e)
Noted.

The Australian Government is committed to continue to support the environment and natural resource management beyond 2008. New programes will build on the success of the $3 billion Natural Heritage Trust and $1.4 billion National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality.

Australians value the support that the Australian Government has already provided to protect land, water and coasts. The Government will continue to take a comprehensive, continent-wide approach to managing Australia’s natural resources, an approach that has delivered significant results.

The ongoing success of these important programes will depend on state and territory governments also making significant investments.