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Australian Landcare Council Annual Report 2009-2010

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Australian Landcare Council Annual Report 2009-2010
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Letter of transmittal

Senator the Hon. Joe Ludwig
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
Senator for Queensland
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Dear Minister

In accordance with the provisions of section 27 of the Natural Resource Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992, I present to you the Annual Report of the Australian Landcare Council for the year ending 30 June 2010.

The report outlines the establishment, functions, priority activities, history, membership, operations and expenditure of the council for 2009–10. The report describes how the council was reconvened in January 2010 following a review of its functions. The report also notes council’s commitment to the development of an Australian Framework for Landcare Action Plan on behalf of the Landcare community.

I look forward to working with the Australian Government, the Landcare community and other natural resource management groups to address key challenges such as climate change, food security, and maintaining and protecting the environment.

Yours sincerely

[signed]

Kim Chance

Chair
Australian Landcare Council

November 2010

Australian Landcare Council
C/o Secretariat, Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
18 Marcus Clarke Street Canberra City ACT
GPO BOX 858 Canberra ACT 2601
Telephone: 02 6272 5911

Part 1 - The Australian Landcare Council

1.1 Establishment

The Australian Landcare Council (the council) is the Australian Government’s independent advisory body on Landcare and natural resource management. The council was established in July 1997 by amendment to section 13(1) of the Natural Resource Management (Financial Assistance) Act 1992 (the Act).

1.2 Activities, functions and roles

The activities of the council are guided by the objectives of the Act. The primary objective of the Act is to facilitate the development and implementation of integrated approaches to natural resources management to achieve efficient, sustainable and equitable management that is consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development. The Act also aims to:

promote community, industry and governmental partnership in the management of natural resources
assist in establishing institutional arrangements to develop and implement policies, programs and practices that will encourage sustainable use of natural resources
assist in enhancing the long term productivity of natural resources
assist in developing approaches to help resolve conflicts over access to natural resources.

The functions of the council, as identified in the Act, are to:

make recommendations to the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities on matters concerning natural resource management and priorities and strategies for natural resource management
investigate and report to the Australian Government on matters concerning natural resource management referred to it by either of these Ministers.

The council also has an important communication role between the Landcare community which includes farmers, volunteer groups¹ and other land managers andthe Australian Government. These groups play a major role in raising awareness, influencing farming and land management practices and delivering environmental outcomes across Australian landscapes.

¹ These volunteer groups include Landcare, Coastcare, Bushcare, Rivercare, Soilcare, Indigenous Landcare (or ‘Caring for
Country’), Preservation Societies, Catchment Groups, Friends of ... and rehabilitation groups.

1.3 Priority activities

To help deliver the Australian Government’s Landcare priorities the council will focus on the following priority activities:

strengthen the Landcare model for community natural resource management
drive the development and implementation of the Australian Framework for Landcare including options to address key issues identified under this framework
foster improved sustainable farm and productive land management practices, ecosystem services and landscape scale conservation
foster the capacity of the rural and Landcare community sectors to ensure that Australia is prepared for challenges to productivity and sustainable development, including climate change
support Indigenous people to become involved in natural resource management decision making
examine ways to attract future generations and rejuvenate the Landcare movement
provide advice on any other matter relating to natural resource management referred to the council by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry and the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities.

1.4 History

A National Landcare Advisory Committee (the committee) was established under the Act in 1992. In July 1997, in recognition of the significant role the community plays in natural resource management, the status of the committee was elevated to a council. On 20 March 2008 the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry requested the postponement of further council meetings pending a review of the functions of a range of ministerial advisory bodies, including the council.

The role of the council was reviewed and determined to complement Australian Government priorities. Consequently, on 6 January 2010 the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry reconvened the council.

Part 2 - Membership of the Council

2.1 Constitution

The constitution of the council is prescribed in section 14 of the Act. Under the council’s constitution the council is to consist of at least 12 members appointed by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry for a period not exceeding three years.

Council members must have experience in, or special knowledge of, any aspects of natural resource management. The Minister must ensure that the majority of members are not employed by Australian, state or territory governments.

The council chair is appointed by the Minister in accordance with section 19 of the Act. The chair must also not be employed under the Public Service Act 1999 and their appointment may be terminated at any time. If a person’s appointment as chair is terminated, the person also ceases to be a member of the council.

2.2 Chair and members

Chair and Members
Chair	Appointed	State
The Hon. Kim Chance	6 January 2010	Western Australia
Member	Term	State
Prof Snow Barlow	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Victoria
Mrs Pamela Brook	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	New South Wales
Ms Alexandra Gartmann	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Victoria
Dr Judy Henderson AO	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	New South Wales
Mr Peter Kenny	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Queensland
Mr Jock Laurie	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	New South Wales
Ms Coral Love	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Victoria
Mr John McQuilten	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Victoria
Ms Vicki-Jo Russell AM	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	South Australia
Ms Sharon Starick	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	South Australia
Mr Andrew Stewart	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Victoria
Mr James Walch	15 April 2010 – 31 March 2013	Tasmania
Mr Dennis Mutton	10 September 2006 – 31 July 2009	South Australia
Mr Greg Pinkard	10 August 2006 – 31 July 2009	Queensland
Mr Ian Sauer	1 August 2006 – 31 July 2009	Tasmania
Mr Bill Hetherington	10 April 2007 – 31 March 2010	New South Wales
Ms Donna Moodie	10 April 2007 – 31 March 2010	Queensland
Ms Elaine Gardiner	20 September 2007 – 31 August 2010	Northern Territory

Six members term’s expired during the year:

Expired members during the year
Name	Expirty Date
Mr Dennis Mutton	31-Jul-09
Mr Greg Pinkard	31-Jul-09
Mr Ian Sauer	31-Jul-09
Mr Bill Hetherington	31-Mar-10
Ms Donna Moodie	31-Mar-10
Ms Elaine Gardiner	31-Aug-10

2.3 Deputies

The Act allows a member, with the Minister’s approval, to appoint a person to be the deputy of the member. The deputy of a member attends council meetings in the absence of the member.

The following deputies for members were accepted by the Minister:

Member: Ms Coral Love
Deputy: Mr Drew English

2.4 Secretariat

Secretariat services are provided by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.

Part 3 - Council Operations

3.1 Meeting with the Minister

The council met with the Hon. Tony Burke MP, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry at Parliament House in Canberra, Australian Capital Territory on 27 May 2010. Minister Burke addressed the council regarding the challenges faced by the Landcare movement and gave guidance on what the government saw as the central pillars of Landcare—food security, responding to climate change and protecting the environment.

3.2 Council meetings

27 May 2010, Canberra ACT.

The chair led discussions on the role of the council and the development of a work plan incorporating the council’s priority activities. This work plan, once completed, will provide focus and efficiency to the operations of the council.
The work plan will provide a basis for evaluating performance against each priority by including provision for the tracking of key activities and tasks.

Council members noted the development of the Australian Framework for Landcare (the framework)—a document that will ensure the Landcare movement thrives into the future—developed by the Landcare community with the assistance of the Australian Framework for Landcare Reference Group. The council committed to the development of an Australian Framework for Landcare Action Plan (the action plan) to complement the framework. The action plan will include an analysis of the framework’s key elements and how they will contribute to the development and improvement of the Landcare approach. It will provide strategies for how Landcare groups and other relevant stakeholders can contribute to sustainable agriculture and environmental issues facing the community.

The council also received a briefing on the outcomes of the National Landcare Forum in March 2010 and national Landcare infrastructure, including the 56 natural resource management regions and Landcare Australia Limited.

Ten members and two observers attended the meeting. The National Landcare Facilitator and the chair of the Northern Territory Natural Resource Management Board attended the meeting as observers.

Officers from the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry attended the meeting to provide advice on policy and program issues related to natural resource management within the Australian Government Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry portfolio.

3.3 Representation

During the year, the chair, the Hon. Kim Chance, represented the council at several meetings and events. Mr Chance participated in the Australian Framework for Landcare Reference Group that assisted the Landcare community in developing the framework. In March 2010, Mr Chance was also invited to speak at the National Landcare Forum in Adelaide, where he participated in community consultation meetings for the framework.

The chair represented the council in meetings with:

Landcare Australia Limited
the chair of the Regional Natural Resource Management Chairs working group
the Farm Tree and Landcare Association (Victoria).

Ms Coral Love was invited to chair the Australian Framework for Landcare Reference Group. Ms Love attended several meetings and consultation forums and assisted the group to compile feedback from discussions regarding the framework.

Mr Peter Kenny represented the council at a meeting of the National Landcare Network in Brisbane on 13 and 14 June 2010.

The Hon. Kim Chance, Chair of the Australian Landcare Council at the National Landcare Forum in March 2010.

Image of The Hon. Kim Chance, Chair of the Australian Landcare Council at the National Landcare Forum in March 2010.Photo: Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry.