INQ145

Recommendations for this Inquiry

INQ-ref REC-UID CODE SubCode SrcNUM Recommendation
INQ145 REC145-3240 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 47

The Committee recommends that proposals for a National Oceans and Coast Act and a statutory Coastal Council be the subject of ongoing consideration once the Intergovernmental Coastal Zone Agreement is determined.

INQ145 REC145-3227 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 34

The Committee recommends that coastal based Natural Resource Management bodies seeking funding under the Caring for our Country program have coastal and marine priorities, as well as coastal zone management principles integrated in their management plans.

INQ145 REC145-3226 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 33

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- work with the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council and other stakeholders to develop an action plan to:

INQ145 REC145-3225 A - Responsibility 3 - Biodiversity Recommendation 32

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:

INQ145 REC145-3224 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 31

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- require that all Ramsar listed wetlands have effective and operational management plans and that resources are allocated by governments to monitor the implementation of these plans

INQ145 REC145-3223 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 30

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government urgently commission a detailed climate change vulnerability assessment for Kakadu National Park, in consultation with the park’s traditional owners and other stakeholders and drawing on the results of the ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulner

INQ145 REC145-3222 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 29

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- continue working with the Queensland Government and local councils under the existing Great Barrier Reef Intergovernmental Agreement to improve land use planning in the catchment

INQ145 REC145-3221 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 28

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in considering its response to the Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), take into account concerns about the EPBC Act and coastal zone management raised as part of this inquiry—

INQ145 REC145-3220 A - Responsibility 3 - Biodiversity Recommendation 27

The Committee recommends that, in seeking to expand the area protected within Australia’s National Reserve System (NRS) under the Caring for our Country program, the Australian Government focus on high biodiversity coastal habitat, including more effective off-reserve coastal zone conservation an

INQ145 REC145-3219 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 26

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- expand the list of national priority areas identified under the Caring for our Country program to include climate change impacts on biodiversity
- give consideration in future funding rounds to projects that:

INQ145 REC145-3228 A - Responsibility 42 - Culture and Heritage Recommendation 35

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in consultation with Indigenous Australians and other coastal stakeholders, commission work to provide a national repository identifying Indigenous and non-Indigenous cultural heritage sites in vulnerable coastal areas.

INQ145 REC145-3229 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 36

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government urgently commission further research on socioeconomic vulnerability to climate change impacts, particularly in coastal communities.

INQ145 REC145-3230 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 37

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- consider the Victorian Government’s model of a sustainable coastal community as part of the proposed Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone to be concluded through the Council of Australian Governments

INQ145 REC145-3239 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 46

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a National Coastal Advisory Council to:
- provide independent advice to government
- advise the new coastal unit within the Department of the Environment, Water, Heritage and the Arts

INQ145 REC145-3238 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 45

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:

INQ145 REC145-3237 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 44

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, in cooperation with state, territory and local governments, and in consultation with coastal stakeholders, develop an Intergovernmental Agreement on the Coastal Zone to be endorsed by the Council of Australian Governments.

INQ145 REC145-3236 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 43

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government provide funding support for the ongoing activities of the Australian Coastal Alliance in providing a national information and communication interface between research organisations and local government authorities and other coastal stakehold

INQ145 REC145-3235 F - Research and technology 13 - Mapping and data quality Recommendation 42

The Committee recommends that the National Coastal Zone Database be expanded over time to include information on environmental data and management and planning information relevant to the coastal zone.

INQ145 REC145-3234 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 41

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government nominate 2012 as the Year of the Coast, to further build community awareness about the issues facing the coastal zone.

INQ145 REC145-3233 A - Responsibility 9 - Community education Recommendation 40

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government undertake an awareness campaign to alert coastal communities to the key challenges facing the coastal zone and the value of community engagement in addressing these challenges.

INQ145 REC145-3232 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 39

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give consideration to establishing a separate funding program for infrastructure enhancement in coastal areas vulnerable to climate change.

INQ145 REC145-3231 A - Responsibility 22 - Role of local Gvt Recommendation 38

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government request that the Centre for Excellence for Local Government ensure a particular focus on capacity building for coastal local councils. Capacity building should focus on addressing issues relating to:
- population growth pressure

INQ145 REC145-3218 F - Research and technology 13 - Mapping and data quality Recommendation 25

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Australian Bureau of Statistics, ensure that:

INQ145 REC145-3217 A - Responsibility 24 - Govt responsibility Recommendation 24

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Council of Australian Governments process, examine the establishment of a system of national coastal zone environmental accounts, employing the model developed by the South East Queensland Healthy Waterways Partnership.

INQ145 REC145-3216 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 23

Noting the gap in research on legal issues and climate change impacts on the coastal zone, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government request that the Australian Law Reform Commission undertake an urgent inquiry into this area, with particular focus on:

INQ145 REC145-3203 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 10

The Committee recommends that:
- the Department of Infrastructure, Transport, Regional Development and Local Government undertake a study into the human and resourcing needs of local governments to effectively plan for and adapt to the impacts of climate change

INQ145 REC145-3202 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 9

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a coastal zone research network within the National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility and that it complete a coastal zone research plan.

INQ145 REC145-3201 F - Research and technology 13 - Mapping and data quality Recommendation 8

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change share all data collected through vulnerability assessments undertaken as part of the Australian Government Local Adaptation Pathways Program on the proposed National Coastal Zone Database (see also recommendation 42).

INQ145 REC145-3200 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 7

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government:
- continue the Local Adaptation Pathways Program as a competitive funding program
- review the program’s guidelines to secure better outcomes by:
* use of consistent methodology for vulnerability assessments

INQ145 REC145-3199 E - Agency Organisation 16 - Training and behaviour Recommendation 6

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government continue funding under the Climate Change Adaptation Skills for Professionals Program.

INQ145 REC145-3198 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 5

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change continue to fund research to:
- establish the wave climate around the coast so as to identify those locations most at risk from wave erosion

INQ145 REC145-3197 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 4

The Committee recommends that the coastal zone component of the National Climate Change Science Framework and proposed National Climate Change Science strategy be clearly identified by the proposed high level coordination group and involve key coastal stakeholders.

INQ145 REC145-3196 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 3

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government increase its investment in coastal based climate change research on:
- sea level rise projections and the dynamics of polar ice sheets, particularly in the Antarctic

INQ145 REC145-3195 A - Responsibility 21 - Role of Commonwealth Government Recommendation 2

The Committee notes the importance of mitigation measures in addressing climate change impacts and accordingly recommends that the Australian Government continue to take urgent action to ensure that Australia can best contribute to a reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions.

INQ145 REC145-3204 F - Research and technology 13 - Mapping and data quality Recommendation 11

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a National Coastal Zone Database to improve access to and consistency of information relevant to coastal zone adaptation. The National Coastal Zone Database should be an online portal that allows ready access to:

INQ145 REC145-3205 F - Research and technology 17 - Assets and technology Recommendation 12

The Committee recommends that, following the completion of the ‘first pass’ National Coastal Vulnerability Assessment, the Australian Government consider the resourcing and financing of second and third pass assessments, in conjunction with state, territory and local government authorities.

INQ145 REC145-3206 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 13

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government take urgent action to protect Australians from the threats of dengue fever and chikungunya virus.

INQ145 REC145-3215 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 22

The Committee recommends that the Building Code of Australia, including cyclone building codes, be revised with the objective of increasing resilience to climate change.

INQ145 REC145-3214 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 21

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government consider the benefits of adopting a nationally consistent sea level rise planning benchmark and, if so, whether this be done on a statutory basis or otherwise.

INQ145 REC145-3213 B - Preparedness 1 - Land-use and building regs Recommendation 20

The Committee notes the Council of Australian Governments initiative (through the Local Government and Planning Ministers Council) to develop state-specific climate change planning policies by mid 2011, to inform local governments and regional planning responses to climate change.

INQ145 REC145-3212 D - Recovery 6 - Insurance and legal liability Recommendation 19

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government request the Productivity Commission to undertake an inquiry into the projected impacts of climate change and related insurance matters, with a particular focus on:

INQ145 REC145-3211 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 18

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government give the five recommendations calling for information, studies and data, as proposed by the Torres Strait Regional Authority, early and urgent consideration with a view to their implementation.

INQ145 REC145-3210 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 17

The Committee recommends that the Department of Climate Change, in collaboration with the Queensland Government, CSIRO and Indigenous communities in the Torres Strait, undertake a major study into the vulnerability of the Torres Strait to the impacts of climate change and provide assistance in th

INQ145 REC145-3209 B - Preparedness 39 - Disaster Risk Management Recommendation 16

The Committee notes that major initiatives relating to climate change adaptation risk assessment and infrastructure are currently in progress.

INQ145 REC145-3208 E - Agency Organisation 32 - Doctrine, standards, and reform Recommendation 15

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government, through the Ministerial Council for Police and Emergency Management, recognise the extensive Surf Life Saving Australia network and take appropriate steps to integrate this network into emergency services preparedness, planning, and respons

INQ145 REC145-3207 E - Agency Organisation 37 - Funding Recommendation 14

To further enhance Australia’s disaster mitigation, preparedness, response and recovery arrangements in the event of possible major coastal disasters, the Committee recommends that the Australian Government establish a grants program, the Coastal Natural Disaster Mitigation Program, to fund natur

INQ145 REC145-3194 F - Research and technology 26 - Research Recommendation 1

The Committee recommends that the Australian Government commission a study on international coastal zone governance arrangements, policies and programs for addressing coastal climate change impacts, and adaptation strategies. The completed study should be made public.