Caring for our Country
The Commonwealth Government recognises that there is a pressing need to protect Australia's unique natural environment and to improve the sustainable management of our natural resources. Consequently, it is refocusing its natural resource management programs in the new Caring for our Country initiative to better target national priorities.
In designing Caring for our Country, we have built on the strengths of previous natural resource management programs. We also recognise that there is a highly talented, committed and engaged group of people in all sectors of the Australian community who have already been working for many years to achieve similar outcomes. Through Caring for our Country, we look forward to working with all these people to help secure Australia's future.
Caring for our Country will commence on 1 July 2008 and, for the first time, will bring together delivery of a raft of Commonwealth programs into an integrated package with one clear goal, a business approach to investment, clearly articulated outcomes and priorities and improved accountability.
This integrated and streamlined approach to Commonwealth investment in environment protection and natural resource management will be less bureaucratic, reducing the administrative burden on those undertaking activities. These issues were highlighted in a number of national evaluations of the Natural Heritage Trust and the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality, and reviews of the National Landcare Program, along with several audits by the Australian National Audit Office.
Priorities
The goal of Caring for Our Country is to have an environment that is healthy, better-protected, well-managed, resilient, and that provides essential ecosystem services in a changing climate.
Caring for our Country will focus on achieving strategic results and invest in six national priority areas:
- a national reserve system,
- biodiversity and natural icons,
- coastal environments and critical aquatic habitats,
- sustainable farm practices,
- natural resource management in remote and northern Australia, and
- community skills, knowledge and engagement.
Funding
Caring for our Country provides $2.25 billion in funding over five years from 1 July 2008 to June 2013. It will integrate a number of existing natural resource management measures into a consolidated initiative. These include the Natural Heritage Trust, the National Landcare Program, the Environmental Stewardship Program, and elements of the Working on Country program.
Regional natural resource management organisations will be supported by $636 million as secure base-level funding to invest in actions that complement and contribute to the Australian Government's national priorities over the next five years. They will be able to bid for additional funds to undertake activities that will help achieve the Australian Government's desired outcomes.
Delivery
Caring for our Country will take a business approach to investment. This means the Commonwealth Government will:
- be explicit about what outcomes we intend to achieve;
- direct our funding to achieve those outcomes;
- choose the most efficient and effective ways of taking action and the organisations that are best placed to deliver;
- keep on track by setting short one to three year targets;
- simplify and streamline administration;
- be accountable to our stakeholders for our actions and achievements; and
- focus on achieving results and reducing red tape.
It will remove the restrictions imposed on 'national', 'regional' and 'local' level funding and provide the opportunity for non-government organisations, regional bodies, Local Government and State, Territory and Australian Government agencies to access a greater proportion of funds to help achieve our national priorities.
It will release a business plan each year inviting proposals from relevant organisations and partnerships to undertake activities that will achieve outcomes against the priority areas. The Australian Government will release the first Caring for our Country Business Plan, covering the 2009-10 financial year, in September 2008. This will:
- identify outcomes for the period to June 2013 against each of the national priority areas for investment;
- outline the first series of short-term targets to achieve these outcomes; and
- invite proposals for activities to deliver investments against these priorities and targets.
Transition
The new strategic approach and streamlined delivery systems will be progressively introduced during 2008-09. Transitional arrangements will minimise disruption during the changeover from the old programs.
Caring for our Country will reduce the administrative burden on stakeholders and investment partners. It will better, and more transparently, measure investment progress and outcomes. There will be a single point of entry. This will be accessible throughout Australia via a secure internet portal and a toll-free telephone number. All information, funding, contracting and reporting will be standardised.
Funds will be provided to implement election commitments to:
- rescue the Great Barrier Reef;
- repair our fragile coastal ecosystems;
- save the endangered Tasmanian Devil;
- improve water quality in the Gippsland Lakes;
- fight the Cane Toad menace;
- employ additional Indigenous Rangers;
- expand the Indigenous Protected Area network; and
- assist Indigenous Australians enter the carbon trading market.
Factsheets
Other sources of funding
Key
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