The Council of Australian Governments (COAG) held its 14th meeting today in Canberra. The Council, comprising the Prime Minister, Premiers and Chief Ministers and the President of the Australian Local Government Association, had detailed discussions on significant areas of national interest. This Communique sets out the agreed outcomes of the discussions.
NATIONAL WATER INITIATIVE
COAG noted the continuing national imperative of increasing the productivity and efficiency of Australia's water use and to ensure the health of river and groundwater systems. This will require arrangements that provide greater certainty for investors in the water industry and for the environment, and which will allow Australia's water management regimes to adapt to future changes in water availability responsively and fairly in both rural and urban areas.
COAG agreed to a National Water Initiative (NWI) covering a range of areas in which greater compatibility and the adoption of best-practice approaches to water management nationally will bring substantial benefits. In particular, the NWI will result in:
expansion of permanent trade in water bringing about more profitable use of water and more cost effective and flexible recovery of water to achieve environmental outcomes;
more confidence for those investing in the water industry due to more secure water access entitlements, better and more compatible registry arrangements, better monitoring, reporting and accounting of water use, and improved public access to information;
more sophisticated, transparent and comprehensive water planning that deals with key issues such as the major interception of water, the interaction between surface and groundwater systems, and the provision of water to meet specific environmental outcomes;
a commitment to addressing overallocated systems as quickly as possible, in consultation with affected stakeholders, addressing significant adjustment issues where appropriate; and
better and more efficient management of water in urban environments, for example through the increased use of recycled water and stormwater.
Key elements of the NWI include:
water access entitlements to generally be defined as open-ended or perpetual access to a share of the water resource that is available for consumption as specified in a water plan (recognising that there are some cases where other forms of entitlement are more appropriate);
improved specification of the environmental outcomes to be achieved for particular water systems, improved accountability arrangements for environmental managers and statutory recognition for water that is provided to ensure environmental outcomes are met;
overallocated water systems to be returned to sustainable levels of use in order to meet environmental outcomes, with substantial progress by 2010;
a framework that assigns the risk of future reductions in water availability as follows:
- reductions arising from natural events such as climate change, drought or bushfire to be borne by water users,
- reductions arising from bona fide improvements in knowledge about water systems' capacity to sustain particular extraction levels to be borne by water users up to 2014. After 2014, water users to bear this risk for the first 3 per cent reduction in water allocation, State/Territory and the Australian Government would share (one-third and two-third shares respectively) the risk of reductions of between 3 per cent and 6 per cent; State/Territory and the Australian Government would share equally the risk of reductions above 6 per cent,
- reductions arising from changes in government policy not previously provided for would be borne by governments, and
- where there is voluntary agreement between relevant State or Territory Governments and key stakeholders, a different risk assignment model to the above may be implemented,
more efficient administrative arrangements to facilitate water trade in connected systems;
removal of institutional barriers to trade in water, including a phased removal of barriers to permanent trade out of water irrigation areas in the southern Murray-Darling Basin;
regional assessments of the level of water intercepted by land use change activities and requiring new activities expected to intercept significant volumes of water to hold a water access entitlement if the catchment is at, or close to, its sustainable level of water allocation;
continued implementation of full-cost recovery pricing for water in both urban and rural sectors;
national standards for water accounting, reporting and metering; and
actions to better manage the demand for water in urban areas, including a review of temporary water restrictions, minimum water efficiency standards and mandatory labelling of household appliances, and national guidelines for water sensitive urban design.
The Australian Government will discuss with signatories to the NWI Agreement the provision of assistance to affected regions on a case-by-case basis (including set up costs), and may also initiate on its own behalf projects which assist with implementation of the NWI.
COAG also agreed to establish a National Water Commission (NWC). The NWC will report to COAG. It will assess progress in implementing the NWI and advise on actions required to better realise the objectives of the Agreement. The Commission will be funded by the Australian Government, and be made up of seven members with relevant expertise, of whom four (including the Chair) will be appointed by the Commonwealth and three by the State/Territory Governments. The Commonwealth will consult State and Territory Governments on the appointment of the Chair. The Commission will also undertake the 2005 assessment of progress with implementing water reform commitments under the National Competition Policy.
Implementation of the NWI will be overseen by the Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council in line with detailed implementation plans to be developed by each State and Territory over the next 12 months. Further details of the NWI are attached.
Western Australia declined to sign the NWI Agreement because there was no real benefit for Western Australia. Tasmania is not able to sign the NWI Agreement at this stage, but will continue to seek productive discussions with the Australian Government on opportunities for cooperation on water reform.
In relation to the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), COAG noted that the MDB Water Agreement signed by the Prime Minister, the Premiers of New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia and the Chief Minister of the Australian Capital Territory, sets out the arrangements for investing $500 million over five years commencing in 2004-05, to reduce the level of water overallocation and to achieve specific environmental outcomes in the MDB.
The first priority for this investment will be water recovery for six significant ecological assets identified by the MDB Ministerial Council in November 2003: the Barmah-Millewa Forest, Gunbower and Koondrook-Perricoota Forests, Hattah Lakes, Chowilla floodplain (including Lindsay-Wallpolla), the Murray Mouth, Coorong and Lower Lakes, and the River Murray Channel. Water recovery measures to be funded under the MDB Water Agreement include investment in water infrastructure and behavioural change and purchase of water on the market, with recovered water to be set aside for environmental purposes.
Copies of both the NWI Agreement and the MDB Water Agreement as signed by First Ministers can be found at www.coag.gov.au.
INDIGENOUS AFFAIRS
COAG reaffirmed its continuing commitment to advance reconciliation and address the social and economic disadvantages experienced by many indigenous Australians.
GOVERNMENT SERVICE DELIVERY
COAG today committed at all levels of government to cooperative approaches on policy and service delivery between agencies and to maintaining and strengthening government effort to address indigenous disadvantage.
To underpin government effort to improve cooperation in addressing this disadvantage, COAG agreed to a National Framework of Principles for Government Service Delivery to Indigenous Australians (Attachment B). The principles address sharing responsibility, harnessing the mainstream, streamlining service delivery, establishing transparency and accountability, developing a learning framework and focussing on priority areas. They committed to indigenous participation at all levels and a willingness to engage with representatives, adopting flexible approaches and providing adequate resources to support capacity at the local and regional levels.
These principles will provide a common framework between governments that promotes maximum flexibility to ensure tailored responses and help to build stronger partnerships with indigenous communities. They also provide a framework to guide bi-lateral discussions between the Commonwealth and each State and Territory Government on the Commonwealth's new arrangements for indigenous affairs and on the best means of engaging with indigenous people at the local and regional levels. Governments will consult with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in their efforts to achieve this.
COAG TRIALS
The principles also build on the promising early progress of the whole-of-government Trials of new ways of working with indigenous communities COAG commenced in partnership with local indigenous communities in eight sites across Australia following its April 2002 meeting. The Council reaffirmed its strong commitment to supporting the Trials and to supporting participating communities. It will continue to work through the processes agreed at each site and to improve cooperation between all levels of government. It will support adequately and resource community participation in the Trials and pursue innovation and flexibility in government policy, programmes and service delivery to be able to respond to community-identified issues and directions. The Trials provide an important opportunity to identify what works, what does not work and to make those lessons available more broadly. Family Violence and Child Protection
The extent of family violence and child abuse among indigenous families continues to be a matter of grave concern for both governments and indigenous communities.
All governments agree that preventing family violence and child abuse in indigenous families is a priority for action that requires a national effort. Jurisdictions will work cooperatively to improve how they engage with each other and work in partnership with indigenous communities to tackle this issue under a new National Framework on Indigenous Family Violence and Child Protection (Attachment C). Bi lateral arrangements to underpin this important work will be settled with all jurisdictions in coming months. The Commonwealth and Northern Territory Governments have already agreed to implement two new measures - community patrols and anti-violence education for indigenous young people - as part of their bi-lateral partnership commitment.
Negotiations between the Commonwealth and Victorian Government to trial family healing centres and men's time-out facilities, and between the Commonwealth and Queensland Government to test a "safe haven" approach to preventing indigenous family violence, are well advanced. Negotiations will continue with all jurisdictions.
RECONCILIATION FRAMEWORK
COAG also agreed that Senior Officials would report to it annually on progress in promoting reconciliation against the framework for reconciliation that it adopted at its November 2000 meeting. The framework identifies three priorities for governments' action: investment in community leadership initiatives; reviewing and re-engineering government programmes and services to ensure they deliver practical support to indigenous Australians; and the forging of closer links between the business sector and indigenous communities to help promote economic independence. A report on progress was received at this meeting.
COUNTER-TERRORISM
COAG had constructive discussions on a number of significant counter-terrorism issues.
Review of Hazardous Materials - Ammonium Nitrate
COAG agreed on a national approach to ban access to ammonium nitrate for other than specifically authorised users. The agreement will result in the establishment in each jurisdiction of a licensing regime for the use, manufacture, storage, transport, supply, import and export of ammonium nitrate. The licensing regime will ensure that ammonium nitrate is only accessible to persons who have a demonstrated legitimate need for the product, are not of security concern and will store and handle the product safely and securely. This arrangement will balance security considerations with the legitimate needs of industry and farmers. A national set of principles for regulating ammonium nitrate can be found at Attachment D.
COAG agreed that the States and Territories would use their best endeavours to ensure the legislative arrangements for the licensing regime would be in place by 1 November 2004, with administrative arrangements to be finalised as soon as possible thereafter. COAG also noted that the Australian Government would continue to undertake investigations on the viability of completely banning ammonium nitrate fertilizers of security concern as a matter of priority, taking into account whether effective, non-detonable, alternatives can be developed, and provide information on any alternatives to States and Territories.
Critical Infrastructure Protection
COAG endorsed the 23 recommendations of the National Counter-Terrorism Committee on protecting national critical infrastructure. The recommendations include undertaking specific threat assessments for infrastructure identified as vital to the nation and encouraging businesses to have up-to-date security and business continuity plans in place. COAG also agreed that industry should be consulted as soon as possible on draft National Guidelines for Protecting Critical Infrastructure from Terrorism before their final endorsement by Heads of Government.
Intergovernmental Agreement on Counter-Terrorism Laws
Leaders signed the Intergovernmental Agreement on Counter-Terrorism Laws, which is the final step in implementing the April 2002 Leaders' Summit agreement on constitutional references to support terrorism offences of national application. The Intergovernmental Agreement provides for consultation between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments on amendments to federal terrorism offences and on the proscription of terrorist organisations. A copy of the Agreement can be found at www.coag.gov.au.
Proposed Intergovernmental Agreement on Land Transport Security
Substantial measures are now in place in relation to aviation and maritime security. Following the Madrid terrorist attacks in March 2004, all Australian governments have agreed to strengthen security policy and planning for land transport through an Intergovernmental Agreement. The Intergovernmental Agreement is to be finalised by 30 November 2004.
MONEY LAUNDERING
Leaders considered progress on their earlier resolution to reform money laundering laws to create effective offences, including a reference of powers to the Australian Government if necessary. COAG agreed to further consider the issue and will seek to reach agreement out-of-session on arrangements for comprehensive money laundering offences to ensure there are no gaps in governments' powers to prosecute money launderers.
REVIEW OF MINISTERIAL COUNCILS
COAG agreed to a number of changes to the Broad Protocols and General Principles for the Operation of Ministerial Councils (Attachments E and F) which will increase the efficiency of the operation of Ministerial Councils. This will result in:
Ministerial Council agendas having a greater focus on strategic issues;
improved reporting and information flows by Ministerial Councils on key issues and outcomes; and
regular reviews by Ministerial Councils of their own functions.
There are also changes to the COAG Principles and Guidelines for National Standard Setting and Regulatory Action by Ministerial Councils and Standard-Setting Bodies. These changes will further enhance the application of the principles of good regulatory practice to decisions of COAG, Ministerial Councils, intergovernmental standard setting bodies, and bodies established by government to deal with national regulatory problems. The amended principles and guidelines can be found at www.coag.gov.au.
It was also agreed that the Industry and Technology Ministers Council undertake, no later than September 2004, a review of its operations as contained in the General Principles for the Operation of Ministerial Councils, and report back to COAG.
Implementation of these changes will ensure greater clarification for the operation of Regulatory Impact Statements (RIS) in Australia and New Zealand. Clarifying the process for consulting with New Zealand on RIS is a major step to improving links between the Australian Office of Regulatory Review and its New Zealand counterpart.
HEALTH
COAG today discussed the issue of health and reiterated the importance of moving ahead on improving health services.
COAG agreed to commission a paper on health workforce issues, including supply and demand pressures over the next 10 years. The paper will take a broad, whole-of-government perspective, including health and education considerations, and will cover the full range of health workforce professionals. In considering these issues, the paper will look at the particular health workforce needs of rural areas.
It was also agreed that the paper will address the issue of general practitioners in or near hospitals on weekends and after hours.
This paper will be considered by COAG within 12 months. Within coming weeks governments will agree and announce who will undertake this work and set out the detailed terms of reference for this paper.
OTHER BUSINESS - GRANDPARENTS AS FOSTER CARERS
COAG agreed that there needs to be a better coordinated approach across jurisdictions to support grandparents who are providing full-time care to their grandchildren. It was recognised that these grandparents play a highly valued role.
It commissioned the Community and Disability Services Ministers' Conference to report back to COAG this year, providing detail on the nature and extent of the needs of the grandparents and what measures could be taken to address them.
NEXT MEETING
The next meeting will be in 2005.
ATTACHMENT A
FURTHER INFORMATION ON THE NATIONAL WATER INITIATIVE
The National Water Initiative (NWI) agreed by the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) contains a number of actions to be implemented as priorities by the Commonwealth, State and Territory Governments over the next 10 years. In combination, these actions have the objective of achieving a nationally-compatible, market, regulatory and planning-based system of managing surface and groundwater resources for rural and urban use, that optimises economic, social and environmental outcomes, and is able to adapt to future changes in the supply and demand for water.
Some highlights of the NWI Agreement and their implications are outlined below, and a full copy of the NWI Agreement is at www.coag.gov.au. States and Territories will be developing detailed implementation plans over the next 12 months indicating how the NWI will be rolled out in each jurisdiction.
Water access entitlements
The consumptive use of water will generally require a water access entitlement, separate from land, and described as a perpetual or open-ended share of the consumptive pool of a specified water resource. Entitlements will have characteristics to allow their free and open trade, and will only be able to be cancelled by governments in the case of water users not meeting their conditions of entitlement.
A perpetual share-based approach to water access entitlements provides water users with confidence that their entitlements are unable to be 'taken away' unilaterally, and that the amount of water they are entitled to receive is a share of that which is available for consumptive use in the system.
Environmental and other public benefit outcomes
Water that is provided by States and Territories to meet agreed environmental and other public benefit outcomes (such as good quality drinking water and recreational water use) will be given statutory recognition and at least the same degree of security as water for consumptive use and be fully accounted for. If held as a water access entitlement, such water may be traded temporarily when not required to meet the defined environmental outcomes nor in conflict with them. Improved institutional and accountability arrangements will be required to address environmental outcomes in systems that cross borders and highly interconnected ground and surface water systems. Where necessary to recover water to achieve environmental outcomes, the selection of measures will be based primarily on cost-effectiveness with a view to managing socio-economic impacts.
Maintaining healthy surface and groundwater systems is fundamental to a sustainable water industry. Under the NWI, Agreement Governments agree to specify the environmental outcomes to be achieved in surface and groundwater systems, and require explicit provision of water and associated management arrangements to meet those outcomes in an accountable manner. Achieving environmental outcomes will no longer be seen as an optional extra in water management.
Overallocation
Water extraction in systems that are currently overallocated (that is, have entitlements issued for more than the sustainable level of use) or overused (that is, the consumption of water is more than the sustainable level of use) will be adjusted to meet environmental and other public outcomes required in water plans, with substantial progress to be made by 2010. In doing so, any significant adjustment issues affecting water users will be addressed and existing commitments under National Competition Policy to provide appropriate allocations to the environment in overallocated or stressed water systems will still apply.
Overallocation of water is a threat to the integrity of water access entitlements and to the achievement of environmental outcomes. Potential investors in the water industry will understandably be concerned if overallocation is not dealt with and entitlements are unable to be seen as secure into the future. Achieving a return to sustainable extraction levels may take time in some severely overallocated systems. Governments agree that substantial progress towards addressing overallocation will occur by 2010, and to consult with affected stakeholders and provide adjustment assistance if necessary.
Risk assignment
COAG agreed to a framework that assigns the risk of future reductions in water availability as follows: reductions arising from natural events such as climate change, drought or bushfire to be borne by water users;
reductions arising from bona fide improvements in knowledge about water systems' capacity to sustain particular extraction levels would be borne by water users up to 2014. After 2014, the water users would bear this risk for the first 3 per cent reduction in water allocation; State/Territory and the Australian Government would share (one third and two third shares respectively) the risk of reductions of between 3 per cent and 6 per cent; State/Territory and the Australian Government would share equally the risk of reductions above 6 per cent; and
reductions arising from changes in Government policy not previously provided for would be borne by Governments;
where there is voluntary agreement between relevant State or Territory Governments and key stakeholders, a different risk assignment model to the above may be implemented.
Interception
A major objective of the NWI is to secure the integrity of water access entitlements and environmental outcomes. As part of this COAG agreed that land use change activities, that have the potential to intercept significant volumes of surface or ground water, need to be addressed.
COAG acknowledged that there is an acceptable level of interception that is part of the mix of land use in catchments, and that interception activities, such as large scale plantations, also have positive benefits on the environment and the productivity of water resources. The intention of the NWI framework on interception is not to pre-determine whether an activity is a significant interceptor, but instead to determine whether the volume intercepted from any land use change activity is "significant" in the context of the water system within which it occurs. "Significance" will be determined through the planning process, which is based on best available science and informed by socio-economic analysis and community and industry input.
The NWI sets the broad approach, with specific implementation to be settled by States on the basis of specific regional circumstances. The approach involves assessing land use change activities in water systems (these can be as large as a basin or small as a catchment, depending on the level of management required for water planning purposes). The NWI provides for the setting of a water system threshold limit for land use change activities determined as intercepting "significant" volumes, having regard to regional circumstances and taking account of both positive and negative impacts of water interception. The NWI framework on interception is intended to apply to future proposals for land use change rather than retrospectively.
Additional land use change activities can proceed in water systems that are not fully allocated without the need for an access entitlement, provided that the threshold level determined for that water system has not been reached. In those water systems that are fully allocated, the effect of the NWI as it is progressively implemented by States and Territories, will be to require water access entitlements for additional land use change activities determined as intercepting "significant" volumes of water.
Water Markets and Trading
Compatible institutional and regulatory arrangements to facilitate intra and inter-state trade in water will be established including, where applicable, the adoption of trading zones, compatible and publicly accessible registers of water access entitlements and trades, trading rules that account for resource and infrastructure constraints, and the use of exchange rates and/or tagging of entitlements. In relation to institutional barriers to trade, temporary trade will be immediately freed up and barriers to permanent trade out of irrigation areas will be progressively phased out by 2014.
In the southern Murray-Darling Basin (MDB), necessary legislative and other actions will be taken to establish, by June 2005, an interim threshold limit to water trade out of irrigation areas of four per cent per annum, with regular assessment of progress with these actions including any regional impacts. A study into the legal, commercial and technical mechanisms to enable interstate trade in the southern MDB will also commence as soon as possible.
At present, trade in water is hindered due to the complexities of numerous different water product specifications, cumbersome administrative arrangements, lack of up-to-date market information, and the policies of some water corporations and other water providers. By creating an environment in which individual water users are able to trade water relatively quickly and easily, a far more dynamic water market will emerge, resulting in more productive and efficient use of water over time.
National standards for water accounting, reporting and metering
Water accounting systems in each jurisdiction will be benchmarked, and national standards introduced for accounting systems, reporting formats, water meters, and environmental water accounting.
Accounting for water use in a transparent and comparable manner across jurisdictions is fundamental to: improving the hydrological models that underpin water allocation decisions, ensuring there is confidence in the water market, and in the achievement of environmental and resource-use outcomes.
Water efficiency in urban areas
A number of measures will be taken to improve water use efficiency in urban areas including: pricing policies to stimulate the efficient use of recycled water and storm water, the introduction of minimum water efficiency standards for household appliances and mandatory product labelling, an assessment of the scope to extend low-level water restrictions, the provision of comprehensive water-use information on household water accounts, and measures to stimulate water sensitive urban design. The conservation of water in urban areas has improved in recent years, but more can be achieved. The above measures are designed to encourage greater re-use and recycling of wastewater where cost effective and to reduce household water use.
Community partnerships and adjustment
The NWI Agreement provides for open and timely consultation with all stakeholders in relation to addressing overallocated systems, the periodic review of water plans and other significant decisions that may affect the security of water access entitlements. Similarly, the Agreement provides for accurate and timely provision of information about the implementation of water plans and other relevant issues. All governments agree to address significant adjustment issues affecting water access entitlement holders arising from reductions in water availability as a result of implementing the NWI Agreement.
COAG recognises the importance of involving all stakeholders in the development and implementation of water plans, providing understandable and up-to-date information on water, and addressing significant adjustment issues arising from reductions in water availability as a result of the implementation of the NWI Agreement.
ATTACHMENT B
NATIONAL FRAMEWORK OF PRINCIPLES FOR DELIVERING SERVICES TO INDIGENOUS AUSTRALIANS All jurisdictions are committed to achieving better outcomes for indigenous Australians, improving the delivery of services, building greater opportunities and helping indigenous families and individuals to become self-sufficient. To this end, and in delivering services to indigenous people, COAG agreed to national framework of principles for delivering services to indigenous Australians. Sharing responsibility
Committing to cooperative approaches on policy and service delivery between agencies, at all levels of government and maintaining and strengthening government effort to address indigenous disadvantage.
Building partnerships with indigenous communities and organisations based on shared responsibilities and mutual obligations.
Committing to indigenous participation at all levels and a willingness to engage with representatives, adopting flexible approaches and providing adequate resources to support capacity at the local and regional levels.
Committing to cooperation between jurisdictions on native title, consistent with Commonwealth native title legislation.
Harnessing the mainstream
Ensuring that indigenous-specific and mainstream programmes and services are PM complementary.
Lifting the performance of programs and services by:
- reducing bureaucratic red tape;
- increasing flexibility of funding (mainstream and indigenous-specific) wherever practicable;
- demonstrating improved access for indigenous people;
- maintaining a focus on regional areas and local communities and outcomes; and
- identifying and working together on priority issues.
Supporting indigenous communities to harness the engagement of corporate, non-government and philanthropic sectors.
Streamlining service delivery
Delivering services and programmes that are appropriate, coordinated, flexible and avoid duplication:
- including fostering opportunities for indigenous delivered services.
Addressing jurisdictional overlap and rationalising government interaction with indigenous communities:
- negotiating bi-lateral agreements that provide for one level of government having primary responsibility for particular service delivery, or where jurisdictions continue to have overlapping responsibilities, that services would be delivered in accordance with an agreed coherent approach.
Maximising the effectiveness of action at the local and regional level through whole of government(s) responses.
Recognising the need for services to take account of local circumstances and be informed by appropriate consultations and negotiations with local representatives.
Establishing transparency and accountability
Strengthening the accountability of governments for the effectiveness of their programs and services through regular performance review, evaluation and reporting.
Ensuring the accountability of organisations for the government funds that they administer on behalf of indigenous people.
Tasking the Productivity Commission to continue to measure the effect of the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) commitment through the jointly-agreed set of indicators.
Developing a learning framework
Sharing information and experience about what is working and what is not.
Striving for best practice in the delivery of services to indigenous people, families and communities.
Focussing on priority areas
Tackling agreed priority issues, including those identified in the Overcoming Indigenous
Disadvantage Report:
- early childhood development and growth; early school engagement and performance, positive childhood and transition to adulthood; substance use and misuse; functional and resilient families and communities; effective environmental health systems and economic participation and development.
Within this National Framework appropriate consultation and delivery arrangements will be agreed between the Commonwealth and individual States and Territories.
ATTACHMENT C
NATIONAL FRAMEWORK FOR PREVENTING FAMILY VIOLENCE AND CHILD ABUSE IN INDIGENOUS COMMUNITIES
All jurisdictions agree that preventing family violence and child abuse in indigenous families is a priority for action that requires a national effort.
Jurisdictions will work cooperatively to improve how they engage with each other and with indigenous communities to prevent family violence and child abuse in indigenous families. Jurisdictions will formalise their cooperation through bi-lateral arrangements between the Commonwealth and State and Territory Governments.
Jurisdictions' action to prevent family violence and child abuse in indigenous families will be based on the following principles:
Safety
1. Everyone has a right to be safe from family violence and abuse.
Partnerships
2. Preventing family violence and child abuse in indigenous families is best achieved by families, communities, community organisations and different levels of government working together as partners.
Support
3. Preventing family violence and child abuse in indigenous families relies on strong leadership from governments and indigenous community leaders and sustainable resourcing.
Strong, resilient families
4. Successful strategies to prevent family violence and child abuse in indigenous families enable indigenous people to take control of their lives, regain responsibility for their families and communities and enhance individual and family wellbeing.
Local solutions
5. Successful strategies to prevent family violence and child abuse in indigenous families are flexible, work across jurisdictional and administrative boundaries, enable communities and governments to work together in new and innovative ways and enable local indigenous communities to set priorities and work with governments to develop solutions and implement them.
Address the cause
6. Successful strategies to prevent family violence and child abuse in indigenous families address the underlying causes of violence and abuse, including alcohol and drug abuse, generational disadvantage, poverty and unemployment.
ATTACHMENT D
PRINCIPLES FOR THE REGULATION OF AMMONIUM NITRATE
Policy Aims
1. A nationally-consistent, effective and integrated approach to control access to security-sensitive ammonium nitrate to those with a legitimate need.
2. To ensure accountability at all stages of the ammonium nitrate supply chain, in order to address security and safety concerns.
3. To establish a framework for control which may be applicable for other materials of security concern.
Agreed Principles
1. An authority would be required to import, manufacture, store, transport, supply, export, use or dispose of security sensitive ammonium nitrate (SSAN).
2. Security sensitive AN (SSAN) shall be defined as ammonium nitrate, ammonium nitrate emulsions and ammonium nitrate mixtures containing greater than 45 per cent ammonium nitrate, excluding solutions. (These include dangerous goods under the Australian Dangerous Goods Code with the UN numbers 1942, 2067, 2068, 2069, 2070, 2071, 2072, 3375 and 3139 where applicable.)
3. Persons seeking an authority will be required to:
a) demonstrate a legitimate need for access to SSAN ;
b) provide safe and secure storage and handling procedures;
c) report any loss, theft, attempted theft or unexplained discrepancy to the regulatory authority and police in each jurisdiction;
d) undergo background checking;
e) be a minimum of 18 years of age; and
f) provide verifiable proof of identity, and if a company, details of the company.
4. Background checking must include police and ASIO checks.
a) As a minimum, background checks will be required for the person responsible for the security of SSAN at a workplace ('responsible person'), as well as for any person who has unsupervised access to SSAN.
b) The owners and directors of companies which are not publicly listed will also undergo background checking.
c) Police checking should be done regularly.
d) ASIO checks need only be done once, provided ASIO is notified of the change of name of a person who is subject to security checking.
5. An authority to import, manufacture, store, transport, supply, export, use or dispose of SSAN will impose requirements on the holder of that authority.
The following is a description of the requirements for each type of authority.
6. Importation from overseas
a) Importers of SSAN must have an authority to import.
b) Importers must inform the regulatory authority of each importation at least seven days prior to import.
c) This notification must include:
i. Vessel identification,
ii. details of the quantity to be imported,
iii. location of arrival,
iv. authorisation details of the recipient and contact details,
v. storage location of the SSAN,
vi. authorisation details of the agent transporting from the arrival point, and
vii. confirmation of dangerous goods classification, with a certificate of analysis for each batch comprising the imported SSAN.
d) The Australian Customs Service should notify the regulatory authority of each importation of ammonium nitrate, and hold any importation which is not properly authorised.
7. Manufacture
a) Manufacturers of SSAN must have an authority to manufacture (including storage) from the regulatory authority.
b) An application for an authority to manufacture SSAN must be accompanied by an approved security plan based on a risk assessment and which is to include:
i. the location and details of the manufacturing facility (and note storage requirements below),
ii. details of the production process to be used,
iii. details of the ingredients to be used, and their sourcing if dangerous goods,
iv. recording and reconciliation protocols,
v. designating a responsible person to maintain the security plan, and in the case of a company or other entity, training audits and ongoing maintenance of the plan must be confirmed regularly by the owners and senior officials,
vi. procedures for checking and authorising persons with unsupervised access to SSAN,
vii. certificate of analysis for each batch,
viii. confirmation of dangerous goods classification,
ix. the recording system for authorisation details of any recipient of SSAN and the quantities taken by them, and
x. procedures for reporting to authorities any loss, theft, or attempted theft of SSAN.
8. Storage
a) Those who store SSAN must have an authority to store from the regulatory authority.
b) An application for an authority to store SSAN must be accompanied by an approved security plan based on a risk assessment and which must include:
i. the location and details of the facility,
ii. precautions to ensure it is safe,
iii. procedures for controlling access,
iv. recording and reconciliation protocols,
v. procedures for checking and authorising persons with unsupervised access to SSAN and designating a responsible person to maintain the security plan. In the case of a company or other entity, training audits and ongoing maintenance of the plan must be confirmed regularly by the owners and senior officials,
vi. the recording system for details of persons taking SSAN from the storage and the quantities taken by them, and
vii. procedures for reporting to authorities any loss, theft, or attempted theft of SSAN.
c) As a minimum, SSAN must be stored in a locked facility/container or be under constant surveillance. (A detailed national code for safe and secure storage will be developed.)
d) The storage facility must also conform to Australian Standards and the Australian Dangerous Goods Code.
9. Transport
a) Transporters of SSAN must have an authority to transport from the regulatory authority.
b) An application for an authority to transport SSAN must be accompanied by an approved security plan based on a risk assessment, and which must include:
i. precautions to ensure it is secure for the duration of the entire journey,
ii. procedures for checking and authorising crew members and designating a responsible person to maintain the security plan. In the case of a company or other entity, training, audits and ongoing maintenance of the plan must be confirmed regularly by the owners and senior officers,
iii. the recording system for authorisation details of persons taking delivery of SSAN and the quantities taken by them, and
iv. procedures for reporting to authorities any loss, theft or attempted theft of SSAN.
c) As a minimum, SSAN must be transported in a locked container or vessel or be under constant surveillance by an authorised crew member.
d) An authority would not be required for the transport of quantities of SSAN of 20kg or a lesser weight.
e) The transportation must also conform to Australian Standards and the Australian Dangerous Goods Code.
10. Supply
a) A person may only supply SSAN to another