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Environment and Heritage Protection

Strategic Plan 2017—2021

DepartmentofEnvironmentandHeritageProtection

The2017-21StrategicPlandetailshowEHPwillcontinuetodeliverourvisionandimplementtheGovernment’sobjectivesforthecommunity.

Issuessuchasclimatechange,coastaldevelopment,ecologicalintegrity,biodiversityandsustainabledevelopmentcontinuetoposechallengesforourdepartmentandQueensland.

Thedepartmentwillcontinuetocoordinatethewhole-of-governmentGreatBarrierReefstrategies.AsuiteofprogramshasbeendevelopedtoprotecttheGreatBarrierReefandtheOfficeoftheGreatBarrierReefwillcontinuetomonitorandreportontheirimplementation,particularlyinkeycatchmentareas,tohelpimprovethequalityofwaterenteringthereeflagoon.

TofurtherhelpprotectourState’ssignificantheritageplaceswewillcontinuetoincreaseourfocusonpromotingthevalueandunderstandingofheritageaspartofourongoingjourneytohelpdefinewhatitmeanstobeaQueenslander.

Wewillalsocontinueourongoingadvancesinbestpracticeregulatorystrategies.WewillleadthedevelopmentandimprovementofstandardsthatwillprotectQueenslandfromunacceptableenvironmentalimpactsandwewilltargetourcomplianceandenforcementapproachtothoseareasofhighestrisk.

Thedepartment’sobjectiveswillbemetthrougharangeofexistingandnewactivitiestohelpEHPprotectandconserveQueensland’senvironmentandheritage.ThesewillincludespecificactionstoidentifythreatstoourState’svulnerablelandscapes,waterwaysandnaturalcommunities.Itwillalsoincludeafocusonreducingbiodiversitylossthroughenhancedland-useplanningandcatchmentmanagement,andcomprehensiveclimatechangepolicies.

JimReevesDirector-GeneralDepartmentofEnvironmentandHeritageProtection

TheDepartmentofEnvironmentandHeritageProtection(EHP)iscommittedtoourvisionofhealthyandresilientenvironmentsforasustainableandprosperousQueensland.

• increasing workforce participation

• ensuring safe, productive and fair workplaces

• stimulating economic growth and innovation

• delivering new infrastructure and investment

• ensuring an accessible and effective justice system

• providing an integrated and reliable transport network

• encouraging safer and inclusive communities

• building regions

Creating jobs and a diverse economy

Delivering quality frontline services

Building safe, caring and connected communities

• achieving better education and training outcomes

• strengthening our public health system

• providing responsive and integrated government services

• supporting disadvantaged Queenslanders

Integrity and accountability

• protecting the Great Barrier Reef

• conserving nature and heritage

• ensuring sustainable management of natural resources

• enabling responsible development

Protecting the environment

Consultation

Queensland Government

priorities

Our service areas

Our objectives(what we want

to achieve)

Our priority strategies(what we will do to achieve our objectives)

Our performance indicators (how we will know we have achieved

our objectives)

Our priority deliverables (whatweaimtodeliverbyJune2018)

OUR VISION: Healthy and resilient environments for a sustainable and prosperous Queensland

OUR MISSION: To lead environment and heritage protection and sustainability in Queensland

Conservingnatureandheritage

Speciesandecosystemprotectionservices

1—CONSERVE NATURE AT BOTH THE SPECIES AND LANDSCAPE LEVELS

ProtectingtheGreatBarrierReef

Environmentalprotectionservices

2—PROTECT THE GREAT BARRIER REEF

Conservingnatureandheritage

Heritageprotectionservices

3—PROTECT SIGNIFICANT HERITAGE PLACES

Enablingresponsibledevelopment

Stimulatingeconomicgrowthandinnovation

Ensuringsustainablemanagementofnaturalresources

Providingresponsiveandintegratedgovernmentservices

Environmentalprotectionservices

4—AVOID, MINIMISE OR MITIGATE NEGATIVE IMPACTS ON THE ENVIRONMENT

Providingresponsiveandintegratedgovernmentservices

All

5—PROVIDE EFFICIENT, RESPONSIVE AND INTEGRATED SERVICES

• Water quality improvement measured through regional performance report cards in priority catchments.

• 95% of threatened species targeted under recovery plans maintain or improve their classification.

• 17% of land gazetted as protected area estate by 2035.

1.1 Set standards and objectives to protect Queensland’s ecosystems.1.2 Increase the State’s protected area estate to protect and conserve

Queensland’s ecosystems and species.1.3 Minimise negative interactions between wildlife and communities.1.4 Educate and engage with communities about the State’s ecosystems

and species.1.5 In partnership with development regulators and regional NRM bodies,

establish initiatives to enhance Queensland’s ecosystems and habitats.

• Progress a review of the framework around the Nature Conservation (Protected Plants) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013.

• Secure and conserve representative and resilient samples of all bio-geographical regions of the State in the National Park Estate and move towards the target set through the Convention on Biological Diversity.

• Develop a Koala Strategy in response to the 2015 SEQ Koala population survey.• Undertake a review of the wildlife regulations under the Nature Conservation Act 1992—10-year statutory review• Lead the wetlands Critical Reef Support project to implement better wetlands management and improved

community access to information relating to reef.• Undertake a scientific study into crocodile populations to inform crocodile management plans.

• Based on the 2009 baseline continued progress towards targets of: > Up to 80% reduction in nitrogen

run-off from key catchments such as the Wet Tropics and the Burdekin by 2025 (W-o-G).

> Up to 50% reduction of sediment run-off from key catchments such as the Wet Tropics and the Burdekin by 2025 (W-o-G).

2.1 Coordinate the State Government’s contribution to the Reef 2050 Long-Term Sustainability Plan.

2.2 Coordinate the implementation of the Government’s response to the recommendations of the Great Barrier Reef Water Science Taskforce.

2.3 Partner with key stakeholders and support the delivery of programs to reduce pollutant runoff from priority reef catchments.

• Work with external stakeholders to design and implement enhanced regulations to improve Reef water quality.

• Manage the design and implementation of two major integrated projects in priority Reef catchments in collaboration with local communities.

• Deliver a targeted scientific research program into reef pollutant losses and pathways as a consequence of land management practices in the GBR catchments.

• Coordinate the delivery of the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program. • Work with other Queensland agencies, the Australian Government and stakeholders to implement the actions of

the Reef 2050 Plan including the revision of the Reef Water Quality Protection Plan.• Continue to support the implementation of voluntary industry-led best management practice (BMP) programs for

the cane, banana and grazing industries to support reef water quality outcomes.

• Improved efficiency of reviews of Queensland Heritage Register entries to provide an accurate record of the State’s most important heritage places as shown by the average cost per heritage register entry reviewed and updated.

• Provide high quality research and stakeholder consultation to achieve adoption by the Queensland Heritage Council (QHC) of at least 90% of recommendations for places to be entered in or removed from the Queensland heritage register.

3.1 Regulate and support the management and protection of places with State heritage value.

3.2 Promote the value and understanding of Queensland’s heritage through programs, education and investment initiatives.

3.3 Promote the appreciation of continued use of heritage places through adaptive reuse.

• Continue to support the QHC to administer the Queensland Heritage Act 1992.• Continue to manage the Queensland Heritage Register and to strategically and systematically review listings in

the register.• Deliver EHP’s obligations under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976 and the Reef 2050 Sustainability Plan.

• Improved environmental results for air quality and waste as shown through State of the Environment reporting and the annual State of Waste Report.

• 80% of coastal councils with large populations, have been awarded QCoast

2100 grants to

assist them prepare coastal hazard adaption strategies by 2019.

• 20 Councils successfully complete the Climate Resilient Councils Program by 2020.

• Increase in the percentage of surveyed respondents who indicate their understanding and confidence in EHP’s regulatory role.

• Decrease in the number of activities unnecessarily inspected through more remote examination and robust risk assessment.

4.1 Deliver risk-based regulation, by prioritising action against activities posing and/or emerging as the greatest threats to the environment.

4.2 Take effective regulatory action to address levels of non-compliance and facilitate best practice operations through penalties, incentives and sanctions.

4.3 Showcase Queensland’s environmental credentials and engage the community in environmental management.

4.4 Lead the development and delivery of whole-of-government climate change mitigation and adaptation programs.

4.5 Administer the environmental offsets framework to minimise impacts on the environment.

4.6 Implement programs to reduce unlawful waste activities and promote increased re-use and recycling.

4.7 Maintain programs to address impacts on coasts and catchments from urban and rural development.

4.8 Assist Queensland coastal councils to have Coastal Hazard Adaptation Strategies in place.

• Implement the Climate Adaptation Strategy to help build greater resilience to current and future climate-related hazards such as heatwaves, droughts, flooding events and cyclones including through adaptation funding of $1M per year over three years.

• Continue implementing the QCoast2100

program of $4M a year for three years to assist councils with the development of coastal hazard adaption strategies as well as coastal adaption pilot projects.

• Implement a Container Refund Scheme and plastic bag ban.• Support the Advance Queensland program by increasing the use of waste as a feedstock for

biofutures industries.• Continue to advocate for strong national action in response to climate change.• Gain an external perspective on the regulatory performance of EHP and ways in which EHP can improve both in

terms of function and external perception.• Provide an improved reporting framework and response capacity to community reports of pollution.• Continue to resource and pursue investigations into serious environmental harm.• Continue to gain a better understanding of why people are non-compliant, the issues spanning an

industry or geographic area, and the pre-cursors to non-compliance (i.e. financial risk), to allow for more effective intervention.

• Use of cutting edge spatial technology and better use of industry data to minimise resourcing costs and allow officers to target suspected non-compliant sites.

• Work across government to develop consistent and complementary approaches to mines at risk of defaulting on their environmental obligations.

• Continue to look for opportunities to make more information available to the public on the EHP and other websites, and social and general media.

• 85% customer satisfaction with EHP’s performance by 2019.

• 20% increase in EHP services and transactions available online by 2021.

• EHP placed in the 1st quartile of Working for Queensland survey results for the areas of Workload and health, Agency engagement and Job empowerment by 2021.

5.1 Partner with universities and other scientific bodies to enhance the information required to monitor environmental performance and inform policy.

5.2 Leverage funding and other resourcing from industry and the community to assist with protecting the environment and heritage.

5.3 Continue to invest in developing a safe, responsive, ethical, inclusive and engaged workforce that is able to meet current and emerging priorities.

5.4 Provide targeted environmental support or services to remote and discrete Aboriginal local government areas.

5.5 Enhance the web-based State of the Environment Report through establishing a module reporting on sustainable communities.

5.6 Maintain contemporary governance and accountability frameworks.

• Expand the number of co-funded projects through Reef Trust to deliver an integrated approach to water quality on ground projects.

• Develop matched funding arrangements with private and philanthropic organisations to leverage Reef funding.• Reinvigorate awareness around safety, health and wellbeing strategies, through a new Safety Awareness

Action Plan.• Implement the new Workforce Strategic Plan, Diversity and Inclusion Strategy, the Talent Management Strategy

and the Training and Education plan.• Continue to monitor and maintain effective governance, control and accountability frameworks in line with

statutory responsibilities with a strong focus on fraud.• Continue with the brand review project to enhance the department’s reputation within the community.

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Strategic Risk

Associated Objectives

1 2 3 4 5

Challenges

• Ensuringlaws,policies,plansandprogramsadequatelyprotectorenhanceenvironmentalvalues.

• FundingforOGBRprogramsisinadequateandtimelimitedimpactingontheabilitytoachievewaterqualityoutcomes.(W-o-G)

• Effectiveregulatoryinterventionandpolicyadaptationtoensureminingoperationsmaintainadequatecapacitytomanageenvironmentalobligationsduringtimesoffinancialuncertainty.

• Relianceonexternalstakeholderinvolvementtoachieveresultsstatewide(i.e.educationofpublic,effectivepartnerships,privatelandownershipetc).

Opportunities

• EffectivecollaborationontheimplementationoftheReef2050Long-TermSustainabilityPlan.(W-o-G)

• Re-useandpromotionofQueensland’sheritagetopreventapossiblelossofheritageassetsforpresentandfuturegenerations.

• ImplementandenforcetheGovernment’sMiningRehabilitationPolicy(includingFinancialAssurance)toreducenegativeimpactontheenvironment.

• Effectiverelationshipsandnetworkingwithstakeholderstofacilitateagreementregardingenvironmentalpolicyanddirection.

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OUR CONTRIBUTION TO THE GOVERNMENT’S OBJECTIVES FOR THE COMMUNITY

OUR KEY STRATEGIC RISKS

(CHALLENGESANDOPPORTUNITIES)

• increasing workforce participation

• ensuring safe, productive and fair workplaces

• stimulating economic growth and innovation

• delivering new infrastructure and investment

• ensuring an accessible and effective justice system

• providing an integrated and reliable transport network

• encouraging safer and inclusive communities

• building regions

Creating jobs and a diverse economy

Delivering quality frontline services

Building safe, caring and connected communities

• achieving better education and training outcomes

• strengthening our public health system

• providing responsive and integrated government services

• supporting disadvantaged Queenslanders

Integrity and accountability

• protecting the Great Barrier Reef

• conserving nature and heritage

• ensuring sustainable management of natural resources

• enabling responsible development

Protecting the environment

Consultation

TheQueenslandGovernment’sobjectivesforthecommunityincludecreatingjobsandadiverseeconomy,deliveringqualityfrontlineservices,protectingtheenvironment,andbuildingsafe,caringandconnectedcommunities.EHPcontributestotheQueenslandGovernment’sobjectivesandprioritiesthrough:

• Protectingtheenvironment—protectingtheGreatBarrierReef;conservingnatureandheritage;ensuringsustainablemanagementofnaturalresources;andenablingresponsibledevelopment.

• Creatingjobsandadiverseeconomy—stimulatingeconomicgrowthandinnovation

• Deliveringqualityfrontlineservices—providingresponsiveandintegratedgovernmentservices.