Submission to the Parliamentary Inquiry Into Environmental
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DELWP Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into Environmental InfrastructureSubmission for Growing Populations to the Parliamentary Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure for Growing Populations DEPARTMENT OF ENVIRONMENT, LAND, WATER AND PLANNING OCTOBER 2020 1 DELWP Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure for Growing Populations Acknowledgment We acknowledge and respect Victorian Traditional Owners as the original custodians of Victoria's land and waters, their unique ability to care for Country and deep spiritual connection to it. We honour Elders past and present whose knowledge and wisdom has ensured the continuation of culture and traditional practices. We are committed to genuinely partner, and meaningfully engage, with Victoria's Traditional Owners and Aboriginal communities to support the protection of Country, the maintenance of spiritual and cultural practices and their broader aspirations in the 21st century and beyond. © The State of Victoria Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning 2020 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International licence. You are free to re-use the work under that licence, on the condition that you credit the State of Victoria as author. The licence does not apply to any images, photographs or branding, including the Victorian Coat of Arms, the Victorian Government logo and the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) logo. To view a copy of this licence, visit http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ Printed by <Insert Name of printer - Suburb> ISBN XXX-X-XXXXX-XXX-X (print) How to obtain an ISBN or an ISSN ISBN XXX-X-XXXXX-XXX-X (pdf) Disclaimer This publication may be of assistance to you but the State of Victoria and its employees do not guarantee that the publication is without flaw of any kind or is wholly appropriate for your particular purposes and therefore disclaims all liability for any error, loss or other consequence which may arise from you relying on any information in this publication. Accessibility If you would like to receive this publication in an alternative format, please telephone the DELWP Customer Service Centre on 136186, email [email protected], or via the National Relay Service on 133 677 www.relayservice.com.au. This document is also available on the internet at www.delwp.vic.gov.au. 2 DELWP Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure for Growing Populations Table of Contents Executive Summary ................................................................................................................................. 6 Introduction ............................................................................................................................................ 9 Partnering with Traditional Owners ................................................................................................. 11 Roles and Responsibilities ................................................................................................................. 11 DELWP’s Strategic Framework for Environmental Infrastructure .................................................... 12 Section 1. The Benefits of Accessing and Using Different Types of Environmental Infrastructure ...... 14 1.1 Economic, Social and Environmental Benefits ............................................................................ 15 1.2 Framework for Determining Benefits ......................................................................................... 18 Section 2. Environmental Infrastructure and the Victorian Government’s Response to Population Growth in Melbourne and Regional Centres ........................................................................................ 20 2.1 The Impacts of Population Growth on Environmental Infrastructure ........................................ 20 Waterways .................................................................................................................................... 20 Open Space & Parks ...................................................................................................................... 21 Canopy Trees & Wildlife Corridors ................................................................................................ 22 2.2 DELWP’s Key Programs to Respond to Population Pressure and Preserve and Provide Environmental Infrastructure ........................................................................................................... 23 Waterways .................................................................................................................................... 23 Open Space and Parks ................................................................................................................... 25 Canopy Trees and Wildlife Corridors ............................................................................................ 28 Section 3. Differences in the Availability of Environmental Infrastructure Between Different Suburbs and Between Different Regional Centres ............................................................................................. 31 Waterways .................................................................................................................................... 31 Open Space and Parks ................................................................................................................... 32 Sporting Fields & Recreation Reserves ......................................................................................... 33 Canopy Trees & Wildlife Corridors ................................................................................................ 33 Section 4. The Effectiveness of Current Legislation and Planning Provisions in Securing Environmental Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................ 35 Waterways .................................................................................................................................... 35 Open Space & Parks ...................................................................................................................... 36 Forest and Bushland (Native Vegetation and other forests) ........................................................ 37 Canopy Trees & Wildlife Corridors ................................................................................................ 39 Planning System ............................................................................................................................ 40 Section 5. Existing Delays or Obstacles to Securing Environmental Infrastructure .............................. 43 Waterways .................................................................................................................................... 43 Canopy Trees and Wildlife Corridors ............................................................................................ 43 3 DELWP Submission: Parliamentary Inquiry into Environmental Infrastructure for Growing Populations Section 6. The Impact of coronavirus on the Importance, Use and Design of Environmental Infrastructure ........................................................................................................................................ 44 Interactions Between the coronavirus and Critical Megatrends .................................................. 44 Critical Insights into Environmental Infrastructure ....................................................................... 45 Designing for Multiple Outcomes ................................................................................................. 47 Investing in Environmental Infrastructure Where it’s Needed Most ........................................... 48 Section 7. Examples of Best Practice and Innovative Approaches to Securing Environmental Infrastructure in Other Jurisdictions ..................................................................................................... 49 Global approaches ............................................................................................................................ 49 London .......................................................................................................................................... 49 Pittsburgh – a new impact systems approach .............................................................................. 49 Australian city approaches ................................................................................................................ 50 Adelaide ........................................................................................................................................ 50 Sydney ........................................................................................................................................... 50 ACT ................................................................................................................................................ 51 Victorian Case studies ....................................................................................................................... 52 Harkness Cemetery: reimaging a memorial park ......................................................................... 52 Greening the Pipeline ................................................................................................................... 53 Djerring Trail