2018–19 Sustainability Fund Activities Report
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2018–19 Sustainability Fund Activities Report Investing in a more sustainable future 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 2019 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 creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/ ISBN 978-1-76077-745-6 (pdf/online/MS word) 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 136 186, or email customer. [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 Victorian Government Sustainability Fund CONTENTS Secretary’s foreword 2 Overview 4 About the Sustainability Fund 5 Role of the Sustainability Fund Commitee 6 Priority Statement 8 Supporting the Priority Statement 10 Monitoring and Evaluation Framework 13 Implementing the Victorian Auditor-General’s recommendations 30 The source of the Sustainability Fund 35 Investment over time 38 Supporting different types of organisations 42 The projected cash balance of the Sustainability Fund prior to future allocations 45 Programs being funded by the Sustainability Fund 48 Grants and projects funded by the Sustainability Fund 2018–19 71 Victorian Government Sustainability Fund SECRETARY’S FOREWORD To build a sustainable future for Victoria, we need to work together to reduce our impact on the environment. A healthy environment will help foster social and economic development, supporting the current and future prosperity of all Victorians. Victoria’s landfill levy system is a powerful tool to In 2018–19, the fund supported the diversion of at help lower our impact on the environment by least 184,959 tonnes of waste going to landfill, the reducing the waste that ends up in landfill and upgrade of 53 e-waste collection services and the recovering valuable resources from the waste we creation or enhancement of six new markets for generate. recovered materials. Revenue generated from these levies funds key The fund also saw the generation of 389 million government environmental agencies that are kilowatt hours of renewable energy and a reduction tackling issues such as waste management, of just over nine million kilowatt hours of electricity recycling, sustainability and climate change. After usage by Victorian schools. Almost 800 schools distributions to these agencies, the remaining funds adopted positive environmental action, including are transferred to the Sustainability Fund. diverting waste from landfill and saving water, and more than 11,000 hectares were protected under The fund plays a vital role in fostering the voluntary agreements. environmentally sustainable use of resources and best practices in waste management, as well as These emerging results from projects during the year helping Victorians take action on the effects of demonstrate the fund’s value in strengthening the climate change. Funds are allocated in accordance state’s waste and recycling industry and restoring with the Environment Protection Act 1970 and the Victoria as a leader in responding to the effects of Sustainability Fund Priority Statement. climate change. 2 2018–19 Activities Report Victorian Government Sustainability Fund This year had the highest annual expenditure in the The fund continues to be strategic and forward fund’s history. A total of $193.7 million was invested in looking by supporting projects that foster waste management and climate change projects employment, new technology and innovation, across the state. Key projects include: resource efficiency and ongoing behaviour change. • $22 million to help Victoria’s biodiversity be more For example, the fund supported more than 300 resilient to climate change additional jobs in Victoria during the year. Investment in these areas helps foster Victoria’s • $19 million to accelerate the development of and social and economic future. encourage investment in renewable energy projects in Victoria I would like to take this opportunity to thank the • $16 million to improve the energy efficiency of Chair of the Sustainability Fund Committee, Freya government buildings Marsden, for her leadership and contribution to the • $11 million to support the ban on e-waste in management of the committee during the year. I Victoria would also like to thank the outgoing committee representative Kath Rowley for her valuable • $8 million to enhance Victoria’s capacity to contribution. manage waste, litter and resource recovery. The committee’s advice to the Minister for Energy, A full list of the fund’s activities in 2018–19 is included Environment and Climate Change on allocations in this report. from the fund continues to ensure that programs Almost 400 organisations were assisted through funded align with the fund’s objectives and priorities. targeted grant programs, of which 20 per cent were local governments. These organisations play a key role in driving change in the community, especially to help reduce the amount of waste going to landfill and increase resource recovery, creating a more sustainable and healthier environment. The cash balance of the fund decreased from $511 million at 30 June 2018 to $406 million at 30 June 2019. All but $13 million of this balance is allocated to projects, with future commitments from the fund to be met from the remaining balance and from levy collections in future years. 2018–19 Activities Report 3 Victorian Government Sustainability Fund OVERVIEW The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) publishes an activities report for the Sustainability Fund annually. This report details the fund’s investments and The Sustainability Fund’s Monitoring and Evaluation activities for 2018–19. It provides transparency about Framework was implemented during 2018–19. The where the revenue collected from Victorian landfill aim of the framework is to provide greater levies has been spent, and the value the fund transparency about project outcomes and the value provides to Victoria. Information is also provided on the fund provides to Victoria. Outcomes from those how the fund operates, how its funds are allocated projects that have adopted the framework and can and how the individual projects it supported align to provide data are included in this report. its legislated purpose and priorities. Case studies are presented throughout the report to The fund has seen significant internal change over illustrate how the fund is helping Victorian the past 12 months. DELWP accepted all 14 communities and industry respond to environmental recommendations made by the Victorian Auditor- concerns and to highlight its achievements over the General in the performance audit Managing the past year. Industrial and Municipal Landfill Levy. At the time of publication, 10 recommendations have been successfully implemented. Information about these recommendations and their current status is provided in this report. 4 2018–19 Activities Report Victorian Government Sustainability Fund ABOUT THE SUSTAINABILITY FUND The Sustainability Fund is established in legislation to foster environmentally sustainable uses of resources, best practices in waste management, reduction of greenhouse gas substance emissions, and adaptation to climate change in Victoria. Management of the fund was transferred to DELWP The Sustainability Fund Committee oversees the in 2015. Before 2015, the fund was administered by fund’s management to support transparency and Sustainability Victoria with the first funding allocated accountability, as well as providing impartial, in 2005. strategic advice to the Minister and Premier regarding allocations from the fund. The fund receives money collected from the Victorian Municipal and Industrial Landfill Levy The members of the committee during the 2018–19 (MILL). MILL funds are initially distributed to key reporting period have been: environmental agencies including the Environment • Freya Marsden, Chair Protection Authority (EPA), Sustainability Victoria 2016 – current (SV) and the seven Waste and Resource Recovery • Joe Groher, Deputy Chair Groups. The remaining revenue is then transferred to 2016