GLENELG HOPKINS CMA 2009-10 ANNUAL REPORT Contents 3 GLENELG HOPKINS CMA 58 FINANCIAL STATEMENTS 3 Vision, Mission & Values 58 Certification 4 Highlights and Challenges 59 Auditor General’s Certificate 5 Financial Performance at a Glance 61 Financial Statements 5 About us and Our Region 89 Disclosure Index 8 Year in Review 91 Glossary of Terms 10 Corporate Plan Activities and Performance Indicators 15 Annual Natural Resource Management Report 24 HEALTHY LANDSCAPES 24 Catchment Health Overview 25 Regional Biodiversity Protection and Management 28 Regional Pest Plans 29 Land Health Preparation for Emerging Threats 31 Waterway Health Overview 36 The Coastal Program THIS REPORT: > covers the period from 37 COMMunity & ENVIRONMENT 1 July 2009 to 30 June 2010 37 Connecting Communities with Environment > is the 12th Annual Report for the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority OuR PEOPLE, OuR BuSINESS 43 > is prepared for the Minister for 43 Governance Structure Environment and Climate Change, 45 Board Committees Parliament of Victoria and the community 46 Board Directors > is a public document freely available 47 Organisational Structure on our website 48 Corporate Program > is prepared in accordance with 51 Reporting Requirements government and legislative 55 Legislative Compliance requirements and ARA criteria 56 Financial Summary > provides an accurate record of our activities and achievements against our core business strategy, the Corporate Plan > acknowledges the support of our community. GLENELG HOPKINS CMA ANNuAL REPORT 2009-10 2 Glenelg Hopkins CMA IN THIS SECTION: > CHIEF ExECuTIVE OFFICER’S AND > HIGHLIGHTS AND CHALLENGES CHAIRPERSON’S REPORT > ABOuT uS AND OuR REGION > CORPORATE PLAN ACTIVITIES AND Performance indicators > FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE > ANNuAL NRM REPORT OuR VISION A healthy and sustainable relationship between the natural ANNuAL REPORT FORMAT environment and the community. This Annual Report has been produced for online distribution and OuR MISSION is available on the Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority Improving relationships between the environment and the website – www.ghcma.vic.gov.au. community to achieve wise use of our regional natural resources in partnership with the government. Disclaimer: While every effort is made to provide a high quality publication, OuR VALuES Glenelg Hopkins CMA does not give We behave towards people and conduct our business by displaying: any guarantees, undertakings or warranties concerning the accuracy, > RESPECT – towards all individuals, the community and the completeness or up-to-date nature environment of the information provided in the > ACCOuntability – for what we do and set out to achieve in an document and therefore disclaims ethical manner all liability from error, loss or other consequence that may arise from > Teamwork – in the way we work and support each other to reliance on information in this strive for outstanding NRM outcomes publication. ISSN 1837 - 1078 > FAIRNESS AND TRANSPARENCY – in considering different needs © State of Victoria, Glenelg and views of stakeholders Hopkins CMA 2010. This publication is copyright. No part may be > Honesty and TRuST – in our interactions and communications reproduced by any process except in with our clients and the community accordance with the provisions of the > AN OuTCOMES FOCuS – that recognises the ultimate objective of Copyright Act 1968. achieving positive NRM outcomes in everything we do. Photographers: Linda Jemmett, Tania Parker, Rob Addinsall, Jarred Obst, Kerry Cheeseman, Deb Howcroft. Thanks to Southern Grampians Shire and DSE. GLENELG HOPKINS CMA ANNuAL REPORT 2009-10 3 Glenelg Hopkins CMA Highlights and Challenges HIGHLIGHTS CHALLENGES > The Glenelg Hopkins CMA Board approved the adoption > Setting new directions for natural resource management of INFFER as a tool for planning and prioritising public as provided in the Victorian Government’s Securing Our investments in natural resources and the environment Natural Future: White Paper for Land and Biodiversity at from 2011 and beyond. a Time of Climate Change. > Five Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies were released into the > The merger with Corangamite CMA and Western Grampians National Park. Current known animals are Coastal Board involves institutional change to form five females and three males (collared) with the location the new entity, Western Districts Natural Resource and of one female and two males (uncollared) unknown. Catchment Authority. > Launch at Sheepvention of the Glenelg Hopkins Soil > Addressing the impact of land use change where Health Strategy and Soil Health Plan 2009-2014. increased cropping, plantations and deep-rooted > Launch at Sheepvention of the Glenelg Hopkins Regional perennial pastures are altering hydrology. Weed Plan and booklet Weeds of the Glenelg Hopkins > Planning for the impact of lower rainfall and water flow Region (2008-12). quantities on environmental water reserves and the > Visit to Glenelg Hopkins CMA by the Wentworth Group resultant increase in usage of groundwater reserves. of Concerned Scientists. > Reducing nutrient loss from high input dairy farming > Presentation of “The Glenelg Story” to members of the areas. Australian Environmental Grantmakers Network. > Resourcing our capacity to work with our local > Construction of a weir to reinstate water to Lake government partners as the major managers of planning Condah, with the biodiversity assessment reaching the and land use change. finals of the Banksia Awards. > Providing support for the region’s Landcare groups. > Three local government and community forums held in > Increased focus on planning and implementing programs partnership with the Department of Sustainability and to reduce threats to priority wetlands. Environment in Casterton, Lake Bolac and Port Fairy following the release of the Victorian Government’s Securing Our Natural Future: White Paper for Land and Biodiversity at a Time of Climate Change. > 7,405 million litres were released as Glenelg River passing environmental flows between August and December 2009 and a further 3,747 million litres of regulated entitlement were released between November 2009 and May 2010. Below left: Brush-tailed Rock Wallabies were released into the Grampians National Park Below centre: The CMA welcomed environmental flows Below right: Poll Herefords grazing GLENELG HOPKINS CMA ANNuAL REPORT 2009-10 4 About us and Our Region ABOuT uS Glenelg Hopkins Catchment Management Authority Glenelg Hopkins CMA is the link between the community was established in July 1997 under the Catchment and and government. In particular, it is the regional Land Protection Act 1994 and reports to the Minister community’s voice on issues involving land and water for Environment and Climate Change, The Hon. Gavin management. Jennings, MLC. The Glenelg Hopkins CMA region is divided into three The annual financial reporting requirements are embodied basins based on watersheds. The Hopkins and Glenelg in the Financial Management Act 1994. Glenelg Hopkins basins are the total catchments for these two rivers. The CMA is also responsible for specific functions under the Portland basin includes all rivers flowing into the ocean Water Act 1989 and for these functions reports to the between the two major rivers. Minister for Water, Hon. Tim Holding, MP. Glenelg Hopkins CMA has 50 full-time equivalent Glenelg Hopkins CMA is responsible, with others, for employees and a gross turnover of $11.09 million. natural resource management within the region. It takes an integrated, whole-of-catchment approach by combining strategic planning with co-ordination for all natural resources. FINANCIAL PERFORMANCE AT A GLANCE FINANCIAL SuMMARY 2010 2009 2008 2007 2006 Financial Summary ($ ‘000) ($ ‘000) ($ ‘000) ($ ‘000) ($ ‘000) Victorian Government contributions 7,457 7,079 4,324 4,276 4,999 Federal Government contributions 2,541 3,786 7,191 8,051 9,254 GlenelgOther revenue Hopkins CMA 913 1,136 977 960 501 Total revenue 10,911 12,001 12,492 13,287 14,754 Corporate expenditure 1,872 2,097 1,723 2,216 1,849 Project expenditure 9,214 10,957 10,692 11,126 12,620 Total expenditure 11,086 13,054 12,415 13,342 14,469 Surplus/(Deficit) for the year (175) (1,053) 77 (55) 285 Current assets 4,349 4,713 5,723 5,463 5,496 Non-current assets 1,913 2,186 2,299 2,105 1,699 Total assets 6,263 6,899 8,022 7,568 7,195 Current liabilities 467 956 1,089 863 768 Non-current liabilities 164 136 73 166 118 Total liabilities 631 1,092 1,162 1,028 886 Net assets 5,632 5,807 6,860 6,540 6,309 GLENELG HOPKINS CMA ANNuAL REPORT 2009-10 5 Glenelg Hopkins CMA About us and Our Region OuR REGION The Glenelg Hopkins region lies south of the Great Dividing The region has three major river drainage basins - the Range and contains areas of scenic beauty, a magnificent Hopkins, Glenelg and Portland Coast. The lower section of coastline, outstanding national parks, rich biodiversity the Glenelg River is heritage-listed for its environmental and significant indigenous cultural heritage. There is an significance. Salt-wedge estuaries at the mouth of rivers abundance of arable land, secure surface water storages entering the sea are environmentally significant. and a broad agricultural production base. Extensive wetlands provide significant habitat for native The region attracts large numbers of people to its biodiversity. The catchment contains substantial reserves world-class tourist attractions and boasts a variety of of groundwater with varying salinities. Three regional educational and research institutions. A deepwater port is groundwater systems underlie the region - the Otway, located in Portland and the region is strategically located Murray and Highland - with other shallow local aquifers with road access to Melbourne and Adelaide. present. The region contains 44 per cent of Victoria’s The region covers about 2.6 million hectares and extends wetlands. from Ballarat in the Central Highlands of Victoria, west to Healthy and productive soils are a major natural asset and the South Australian border and south to the coast. The support a world-scale agricultural sector as well as native southern two thirds are characterised by flat, volcanic vegetation.