Minutes/Actions Environment & Waterways Alliance Reference Group Meeting Wednesday 18 May, 2016 – Parkes Shire Council Present Murray Wood – Dubbo City Council Stevie Armstrong – Bathurst Regional Council Dianna Watkins – DPI Biosecurity Deborah Taylor – Bathurst Regional Council Satendra Kumar – DPI Biosecurity Catriona Jennings – Dubbo City Council Meredith Brainwood – Applied Ecology Cassie Liney – Mid-Western Regional Council Jeremy Winer – Weed Technics Andrew Francis – Parkes Shire Council Colleen Farrow – Central Tablelands Local Michael Chambers – Parkes Shire Council Land Services Heather Nicholls – Cabonne Council Neville Collins – Central Tablelands Local Land Warwick Doulman – Cabonne Council Services Kayla Volka – Bogan Shire Council Cherie Hughes – Central West Local Land James Cleasby – Warren Shire Council Services Melinda Jeoffries – Lachlan Shire Council Diana Kureen – Central Tablelands Local Land Laurie Thompson – Lachlan Shire Council Services Kelli Robertson – Warrumbungle Shire Mick Callan – Environment & Waterways Council Alliance Lynton Auld – Dubbo City Council Melissa Ward – Narromine Shire Council Brian Parker – Blayney Shire Council Craig Flemming – Contamination Central Brad Perera– Gilgandra Shire Council Apologie Jon Francis – Orange Shire Council Ashley Wielinga – Warren Shire Council Wayne Gailey – Orange Shire Council Chris Schumacher – Oberon Shire Council Wayne Beatty – Orange Shire Council Ian Tucker – Oberon Shire Council Damon Cupitt – Lithgow City Council Roger Smith – Orange City Council Paul Cashell – Lithgow City Council Mark Riley – Dubbo City Council Brad Cam – Mid-Western Regional Council Julie Prout – Gilgandra Shire Council Sean Richardson – Mid-Western Council Guy McAnally-Elwin – Gilgandra Shire Council Bethany Greenfield – Mid-Western Council Julie Prout – Gilgandra Shire Council David Waddell – Orange City Council Donna Galvin - Cabonne Council Brian Parker – Blayney Shire Council Nathan Skelly – Blayney Shire Council Kayla Volka – Bogan Shire Council Greg Lamont – Narromine Shire Council Liz Densley – Mid-Western Regional Council Guy Marchant – Narromine Shire Council Chris Schumacher – Oberon Council Kerry Murphy – Narromine Shire Council Grant Baker – Blayney Shire Council Phil King – Lachlan Shire Council Felicity Taylor-Edwards – RDA Orana Council Peter Gall – Wellington Council Chris McCulloch – Central Tablelands LLS Andrew Cosier – Wellington Council Jane Chrystal – Central West LLS Reg Kidd – Central Tablelands LLS Paul Devery – Cowra Shire Council 66 Corporation Ave | Bathurst NSW 2795 T: 02 6333 2323 | www.cwcewa.com.au Presenters Dianna Watkins & Satendra Kumar – Biosecurity & the Peri Urban Plan Colleen Farrow – Targeted Ecosystems Cat Tracking Project Neville Collins – Urban Fox Control Dr Meredith Brainwood – Planning Waterways Rehabilitation Projects Jeremy Winer – Alternative Weed Control Copies of most guest speaker presentations can be found on the Alliance website: http://www.cwcewa.com.au/ Chair Facilitator Murray Wood Diana Kureen Agenda Item 1 Welcome Meeting was opened at 10am Acknowledgement was made of the Traditional Owners of the Land and their Elders past and present Welcome to Parkes from Andrew Francis Introduction of participants Introduction to the meeting and outline of the content WHS considerations for the meeting Actions and Agreements from last meeting discussed Motion: Minutes from the previous meeting be accepted Moved: Lynton Auld Seconded: James Cleasby Agenda Item 2 Alliance Update Mick Callan 7 Councils – Bogan, Lachlan, Parkes, Mid-Western, Cowra, Warren and Dubbo - stated that they had put the Report to Council, as prepared for all member Councils at the last meeting. The other Councils were encouraged to ensure the report went to their Council ASAP. ACTION An update of all the Alliance activities for the 2015-16 year was given, as this was the last meeting before the end of the financial year. All the Project Support Officer reports can be viewed on the Alliance website. It was determined that there would only be a brief review of the Alliance 5 Year Plan at the end of the financial year, as the full review was only undertaken in 2015. The Alliance Facebook page has received 180 likes. Member councils are encouraged to send Mick any case studies/reports that they would like on Facebook or the website. The website has been accessed by over 2000 people. ACTION The next training event will be held in September and will be a workshop on Restoring Native Wildlife conducted by the TAFE - Western Sydney Institute – venue to be confirmed. 66 Corporation Ave | Bathurst NSW 2795 T: 02 6333 2323 | www.cwcewa.com.au Diana outlined changes to Biodiversity Legislation and the new Biodiversity Act. Lynton Auld had attended an information session held in Dubbo by OEH and reported back on this meeting as well as handing out material to the group distributed at the meeting. Concerns were raised by the membership, and it was decided to further teleconference the issue on 16 June, after another meeting, specifically for Local Government, has been held by OEH. Motion from Murray Wood that the Alliance should submit a response to the reforms. All Councils should provide feedback, so common threads can be pulled together. ACTION Central Tablelands LLS will be running out projects with the Green Army in the next financial year, any Councils wishing to partner with projects in their LGA should let Diana know – remembering that the Green Army teams will only travel within 100kms of their base. ACTION Agenda Item 3 Central West Local Land Cherie Hughes Services Update Central West LLS has 6 new Landcare Facilitators in their region, including one at Coonamble. Cherie commented it would be good for Local Government to work with them. Cherie will send out the Landcare Facilitators contact details to the relevant Councils. ACTION Central West Local Land Services Local Government Incentive Funding for 2016-17 will be funded by NSW Catchment Action (CA), so projects will have to support outcomes identified by CA. Another “Hollows for Habitat” workshop will be held at Taronga Western Plains Zoo on 23 June. Both the Zoo and Central West LLS will be supporting this free workshop. The Central West LLS Regional Weeds Committee, has elected Cr Peter Shilton from Warrumbungle Shire as its Chair, and Andrew Cosier from Western Plains Regional Council (Wellington) as its Deputy. A Statewide Draft Strategic Plan is being prepared. Meanwhile the Central West Committee is undertaking risk assessments to determine their Priority Weeds List. Agenda Item 4 Contamination Central Craig Flemming Update Update on the Contamination Central project, with Craig informing the group that training for Council staff was now underway. This will take 5-6 months of in-house and regional training on such topics as how to run the record keeping system, how the policy works, wording for 149Certificates etc. More information on the EPA’s guidelines in regard to Excavated Natural Material and Virgin Excavated Natural Material will also be distributed. Responsibility for UPSS will be passed to Councils on June 17. This will directly affect Councils with underground storage at their depots. Although the Policy Template has been completed, new Policy adoption by Councils has been fairly slow with only three on exhibition so far. Another four are ready to go on exhibition shortly, but Council amalgamations are creating some problems. Contamination Central/ALGA State Conference to be held in Dubbo on 31 May. All participating Councils have free entry to Conference. Craig has sent out email with details on 66 Corporation Ave | Bathurst NSW 2795 T: 02 6333 2323 | www.cwcewa.com.au how to join ALGA (already paid for) and register for conference - 76 delegates have so far registered for the Conference. Agenda Item 5 Biosecurity & the Peri Dianna Watkins & Urban Plan Satendra Kumar Biosecurity Reform Program DPI released the Biosecurity Strategy in 2013 and are now reforming the legislation to enact it. This will streamline 10 Acts and part of another 4 Acts into the Biosecurity Act. Supporting regulations, policies and procedures are currently being developed. Rather than re-inventing the wheel the process is drawing on the Queensland legislation – already in place. This will also help create harmony between the two jurisdictions. It will include the duty to mitigate or manage a threat if it is known. Responsibilities for Local Government will continue for Pest Animals and Weeds, with Weeds Officers being Authorised Officers in respect to weeds only. The Department recognises the need to get Biosecurity, and what it means, out to the wider community any innovative suggestions are welcome. Peri Urban Program This program is currently being run-out in the Greater Sydney LLS region where 25% of food production is produced on just 3% of landuse. The aim of the project is to improve biosecurity threats by demonstrating how the legislation works. Weeds are seen as a general biosecurity issue. Any questions or suggestions on the reforms can be directed to: - Animal Security and Welfare – Lisa Martin - 0428 623 471 - Plant Biosecurity and Weeds - Karen O’Malley - 0428 103 665 - Invasive Animals – Jamie Maddocks – 0429 924 365 - Project Manager – Ray Willis – 0429 910 132 Agenda Item 6 Targeted Ecosystems – Colleen Farrow Cat Tracking Project Colleen detailed the results of a Cat Tracking Program, originally developed in South Australia and which has recently been run out