WALGA undertakes both policy and projects covering a range of environmental issues, creates awareness about specific environmental issues and provides resources to support Local Government Officers and Elected Members.
EnviroNews
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here.
WALGA Environment Platform
The WALGA
Environment Platform
is an online hub for the Local Government Sector to network, share information and build capacity in Environment and Sustainability issues. The Platform provides networking groups for Elected Members and Officers.
Current Issues
Changes to the
Environmental Protection Act 1986 (EP Act)
In November last year, the changes to the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
(EP Act) went through parliament and were given assent to by the Governor. WALGA has prepared a
report
that provides the details of the changes of most relevance to Local Government. In summary, the changes include
- Changes to the assessment of proposals and schemes by the EPA including establishing a bilateral agreement with the Commonwealth for joint assessments and approvals;
- Introducing cost recovery for EPA assessments;
- Changes to the clearing permuting process; and
- Changes to licensing, notably a shift from licensing premise to licensing activities
The report also provides an analysis of the changes against WALGA’s submission on the draft Bills introduced early in 2020.
All inquiries on this document should be directed to
Garry Middle, A/Manager Environment Policy on 9213 2049.
Sustainability Comparative Analysis Report
WALGA and the City of Perth have collaborated to put together a
summary report looking at a number of the leading global sustainability frameworks available to Local Government in driving their sustainability programs.
In approaching sustainability, Local Governments need to align their work against clear and robust frameworks. There are several sustainability frameworks that allow for this, with added benefits of benchmarking and mainstreaming sustainability across organisations.
The report reviews and analyses five frameworks that have been adopted within the sector to assess their suitability for driving sustainability organisation-wide within Local Government.
What is clear when looking at frameworks, is that there is no one-size-fits-all approach for any Local Government across the board. In considering the adoption of a framework it is vital that an organisation assess their own unique and context specific requirements so that any approach can be deeply embedded and become a part of the organisations identity.
Past WALGA Submissions
Submission
to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on
Modernising the
Environmental Protection Act 1986
.
Submission to the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on its
draft Compliance and Enforcement Policy.
The Environment Event Series is designed to meet the needs of the Local Government sector, and facilitate the sharing of knowledge with other interested organisations on a range of relevant issues
Check out our Funding and Grants Opportunities page for information and regular updates
WALGA is committed to addressing Climate Change. Read more about our Policy Statement and vision.
The loss of urban green space and native vegetation is a very important issue for Local Government, particularly in urban areas where there is clearing of land for infill and greenfield development.
Find resources dedicated to helping Local Governments develop Local Biodiversity Strategies.
Local Governments play a significant role in post border biosecurity in Western Australia.