N. Harvey
The inquiry stressed that the term "environment" has to be treated in a holistic sense
rather than the traditional way in which governments administer their management
practices. These had often treated different elements of the environment separately
rather than adopting an integrated approach to management.
The RAC recommended a national approach because of increasing population and
development pressure on the coast. It recognized the danger of yet another report sitting on the shelf. The RAC proposed the enactment of a Commonwealth Coastal Resource Management Act to incorporate the objectives and principles for coastal management agreed by the states and the commonwealth. The proposed Act was intended
to link funding of activities in the coastal zone to nationally agreed objectives and principles. However, recommendations such as the Coastal Resource Management Act and
the National Coastal Management Authority were shelved after opposition from state
g6)vernments.
Perhaps the most important recommendation to come out of the inquiry was the
national Coastal Action Program which had four main elements:
1. Adoption by the Council of Australian Governments of a set of common objectives;
2. Establishment of arrangements for implementing and managing the program;
3. Greater community and industry consultation (such as the proposed Coastcare program);
4. Wider and better use of modern management and economic tools.
The RAC report set the groundwork for the development of a national coastal policy
and provided the impetus for getting basic agreement on the Coastal Action Plan from
the chief ministers and its adoption by all three tiers of government. The inquiry also
emphasized the role played by local government in state based coastal strategies and
provided a mechanism for integration between different levels of government and the
community through the proposed Coastcare Program.
15.3
Commonwealth (of Australia) Coastal Policy, 1995
After various coastal inquiries over a 15-20 year period, a Commonwealth coastal
policy, entitled Living on the Coast, was finally produced (Commonwealth of Australia 1995). This policy built upon the RAC inquiry which had the concept of ESD as one
of its key aims. It is important to note that the peculiarly Australian concept of ESD
equates with what is generally known elsewhere in the world as sustainable development. The Australian definition of ESD is, "using, conserving and enhancing the
community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained,
and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased" (Commonwealth
of Australia 1992C).
In addition to the coastal policy's aim of promoting ecologically sustainable use of
Australia's coastal zone it also has specific objectives and principles such as sustainable resource use; integrated assessment; the precautionary principle; resource allocation; the user-pays principle; resource conservation; public participation; and,knowledge and understanding.
The inquiry stressed that the term "environment" has to be treated in a holistic sense
rather than the traditional way in which governments administer their management
practices. These had often treated different elements of the environment separately
rather than adopting an integrated approach to management.
The RAC recommended a national approach because of increasing population and
development pressure on the coast. It recognized the danger of yet another report sitting on the shelf. The RAC proposed the enactment of a Commonwealth Coastal Resource Management Act to incorporate the objectives and principles for coastal management agreed by the states and the commonwealth. The proposed Act was intended
to link funding of activities in the coastal zone to nationally agreed objectives and principles. However, recommendations such as the Coastal Resource Management Act and
the National Coastal Management Authority were shelved after opposition from state
g6)vernments.
Perhaps the most important recommendation to come out of the inquiry was the
national Coastal Action Program which had four main elements:
1. Adoption by the Council of Australian Governments of a set of common objectives;
2. Establishment of arrangements for implementing and managing the program;
3. Greater community and industry consultation (such as the proposed Coastcare program);
4. Wider and better use of modern management and economic tools.
The RAC report set the groundwork for the development of a national coastal policy
and provided the impetus for getting basic agreement on the Coastal Action Plan from
the chief ministers and its adoption by all three tiers of government. The inquiry also
emphasized the role played by local government in state based coastal strategies and
provided a mechanism for integration between different levels of government and the
community through the proposed Coastcare Program.
15.3
Commonwealth (of Australia) Coastal Policy, 1995
After various coastal inquiries over a 15-20 year period, a Commonwealth coastal
policy, entitled Living on the Coast, was finally produced (Commonwealth of Australia 1995). This policy built upon the RAC inquiry which had the concept of ESD as one
of its key aims. It is important to note that the peculiarly Australian concept of ESD
equates with what is generally known elsewhere in the world as sustainable development. The Australian definition of ESD is, "using, conserving and enhancing the
community's resources so that ecological processes, on which life depends, are maintained,
and the total quality of life, now and in the future, can be increased" (Commonwealth
of Australia 1992C).
In addition to the coastal policy's aim of promoting ecologically sustainable use of
Australia's coastal zone it also has specific objectives and principles such as sustainable resource use; integrated assessment; the precautionary principle; resource allocation; the user-pays principle; resource conservation; public participation; and,knowledge and understanding.