The PNP wrote to the Party Leader’s of the Greens, Liberals, Labor and Nationals before the last WA Government election seeking their position on what the PNP believes are Priority Coastal Planning and Management Policy Issues. Letter is copied below.
We received responses from the Nationals and Labor.
The PNP is now seeking to meet with the newly elected Premier to discuss this matter further.
The Peron Naturaliste Partnership (PNP) is an incorporated partnership of nine Local Governments; being the Cities of Bunbury, Busselton, Mandurah, Rockingham and the Shires of Capel, Dardanup, Harvey, Murray and Waroona. The PNP recognises the vulnerability to our coastal areas and communities in the south-west of Western Australia due to climate change and is taking action to develop, manage and empower more resilient coastal communities. The shared vision of the PNP is to empower a resilient regional community to reduce risks and optimise opportunities presented by climate change.
The PNP has undertaken various research and project work over the last five years and through this work and in consultation with PNP Member Councils, who are generally the principal coastal managers, have developed a number of high level policy positions and associated recommendations. The PNP believes that these are fundamental factors in the development and management of resilient coastal regions. Therefore, we are seeking your Party’s response to the following recommendations:
- The Western Australian Government should adopt appropriate coastal management legislation, policy and regulatory frameworks in Western Australia similar to that in New South Wales, South Australia, Victoria and Queensland. This will clearly define and establish the principles, objectives and actions, including roles and responsibilities for integrated coastal zone management.
- Establishment of a Western Australian Coastal Council to provide consistent advice and assistance to State and Local Government in relation to coastal policy and practice. This group should include representation from State and Local Government and should coordinate the identification of priority risks and issues, and assist in developing appropriate responses.
- Development of a Western Australian Coastal Management Strategy for Coastal Hazard and Risk Assessment. This Strategy, to be developed by the Western Australian Coastal Council, will promote consistent and coordinated approaches to management of coastal hazards. Coastal hazards, which include extreme weather events and the impacts of climate change, have significant economic, environmental and social impacts on all levels of government and coastal communities. The Strategy will include:
- clarification and promotion to legislate local government responsibilities and liabilities associated with natural coastal hazards, similar to Section 733 of the NSW Local Government Act;
- commitment to adequate resourcing and funding to undertake climate change research, as was undertaken by the Indian Ocean Climate Initiative, and appropriate funding programs for local governments to undertake hazard/risk assessment and adaptation planning; and
- commitment to resourcing the ongoing management of the National Coastal Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility (NCCARF) CoastAdapt online tool.
The PNP believes that by continuing to work together we can achieve our shared goal to promote and develop communities that are more resilient to the impacts of climate change.