Environment Protection Authority Victoria (EPA) welcomes the Victorian Government’s commitment of $45.5 million over the next 18 months to better protect Victorians and their environment from the harmful effects of pollution and waste.
Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Lily D’Ambrosio today confirmed the Government’s support for all 48 recommendations (40 fully, seven in principle, one in part) made by the Independent EPA Inquiry, completed in March 2016.
EPA CEO Nial Finegan said EPA was committed to delivering on the Government’s vision of a stronger environmental regulator, better equipped to meet new and emerging environmental challenges.
“The Government response embraces the vision for a stronger EPA capable of meeting future environmental challenges posed by a changing climate, evolving economy and growing population,” Mr Finegan said.
“EPA welcomes this announcement and will continue to implement change that will position it to address the challenges of the future in line with community, industry and government expectations,” he said.
Mr Finegan said the announced overhaul of Victoria’s legislative framework for environment protection would strengthen EPA and, importantly, introduce a risk-based preventative model for environmental regulation.
“The new framework will give EPA greater powers to use its statutory tools to prevent harm to the environment occurring, rather than after it has occurred,” he said.
Funding committed to by Government will kick start an extensive reform program and includes:
- $6.5 million to boost EPA’s prosecution strategy and fund more investigators, environment protection officers and legal staff to hold polluters to account.
- $3.3 million to deliver improvements in how EPA uses technology to communicate, including the development of a new digital strategy and $2.4 million to develop a database of legacy contamination risks.
- $4.8 million to pilot new ways to respond to local noise, dust and odour issues through a network of local government environment protection officers.
- $4.8 million to provide an expanded, specialist environmental public health team within EPA.
- $1.5 million to strengthen EPA’s role in strategic land use planning.
EPA will continue work to implement recommendations committed to by Government in May 2016, including:
- Welcoming an interim board with the skills and expertise to guide EPA in delivering reform.
- Recruiting a Chief Environmental Scientist to strengthen and promote EPA’s scientific base.
- Creating EPA’s Environmental Public Health unit with transfer of experienced staff from the Department of Health and Human Services to EPA.
EPA’s Interim Board has been appointed, with Cheryl Batagol continuing as Chairman and Dr John Stocker, Professor Rebekah Brown, Ross Pilling, Monique Conheady, Debra Russell, Robert Hogarth and Professor Arie Frieberg being appointed as board members.
Expressions of interest in Victoria’s first Chief Environmental Scientist are now open. The role will strengthen EPA’s authoritative, scientific voice, working to ensure community is provided with robust, evidence-based advice and information.
“Already, work is underway to deliver Victorians improved public health information and advice related to pollution and waste with the establishment of EPA’s Environmental Public Health Unit,” Mr Finegan said.
“The environmental public health unit provides a single contact point for health queries related to pollution and waste, supporting Victorians to understand scientific information and make informed decisions about their health.”
EPA Chairman Cheryl Batagol said the direction set by Government represented the greatest opportunity in EPA’s history for reform that will shape future positive environmental and social outcomes for Victorians.
“Government’s vision heralds a change that will shift EPA’s regulatory focus to prevention and strengthen its scientific base to become the protector of health and the environment Victorians expect,” Ms Batagol said.
For further information see Government response to the Independent Inquiry into EPA