❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks details on Natural Heritage Trust grants, including criteria, panel members, grant distribution, and ministerial/Commonwealth roles. The answer clarifies the program's structure and provides details on the State Investment Committee and funding processes.
AnsweredQoN 1506Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(b) what are the criteria for determining grants; (c) who are the members of the State Assessment Panel responsible for awarding the grants and what are their qualifications; (d) what are the details of all grants distributed by the panel over the last 12 months; (e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(c) who are the members of the State Assessment Panel responsible for awarding the grants and what are their qualifications; (d) what are the details of all grants distributed by the panel over the last 12 months; (e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(d) what are the details of all grants distributed by the panel over the last 12 months; (e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(d) The State Investment Committee has not distributed any grants over the past 12 months given the delays in NHT2 funding being secured from the Commonwealth. However, in October 2002, the Committee assisted in determining $3.1 million of funding for approximately 82 community coordinator positions such as landcare coordinators. (e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals. (d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
(e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals. (d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
(d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
(c) who are the members of the State Assessment Panel responsible for awarding the grants and what are their qualifications; (d) what are the details of all grants distributed by the panel over the last 12 months; (e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(d) what are the details of all grants distributed by the panel over the last 12 months; (e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(e) what role does the Minister have in signing off these grants; and (f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(f) what role does the Commonwealth play in determining grants?
(d) The State Investment Committee has not distributed any grants over the past 12 months given the delays in NHT2 funding being secured from the Commonwealth. However, in October 2002, the Committee assisted in determining $3.1 million of funding for approximately 82 community coordinator positions such as landcare coordinators. (e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals. (d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
(e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals. (d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
(d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
17 June 2003
Responded by
Minister for the Environment and Heritage
Response time
34 days
In thanking the Member for notice of this question, I would like to point out that there is no “State-based” National Heritage Trust Program. I presume the Member is referring to the
Natural
Heritage Trust, which is a Commonwealth Program that has been in operation for the past five years. A new phase of this program has begun, called the Extension to the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT2), and for which the Commonwealth and the State of Western Australia signed a bilateral agreement on 21 December 2002.
(a-b) The process and the criteria for determining grants through the Natural Heritage Trust is through accredited regional natural resource management strategies and investment plans. In Western Australia, there are six regional NRM groups that are responsible for overseeing the finalisation and implementation of these strategies. In this, the first year of the extension to the Trust, funding is being directed towards assisting the groups in finalising their strategies for accreditation and for a few key priority projects in each region.
(c) There is no State Assessment Panel. There is a State Investment Committee that assists the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee in determining funding priorities. The membership is as follows:
Position Member
Community member with skills/knowledge in sustainable
agriculture and Community chairperson Rex Edmondson
Community member with skills/knowledge in
biodiversity conservation Rachel Siewert
Community member with skills/knowledge in waterways
and wetlands management Bruce Hamilton
Community member with skills/knowledge in coastal
management and marine conservation John Braid
Community member with skills/knowledge in
rangelands management Bill Mitchell
Community member with skills/knowledge in regionally-based
natural resource management Barbara Morrell
Community member nominated by the Commonwealth Richard Diggins
Community member with knowledge of local government
NRM issues Jan Star
Member with knowledge of Indigenous land management issues Rob Thomas
State agency member from Dept. of Agriculture
(lead agency for Landcare) David Hartley
State agency member from Dept. of Conservation and Land
Management (lead agency for Bushcare) Gordon Wyre
State agency member from Dept. of Planning and Infrastructure
(lead agency for Coastcare) David Nunn
State agency member from Water and Rivers Commission
(lead agency for Rivercare) Don McFarlane
State agency member from Forest Products Commission Ian Herford
Commonwealth agency member from the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA) Ron White
Commonwealth agency member from Environment Australia Liz Thorburn
(d) The State Investment Committee has not distributed any grants over the past 12 months given the delays in NHT2 funding being secured from the Commonwealth. However, in October 2002, the Committee assisted in determining $3.1 million of funding for approximately 82 community coordinator positions such as landcare coordinators.
(e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals.
(d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
Natural
Heritage Trust, which is a Commonwealth Program that has been in operation for the past five years. A new phase of this program has begun, called the Extension to the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT2), and for which the Commonwealth and the State of Western Australia signed a bilateral agreement on 21 December 2002.
(a-b) The process and the criteria for determining grants through the Natural Heritage Trust is through accredited regional natural resource management strategies and investment plans. In Western Australia, there are six regional NRM groups that are responsible for overseeing the finalisation and implementation of these strategies. In this, the first year of the extension to the Trust, funding is being directed towards assisting the groups in finalising their strategies for accreditation and for a few key priority projects in each region.
(c) There is no State Assessment Panel. There is a State Investment Committee that assists the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee in determining funding priorities. The membership is as follows:
Position Member
Community member with skills/knowledge in sustainable
agriculture and Community chairperson Rex Edmondson
Community member with skills/knowledge in
biodiversity conservation Rachel Siewert
Community member with skills/knowledge in waterways
and wetlands management Bruce Hamilton
Community member with skills/knowledge in coastal
management and marine conservation John Braid
Community member with skills/knowledge in
rangelands management Bill Mitchell
Community member with skills/knowledge in regionally-based
natural resource management Barbara Morrell
Community member nominated by the Commonwealth Richard Diggins
Community member with knowledge of local government
NRM issues Jan Star
Member with knowledge of Indigenous land management issues Rob Thomas
State agency member from Dept. of Agriculture
(lead agency for Landcare) David Hartley
State agency member from Dept. of Conservation and Land
Management (lead agency for Bushcare) Gordon Wyre
State agency member from Dept. of Planning and Infrastructure
(lead agency for Coastcare) David Nunn
State agency member from Water and Rivers Commission
(lead agency for Rivercare) Don McFarlane
State agency member from Forest Products Commission Ian Herford
Commonwealth agency member from the Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry Australia (AFFA) Ron White
Commonwealth agency member from Environment Australia Liz Thorburn
(d) The State Investment Committee has not distributed any grants over the past 12 months given the delays in NHT2 funding being secured from the Commonwealth. However, in October 2002, the Committee assisted in determining $3.1 million of funding for approximately 82 community coordinator positions such as landcare coordinators.
(e) Both the Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage must consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and approve the funding proposals.
(d) The Commonwealth Ministers for Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries and the Environment and Heritage jointly consider the recommendations of the Commonwealth-State Joint Steering Committee and have final approval over all funding proposals.
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