Directions Paper - Western Australian Planning Commission

Directions Paper on the Integration of NRM and Land Use Planningand achievability of the managementactions should be determined. It maybe appropriate to formalise roles andresponsibilities and allocation of resourcesthrough Memoranda of Understanding orsimilar.• Land use planning related resourcecondition and management actionsshould be reviewed to ensure they areunambiguous and measurable; and• The limits of the land use planning systemin addressing NRM issues, particularly inrelation to broad acre farming or pastoraloperations needs to be recognised.NRM Regional groups have the potential tofurther actions and targets relevant to landuse planning that were identified within theNRM regional strategies, through assistingthe collection of environmental information tosupport planning decisions and assisting themanagement of environmental assets retained orprotected through planning processes.4.8 Coordination ofAgenciesCoordination between NRM agencies andplanning agencies was identified by attendeesat EnviroPlanning’s regional forums as one ofthe key elements required to achieve integrationof NRM into land use planning that could beimproved upon. This required clarification ofroles and responsibilities, the developmentof partnerships between agencies, a wholeof government approach to NRM in land useplanning and improved communication andnetworking between agencies.4.8.1 Roles and responsibilitiesSome confusion exists regarding agency rolesand responsibilities for NRM, especially where itinvolves input into land use planning processes.The planning system recognises the importanceof obtaining feedback from stakeholders onproposals so that the outcome achieves abalance between the objectives of sustainableplanning. This requires agencies to participatein the feedback process in an appropriate way– providing comment on proposals regardingissues which are their responsibility, in a timely,specific and relevant fashion. It is not unusualfor submissions from NRM agencies to belate and not relevant to the planning decisionbeing made. This is further complicatedwhere conflicting advice is received fromother agencies and there are unclear rolesand responsibilities regarding the NRM issuesraised.Effective engagement and involvement of StateNRM agencies in supporting achievement ofNRM outcomes through land use planningwould be assisted by State NRM agencies,local governments and the regional NRMgroups having a clear understanding of therelevant roles and responsibilities of each other.Furthermore through EnviroPlanning’s regionalforums DEC, DOW and DAF communicated apreference for resolving NRM related issuesthrough providing support for strategic planninginitiatives such as preparation of State planningpolicies and regional and local planningstrategies. It is therefore important that roles,responsibilities and expectations associatedwith State NRM agency input and involvement inlocal and regional planning strategies are clearlydefined and understood. Once clear roles andresponsibilities are identified and documented itwould be appropriate for these to be endorsedat a senior management level, perhaps throughCONRACE. Following endorsement of roles andresponsibilities, key contacts for each agencyshould be identified and communicated torelevant stakeholders.4.8.2 PartnershipsThe development of partnership projectsprovides an opportunity for NRM regionalgroups to more efficiently and effectively engageand support State (particularly DPI) and localgovernments to address NRM land use planningissues. Whilst there are a some very goodexamples of partnership projects that assistthe achievement of NRM outcomes through29