Policy Directions
HEN needs to work within the context of existing environmental laws and our own capacity to operate and collaborate with our own community.
Fundamental to all our environmental challenges are the need to consider impacts of any developments on our environment via the evidence from a scientific basis, and the precautionary principle.
We support local governance, local solutions, and decision-making rights of the local community. We strongly support implementation of the principles of participatory democracy: ie shared vision, social interaction, and involvement of shareholders, as well as transparent and effective communication.
Key principles of environmental governance include: [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Environmental_governance accessed 16/1/2015]
- Embedding the environment in all levels of decision-making and action
- Conceptualizing cities and communities, economic and political life as a subset of the environment
- Emphasizing the connection of people to the ecosystems in which they live
- Promoting the transition from open-loop/cradle-to-grave systems (like garbage disposal with no recycling) to closed-loop/cradle-to-cradle systems (like permaculture and zero waste strategies).
Advice is readily available through organisations such as Environmental Defenders Office, Nature Conservation Council, Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH), and the Environment Protection Agency (EPANSW)
Current laws relevant to NSW and local issues include:
Vegetation Management: Threatened Species and Communities
- Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act 1999)
- Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (TSC Act)
Regulation of Planning, Development and Pollution Activities
- Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (NSW) (EP&A Act)
Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997(NSW)
