Victorian Coastal Council
29 June 2015
SEPP (Waters) Review
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
PO Box 500
East Melbourne VIC 8002
Dear SEPP (Waters) Review Team,
STATE ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION POLICY (WATERS) REVIEW - Discussion Paper
I write in response to the release of a Discussion Paper on the State Environment Protection
Policy (SEPP)(Waters) Review.
The Victorian Coastal Council (the VCC) is established under the Coastal Management Act
1995. The Council has a strategic planning and advisory role to government in relation to the
Victorian coast. A key responsibility of the Council is to develop and report on the
implementation of the Victorian Coastal Strategy (VCS), which is a five-year Strategy.
The 4th iteration of the VCS (VCS 2014) was released by government in September 2014
following an extensive research and consultation process. The VCS provides the framework
for planning and management of Victoria's coast and is underpinned by the concept of
Integrated Coastal Zone Management (ICZM). The VCS applies to Victorian coastal waters
and land, both public and private. It is integrated into the Victorian planning system through
the State Planning Policy Framework (SPPF).
The VCS 2014 highlights 5 key issues that require an integrated policy response:
• Managing population growth
• Adapting to a changing climate
• Managing coastal land and infrastructure
• Valuing the natural environment, and
• Integrating marine planning
The Council notes the recognition in the Discussion Paper of the role the Coastal Management
Act 1995 and VCS2014 play in the protection and enhancement of Victoria's water
environments. The Council recommends the draft SEPP(Waters) continues to strengthen this
alignment within the legislative framework .
The VCS2014 recognises that the current SEPP(Waters of Victoria) provides a statutory
framework and water quality objectives for the protection of the agreed uses and values of
Victoria's fresh and marine water environments. The VCC supports the approach to streamline
the protection of waters currently covered by SEPP(Waters of Victoria) and SEPP
(Groundwaters of Victoria) into one policy- State Environment Protection Policy (Waters). The
VCC notes the SEPP (Waters) objective "to protect and improve the quality of Victoria's waters
while providing for economic and social development” and supports the approach to focus on
minimising the impacts of a wide variety of activities on water quality and addressing any
emerging issues or hot spots.
The Review should assist in implementing the VCS2014 by identifying values and beneficial
uses (especially for marine and estuarine environments) as well as achieving water quality
objectives. The Council supports the 2014 review that was conducted on the beneficial uses in
marine environments as this will contribute to the analysis of options for integrated marine
planning, a key issue identified in the VCS2014. The Council recommends retaining these uses
in the SEPP(Waters) and ensuring that they are consistent with the VCS2014, Regional Coastal
Plans and coastal Regional Catchment Strategies.
Another key issue identified in the VCS is 'adapting to a changing climate'. The VCS notes that
impacts on coastal and marine environments will include sea level rise, increased storm surge,
changing sea temperatures, altered rainfall and ocean acidification. Council congratulations the
department on acknowledging, in the SEPP(Waters) Discussion Paper, the impacts of climate
change and the responses required to address threats to water quality and beneficial uses.
Furthermore, the Council supports the application of latest science to improve water quality
affecting water environments over the next 10 years. The VCC is pleased to see that a Scientific
Advisory Panel will be established as part of the Review. I would like to highlight that the VCC
Science Panel is available to contribute to the development of scientific evidence based policy
and expertise on the Panel can be accessed via the VCC. In addition, the Council supports the
Review exploring the setting of indicators and objectives for marine environments and
recommend that the Review links with the development of a monitoring, reporting and evaluation
framework for the VCS2014.
The Council notes that the Review proposes the SEPP(Waters) will be applied "throughout the
State of Victoria and will apply to all waters of Victoria." As the VCS2014 highlights, marine and
· coastal environments are dynamic and do not have clearly defined boundaries. The Council
recommends that thought is given to how the SEPP will consider threats originating outside of
Victoria impacting on Victorian waters, and be sufficiently flexibility to address priority water
quality 'hotspots.'
The VCC is pleased to have been invited to be a member of the Stakeholder Reference Group
(SRG) established for the Review. As you are aware the term of the current Council will end on
30 June 2015. The VCC note that due to this the Executive Officer,
will be an
interim VCC representative on the SRG until an incoming Council is appointed. The VCC looks
forward to working with the department and contributing to the development of a draft
SEPP(Waters).
Yours sincerely
Jon Hickman
Chair, Victorian Coastal Council