Frequently Asked Questions
1. What is the purpose of Our Catchments, Our
Communities?
Our Catchments, Our Communities responds to most of
the findings and recommendations from the Victorian
Auditor-General’s Office (VAGO) audit of the
effectiveness of Catchment Management Authorities
(CMAs) (September 2014). It will improve key elements
of catchment management over the next four years.
2. Does the strategy address the Victorian
Auditor-General’s recommendations for the
effectiveness of Catchment Management
Authorities?
Our Catchments, Our Communities is a first step in
delivering on the VAGO findings. It sets strategic
directions for better coordinated planning, investment,
delivery, and monitoring and reporting for catchment
management.
The audit recommendations will continue to be
delivered through the action plan prepared by the
Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning
and CMAs.
3. How was Our Catchments, Our Communities
developed?
Our Catchments, Our Communities is one of five
projects that make up the action plan, with oversight
from a Project Control Board (PCB) to implement the
VAGO recommendations. PCB members are:
 Chair, West Gippsland CMA (PCB Chair)
 Chair, North Central CMA
 CEO, Goulburn Broken CMA
 CEO, East Gippsland CMA
 Chair, Victorian Catchment Management Council
(VCMC)
 Victorian Commissioner for Environmental
Sustainability
 Executive Director, Agriculture Policy, Department
of Economic Development, Jobs, Transport and
Resources (DEDJTR)
 Executive Director, Environment and Landscape
Performance, Department of Environment, Land,
Water and Planning (DELWP)
 Executive Director, Environment Policy (DELWP).
The CEO of Port Phillip and Westernport CMA and the
DELWP Manager Catchment Planning and Investment
led the project team that contributed to the strategy’s
development. The project team represented CMAs, the
VCMC, Parks Victoria and DELWP.
4. What difference will the strategy make?
The strategy will drive the following improvements for
catchment management:
 Better implementation of Regional Catchment
Strategy objectives.
 Community engagement in catchment management
will be strengthened with gender equity and
cultural diversity on boards of Catchment
Management Authorities.
 Stronger connections between state, regional and
local planning for land, water and biodiversity.
 Regional agreements between catchment
management agencies and key partners will provide
clear and agreed catchment management roles
allowing us to make the best of our collective
resources.
 Investment will be more coordinated using regional
roundtables and new regional investment plans to
identify agreed priorities for funding and to help
direct effort for catchment partners.
 Coordinated on ground action leading to efficient
and effective catchment outcomes.
 New catchment indicators will improve monitoring
and reporting that is more consistent between
regions and at the state level, enabling us to tell a
better story about the results of our efforts and
guide future decisions.
5. Who is being consulted on the draft strategy?
A networked approach to consultation will be
coordinated by each of the 10 CMAs. Existing networks
and processes are expected to be used where possible
to consult key regional partners. Each CMA will provide
DELWP with consolidated summaries and key issues to
consider in finalising the strategy.
Regional partners to be consulted will include but not
be limited by the following:
 Regional agencies including DELWP, DEDJTR and
Parks Victoria
 Local government
Frequently Asked Questions
 Traditional Owner groups and Traditional Owner
Land Management Boards
 Community groups and networks
 Agriculture industries and groups
 Water corporations.
6. What is the scope of Our Catchments, Our
Communities?
Our Catchments, Our Communities supports the
catchment management framework and recognises
that a landscape or integrated approach to the
management of land, water and biodiversity occurs
through the development and implementation of
Regional Catchment Strategies. These Regional
Catchment Strategies account for investment priorities
set in state-level strategies and plans, in addition to
regional level values and priorities identified through
their development.
Our Catchments, Our Communities does not identify
integrated investment priorities across Victoria. It
reiterates the Victorian Government’s commitment to
a community based, regionally focused approach to
managing our catchments. It will improve key
components of catchment management with a
particular emphasis on catchment partners working
together.
The strategy focuses on:
 Engaging communities in catchment management
 Improving the connection between state-level
planning for land, water and biodiversity, and
regional catchment strategies
 Strengthening the implementation of regional
catchment strategies which describe land, water
and biodiversity strategic direction
 Strengthening accountability and regional
coordination
 Improving monitoring and reporting.
7. Who will use the strategy?
Key catchment partners who deliver catchment
outcomes are:
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CMAs
DELWP
DEDJTR (agriculture portfolio)
Parks Victoria
Victorian Catchment Management Council
Landcare and community groups
Traditional Owners
Local government
 Trust for Nature
 Water corporations.
8. How will Our Catchments, Our Communities be
funded?
Funding opportunities will be considered after
completion of the consultation phase and finalisation
of the strategy. Complementary processes for water
and biodiversity management will also be considered
in looking at funding to implement the strategy.
9.
How will the strategy interact with other key
policy documents being developed?
The government is developing a new plan for water
management and a new biodiversity strategy which
will set the strategic direction for the management of
these areas. Our Catchments, Our Communities will
complement the development of new government
policy by focusing on how delivery partners work
together better.
10. What is the life of Our Catchments, Our
Communities?
Our Catchments, Our Communities will be
implemented over the next four years from 2016 to
2019.
11. How will my comments on the draft strategy
be considered?
Comments will be collated by the 10 CMAs and used to
inform the strategic directions and key actions in the
final Our Catchments, Our Communities strategy.
12. Where can I get a copy of the strategy?
Our Catchments, Our Communities is available to
download online at www.delwp.vic.gov.au/ococ or
from CMA websites.
13. Who is my key CMA contact?
Corangamite CMA
64 Dennis Street
PO Box 159
Colac, VIC 3250
T: 03 5232 9100
E: Info@ccma.vic.gov.au
W: www.ccma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Gareth Smith CEO
Frequently Asked Questions
East Gippsland CMA
574 Main Street
PO Box 1012
Bairnsdale, VIC 3875
T: 03 5152 0600
W: www.egcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Brett Millington Acting CEO
Glenelg Hopkins CMA
79 French Street
PO Box 502
Hamilton, VIC 3300
T: 03 5571 2526
E: ghcma@glhcma.vic.gov.au
W: www.ghcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Dr Michael Rees, Partnerships and
Investment Program Management
Goulburn Broken CMA
168 Welsford Street
PO Box 1752
Shepparton VIC 3630
T: 035822 7700
E: reception@gbcma.vic.gov.au
W: www.gbcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Chris Norman CEO
Mallee CMA
Cnr Eleventh Street & Koorlong Avenue
Irymple VIC
PO Box 5017
Mildura VIC 3502
T: 03 5051 4377
W: www.malleecma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Jo Latta, Strategy and Policy Manager
North Central CMA
628-634 Midland Highway
PO BOX 18
Huntly VIC 2551
T: 03 5448 7124
E: Info@nccma.vic.gov.au
W: www.nccma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Brad Drust CEO
North East CMA
Level 1, 104 Hovell Street
PO Box 616
Wodonga VIC 3690
T: 02 6043 7600
E: necma@necma.vic.gov.au
W: www.necma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Jane Young, Manager Leadership and
Strategy
Port Phillip & Westernport CMA
Level 1 Landmark Corporate Centre
454-472 Nepean Highway
Frankston VIC 3199
T: 03 8781 7900
E: enquiries@ppwcma.vic.gov.au
W: www.ppwcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: David Buntine CEO
West Gippsland CMA
16 Hotham Street
PO Box 1374
Traralgon VIC 3844
T: 1300 094 262
W: www.wgcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Martin Fuller CEO
Wimmera CMA
24 Darlot Street
PO Box 479
Horsham VIC 3402
T: 03 5382 1544
E: wcma@wcma.vic.gov.au
W: www.wcma.vic.gov.au
Key contact: Tony Baker, Manager Statutory and
Strategy