Australia’s Oceans Policy: Five Years of Integration Across Sectors and Jurisdictions?

Abstract

In December 1998, the Australian government released two formal documents that comprised Australia’s Oceans Policy (AOP). The AOP sets out for the first time a comprehensive, integrated, national approach to ecosystem based ocean management that covers Australia’s vast ocean domain. Analysis of policy development and implementation delivered by new institutional arrangements indicates potentially significant changes to ocean-related policies embodied in the AOP. This paper argues that despite reflecting a commitment towards integrated ocean management, the legal and jurisdictional framework established following a quarter century of ‘offshore federalism’ has made it difficult to implement a fully integrated oceans policy.