Coastal management and the Australian Government: A personal perspective

Abstract

Since the 1970s there have been many twists and turns in the approach taken by the Australian Government to coastal management. Opportunities over this period to participate in deliberations on policies and programs of the federal government have enabled me to appreciate just how difficult it is to achieve sustainable outcomes at a national level. Unlike certain other federated countries, lack of constitutional recognition, or a national legal framework, or a national coastal/marine office make efforts to achieve coherence in coastal management very difficult. Most coastal management power resides in different state and local governments in Australia. Constant changes in federal government Ministers, policies, department structures and funded programs have inhibited the ability to enact nationally strategic coastal management objectives. This paper traces some of the encounters made with agencies, institutions, individuals and politicians seeking to make a difference, but often finding their efforts thwarted by a range of factors.