Kate's work is dusted off, considered and put to use

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Prof Kate Auty

ictoria’s Liberal government did not respond to the 2013 State of the Environment report.

The work of the former Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Professor Kate Auty, had gathered dust until it was dusted off by Labor’s Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water, Lisa Neville.

The Minister had the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning draft the Victorian Government’s response to Prof Auty’s report.

The response says that the report’s recommendations will be used to inform the development of the policies of this government in areas such as biodiversity, climate change, waste and resource recovery and fire and emergency management.

In releasing the report Ms Neville said, “I welcome the extensive work carried out by the former Commissioner for Environmental Sustainability, Professor Kate Auty, in producing the Victoria: State of the Environment Report 2013.

“The report synthesises five years of environmental monitoring and highlights how the environment was left off the agenda for four years.

“The new Victorian Andrews Government has drawn a line in the sand and is putting the care and protection of the environment back on track. We are committed to tackling many of the environmental issues highlighted in the report.”

The report – “Victorian Government Response to the State of the Environment Report 2013” – can be seen here.