2023-2024 Federal Budget - Environment

Environment

National Water Grid Fund - addressing legacy projects

The Government will achieve savings of $872.5 million over 11 years from 2022-23 through responsible investment decisions on National Water Grid Fund projects, including not proceeding with:

• $595.0 million over 7 years from 2026-27 for the Dungowan Dam project, as the business case did not provide sufficient support for the construction of the project
• $162.5 million over 7 years from 2026-27 for the Emu Swamp Dam and Pipeline project, which is being reconsidered against alternative options as part of the regional water assessment
• $39.7 million over 4 years from 2022-23 for the Southern Forests Irrigation Scheme project, as additional planning activities did not provide sufficient support for the construction of the project
• $35.0 million over 3 years from 2022-23 for the Fingal Irrigation Scheme, as low customer demand does not support the construction of the project
• $40.3 million over 3 years from 2022-23 for projects that are being re-scoped, not progressing or do not require additional Commonwealth funding.

Budget Paper No 2 p 74
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 27
Media Release

Natural Heritage Trust - project funding

The Government will allocate $741.3 million over 5 years from 2023-24 from the Natural Heritage Trust special account to support local and long-term environmental and agricultural outcomes. Funding includes:

• $341.2 million over 5 years from 2023-24 to protect nature, threatened species and habitats and to maintain delivery capability through activities like the BushBlitz, Natural Resource Management (NRM) partnerships and on-ground conservation and recovery activities
• $302.1 million over 5 years from 2023-24 to support a climate-smart, sustainable agricultural sector including funding for NRM organisations, on-ground projects, support for farmers to improve soil health and natural resources and funding to maintain delivery capability
• $50.0 million over 5 years from 2023-24 to conserve and restore Ramsar listed wetlands and catchments
• $48.0 million over 5 years from 2023-24 to continue management of Australia's state-managed world heritage listed properties.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 76
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 25
Media Release

Protecting Australia's Iconic National Parks

The Government will provide $355.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $68.0 million per year ongoing) to protect Commonwealth National Parks and marine reserves and deliver critical infrastructure funding for the Mu.itjulu community, home to the Traditional Owners of Ulu.u-Kata Tju.a National Park. Funding includes:

• $127.8 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $40.3 million per year ongoing) to sustain the Director of National Parks' core business, and deliver environmental conservation, on-park research and threatened species protection
• $92.8 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $0.7 million per year ongoing) to provide essential water, sewerage and electrical services for the Mu.itjulu community
• $70.4 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $25.6 million per year ongoing) to sustain existing assets and prevent further deterioration, and address immediate safety risks by replacing assets at the end of their functional life
• $27.6 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to address critical infrastructure needs, including housing, at the Booderee, Kakadu and Ulu.u-Kata Tju.a National Parks
• $25.9 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to improve visitor and tourism infrastructure at Kakadu National Park
• $10.6 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $1.5 million per year ongoing) for essential technology and communication upgrades.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 79
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 26
Media Release

Flood Warning Infrastructure Network Remediation

The Government will provide $236.0 million over 10 years from 2023-24 (and $13.9 million per year ongoing from 2032-33) to remediate high-priority flood warning infrastructure and address critical reliability risks. The Bureau of Meteorology will acquire, upgrade and integrate local and state government-owned rain and river gauges into its existing flood warning network. Partial funding for this measure will be held in the Contingency Reserve until cost-sharing arrangements for the ongoing maintenance of these assets are agreed with states and territories.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 69
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 27
Media Release

Nature Positive Plan - better for the environment, better for business

The Government will provide $214.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $4.5 million per year ongoing) to deliver the Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business (Nature Positive Plan), including:

• $121.0 million over 4 years from 2023-24 to establish Environment Protection Australia to enforce environmental laws and restore confidence in Australia's environmental protection system
• $51.5 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $4.5 million per year ongoing) to establish Environment Information Australia to provide an authoritative source of high-quality environmental information
• $34.0 million over two years from 2023-24 to implement the Nature Positive Plan, including legislative reforms and national environment standards
• $7.7 million in 2023-24 to continue developing the foundations of a Nature Repair Market, including detailed rules (methods) for different types of projects.

The Government will delay the start date of the biodiversity certificate component of the 2022-23 March Budget measure titled Primary Producers - increasing concessional tax treatment for carbon abatement and biodiversity stewardship income from 1 July 2022 to 1 July 2024. This delay will align the start date of this component of the measure with the commencement of the Nature Repair Market. The Government will also expand the eligibility criteria for existing on-ground support programs that build capacity and support participation in carbon and biodiversity markets to include all landholders and, by broadening access to these funds, to more organisations beyond Natural Resource Management groups, including First Nations groups. The Government will consider future funding for the Nature Positive Plan when initial establishment work has been completed and ongoing administrative and operational requirements are better understood.

Budget Paper No 2 p 77
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 26
Building a clean energy future Fact Sheet
Media Release

Securing the Future of Australia's Marine Science

The Government will provide $163.4 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $43.5 million per year ongoing) to secure the future of the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS), addressing its ongoing financial sustainability. Funding includes:

• $88.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $29.7 million per year ongoing) for necessary increases to AIMS' workforce to enable it to continue delivering on projects to protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef
• $40.4 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $11.2 million per year ongoing) for enhancement of existing science and technology capabilities to improve the scale, scope and speed of marine monitoring and data analysis
• $31.9 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $2.3 million per year ongoing) for critical electrical infrastructure upgrades and refurbishment of unusable and unsafe lab and office facilities
• $3.0 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $0.3 million per year ongoing) for the replacement of the AIMS' small research vessel.

Budget Paper No 2 p 80
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 26

Future-proofing the Murray-Darling Basin

The Government will provide $148.6 million over 4 years from 2023-24 towards the sustainability of the Murray-Darling Basin (Basin). Funding includes:

• $103.7 million for the Murray-Darling Basin Authority to prepare for and undertake the first statutory review of the Murray-Darling Basin Plan 2012, with updated science to enable the Basin to adapt to the impacts of climate change
• $44.9 million for the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to provide advice and work with Basin states and affected communities on the Basin Plan.

This measure builds on the 2022-23 October Budget measures titled Murray-Darling Basin Plan - compliance and science and Murray-Darling Basin - delivering on water commitments.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 69
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 27
Media Release

Urban Rivers and Catchments Program - additional funding

The Government will provide additional funding of $118.5 million over 6 years from 2023-24 for the Urban Rivers and Catchments Program to fund projects to improve local waterways, fund activities that restore the natural habitats of aquatic species and create recreational spaces for local communities. The additional funding will deliver the next phase of the program. This measure will be partially offset by reprofiling funding from the 2022-23 October Budget measure titled Next Phase of Natural Heritage Trust Funding.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 81
Regional Ministerial Budget Statement p 26
Media Release

Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - reprioritisation

The Government will redirect $113.1 million over 8 years from 2022-23 across the Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water portfolio to fund portfolio policy priorities. Redirected funding includes:

• $57.2 million from uncommitted funding from the 2021-22 Budget measure titled Emissions Reduction and New Investments under the Technology Investment Roadmap to new measures supporting clean energy technology investment
• $22.2 million from the partial reversal of the 2020-21 Budget measure titled JobMaker Plan - securing Australia's liquid fuel stocks, including reducing uncommitted funding for diesel storage projects not taken up by industry
• $10.5 million from the partial reversal of the 2020-21 Budget measure titled JobMaker Plan - investment in new energy technologies, including redirecting uncommitted research funding to delivering high-quality emissions data and reporting against Australia's emissions reduction targets
• $10.0 million from the partial reversal of the 2022-23 March Budget measure titled Strengthening the Great Barrier Reef through Stewardship and Leadership, with uncommitted funding to be redirected towards tropical marine science activities that better align with Government priorities
• $6.5 million from the partial reversal of the 2021-22 Budget measure titled Agriculture 2030, with uncommitted funding from the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund to be redirected to better align with Government priorities
• $4.0 million from the partial reversal of the 2021-22 Budget measure titled Incentivising Recycling Behaviours, with uncommitted funding from the Food Waste for Healthy Soils Fund to be redirected to better align with Government priorities
• $2.0 million from the partial reversal of the 2022-23 March Budget measure titled Streamlining Environmental Protections and Modernising Indigenous Cultural Heritage Protections, with uncommitted funding to be redirected towards implementing the Government's Nature Positive Plan: better for environment, better for business
• $0.7 million from the partial reversal of the 2019-20 Budget measure titled Climate Solutions Package to redirect uncommitted funding from the Energy Efficient Communities program to better align with Government priorities.

Budget Paper No 2 p 67

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust - infrastructure improvements

The Government will provide additional funding of $45.2 million over two years from 2023-24 to continue the renewal and repair of heritage-listed infrastructure and undertake public safety improvements at North Head Sanctuary and Cockatoo Island. The additional funding will support work to address the critical backlog of repair work at the North Head Sanctuary and Cockatoo Island. The Government will consider future funding for the measure titled Sydney Harbour Federation Trust - infrastructure improvements when longer-term delivery plans for the Sydney Harbour Federation Trust Strategic Asset Management Plan are known.

Budget Paper No 2 p 81
Media Release

Aviation Meteorological Services Charging Reform

The Government will save $43.2 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $11.7 million per year ongoing) by increasing the Meteorological Services Charge for international and domestic commercial aviation operators to ensure essential aviation meteorological services are appropriately funded. This measure will deliver $50.2 million over 4 years from 2023-24 in additional revenue (and $14.4 million per year ongoing) from the aviation sector. The Government will also provide $7.1 million over 4 years from 2023-24 (and $2.8 million per year ongoing) to the Bureau of Meteorology to maintain and strengthen its capability to provide aviation meteorological services.

Budget Paper No 2 p 65

National Climate Adaptation and Risk Program

The Government will provide $28.0 million over two years from 2023-24 to develop Australia's first National Climate Risk Assessment and a National Adaptation Plan to understand the risks to Australia from climate change, invest in a plan to adapt to those risks, and commission an independent review of the Australian Climate Service. The cost of this measure will be partially met from savings identified in the 2023-24 Budget measure titled Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water - reprioritisation. This measure builds on the 2022-23 October Budget measure titled Commonwealth Climate Risk and Opportunity Management Program. The Government will consider future funding for the National Climate Adaptation and Risk Program when the National Climate Risk Assessment and a National Adaptation Plan are developed.

Budget Overview p 34
Budget Paper No 2 p 73