COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water
The COAG Standing Council on Environment and Water (Council) is a council of ministers responsible for environment and water from the Commonwealth, all states and territories and New Zealand. The Australian Local Government Association is also represented. The Commonwealth Minister responsible for the environment chairs the Council.
The purpose of the Council is to promote the protection of the environment and sustainable water management in order to enhance social, human health and economic and environmental outcomes in a sustainable manner for current and future generations. It provides a forum for governments to agree actions to address key national environmental protection and water management issues and challenges. It will also enable governments to coordinate environment and water related programs and funding.
The Council will address broad national policy issues relating to environmental management and protection, particularly in regards to air, land, water, waste and biodiversity matters. It will also address broad national policy and reform issues to promote the sustainable use and management of water. The scope of the Council will also include natural, historic and Indigenous heritage responsibilities.
The Council addresses Priority Issues of National Significance, as agreed by COAG.
Senior Officials Committee
The Council is supported by a Senior Officials Committee (SOC) from participating jurisdictions.
Both the Council and SOC are supported by a secretariat located in Canberra. Any inquiries concerning policy matters should be directed to the relevant jurisdiction.
Key documents
Membership list
| Standing Council on Environment and Water (SCEW) |
Jurisdiction | National Environment Protection Council (NEPC) |
|---|---|---|
| The Hon Tony Burke MP (CHAIR) |
Commonwealth | The Hon Tony Burke MP (CHAIR) The Hon Amanda Rishworth, MP (deputy member) |
| The Hon Robyn Parker MP The Hon Katrina Hodgkinson MP |
New South Wales | The Hon Robyn Parker MP |
| The Hon Ryan Smith MP The Hon Peter Walsh MP |
Victoria | The Hon Ryan Smith MP |
| The Honourable Andrew Powell MP The Honourable Andrew Cripps MP |
Queensland | The Honourable Andrew Powell MP The Honourable Andrew Cripps MP (Deputy member) The Honourable Mark McArdle MP (Deputy member) |
| The Hon Ian Hunter MLC | South Australia | The Hon Ian Hunter MLC |
| The Hon Albert Jacob MLA The Hon Terry Redman MLA |
Western Australia | TBA |
| The Hon Brian Wightman MP The Hon Bryan Green MP |
Tasmania | The Hon Brian Wightman MP |
| Mr Simon Corbell MLA | Australian Capital Territory | Mr Simon Corbell MLA |
| The Hon Peter Chandler MLA | Northern Territory | The Hon Peter Chandler MLA |
| The Hon Amy Adams The Hon David Carter |
New Zealand | n/a |
| Mayor Troy Pickard | Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) |
n/a |