National needs and gaps analysis of community engagement in Waterwatch - full report
Dr Don Thomson
Department of the Environment and Heritage, November 2004
ISBN 0 642 55095 6
About the report
The extension of the Natural Heritage Trust (NHT) from phase 1 (NHT1) to phase 2 (NHT2) in 2002 has resulted in changes to the delivery of funding from a national 'program' basis to strategic investment basis through accredited regional plans.
Under NHT 1, Waterwatch Australia was managed as one of 21 discrete programs and had a budget of around $2.5 million per year. These funds were distributed via the National Waterwatch Office to Waterwatch programs at a State, regional and local level to primarily employ facilitators and provide a small operating budget to assist communities to be active in sustainable water management. Funding was matched by cash and in kind on at least a 1:1 basis within each State or Territory. Waterwatch Australia was guided by national and State Strategic Plans and Steering Committees comprising key stakeholders.
While Waterwatch Australia is no longer a specific funding 'Program', there is an existing Government election commitment to '...continue to support more than 50,000 volunteers in every State and Territory in the monitoring of Australia’s waterways via Waterwatch Australia'. In October 2003, Minister Kemp made an announcement to fund an additional 15 Waterwatch positions to encourage a Waterwatch facilitator presence in all NRM regions across Australia.
Waterwatch is currently supported at the national level by two staff members within the Joint Natural Resource Management (NRM) Team, Capacity Building Section, who have responsibilities for strategic direction, national partnerships and the development of tools and resources to support community involvement in sustainable water management. The Australian Government NRM Facilitator Network, particularly the State-based Rivercare Facilitators, support Waterwatch from a strategic and policy perspective also. The Capacity Building Team has overall responsibility for managing the facilitator and coordinator network funded by the Australian Government.
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