The Defence Environmental Policy and the Defence Environmental Strategic Plan 2016–2036 have been endorsed by the Secretary and the Chief of the Defence Force, and include the vision of Defence as ‘a leader in sustainable environmental management to support the ADF’s capability to defend Australia and its national interests’.
Defence takes seriously its role in environmental management and is committed to meeting Commonwealth environmental legislative and regulatory requirements, including those in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). A range of environmental policies support the implementation of the strategic plan and seek to embed environmental considerations into everyday business and military processes, systems and activities. This ensures that sustainment and management of the environment are considered as core business and that Defence meets its obligations under the EPBC Act.
To ensure the most effective and efficient management of contamination on Defence sites, a Defence Contamination Management Strategy and a Defence Pollution Prevention Strategy are being implemented to ensure Defence achieves its objectives and delivers on its responsibilities for the management of contamination on the estate.
The environmental management system within the Defence Estate Quality Management System identifies and manages risks across the estate. This quality management system provides a platform for continuous improvement, compliance and best practice standards and policies for the estate and related services.
A Smart Infrastructure Manual guides Defence’s approach to ecologically sustainable development. Initiatives include:
The Capability Acquisition and Sustainment Group’s environmental management system deals with the design of materiel systems. During 2015–16, the Group completed improvements to the system, including providing guidance on environmental legislation. An analysis of state and Commonwealth environmental legislation was conducted to assess the impact on the Group’s materiel engineering policy and guidance.
The Group also produced environmental requirements for the engineering and maintenance business functions, and continued its involvement in the Defence Environmental Policy and Defence Environmental Strategic Plan, including the development of a new Defence environmental plan.
Defence did not refer any new actions for formal consideration under the EPBC Act in 2015–16. Defence had three actions under assessment in 2015–16, two of which were approved in 2015, as shown in Table 9.1.
The Department of the Environment attached conditions to the approval EPBC 2014/7123 (Removal of heritage buildings at RAAF Amberley, Queensland), which are currently being implemented.
Defence action |
EPBC Act referral number |
Status |
Removal of heritage buildings at RAAF Amberley, Ipswich, Queensland |
2014/7123 |
Approved, subject to conditions, on 9 June 2015 |
Removal of heritage buildings from RAAF Williamtown, New South Wales |
2014/7324 |
Referral determined it was not a controlled action (particular manner) on 16 October 2015 (approval is not required) |
Flying operations of the F-35A Lightning II Joint Strike Fighter |
2010/5747 |
Approved, subject to conditions, on 10 July 2015 |
Overall energy consumption during the year was reduced by 4.4 per cent. Energy, water and waste efficiency projects worth $6.5 million were implemented and Defence’s Smart Infrastructure Manual continued to ensure that resource efficiency and pollution prevention initiatives are integrated into the design and construction of new facilities.
During 2015–16, Defence:
Base services contracts continued to improve kerbside collection data and waste streaming, and Defence commenced updates to the Waste Minimisation Policy.
Interdepartmental collaboration was undertaken to ensure best practice bulk storage of halon at the National Halon Bank.
Exercise Talisman Sabre 15, involving Australian and US ships and aircraft, was conducted in the Northern Australian Exercise Area without significant environmental incidents.
Defence is responsible for managing its fuel installations in order to avoid adverse environmental impacts. During 2015–16, Defence continued its program of hazard identification and risk assessments and control assurance reviews across the Defence fuel supply chain. Major focus points of these activities were the integrity of storage tanks; associated environmental monitoring facilities and leak detection processes; adequacy and condition of bunding; and wastewater treatment and management. In addition, separate engineering integrity technical reviews were completed on all underground pipelines and hydrant lines across the Defence fuel supply chain, with remediation works undertaken as required.
A national perfluorinated compound (PFC) environmental management program was continued by Defence to assess contamination from the historical use of firefighting foams containing per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances. Defence and other organisations in Australia and around the world have used these foams since the 1970s to suppress liquid fuel fires.
Defence investigated the extent of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in and around RAAF Williamtown and Army Aviation Centre Oakey, and initiated investigations at RAAF East Sale, HMAS Albatross and RAAF Pearce. Defence also commenced preliminary sampling at 13 other sites to inform future works.
Defence worked with Commonwealth, state, territory and local authorities, and made the verified results of investigations available to those authorities and local communities.
Defence developed models of climate change impacts on humanitarian and disaster-relief mission frequency, location, scale and duration as part of preparedness planning. The study focused on addressing how climate change might impact the ability of training areas to deliver Defence capability. It determined physical physical mitigation strategies to assist in reducing this impact.
