Issues

• Values: what do we need to sustain?
• Constraints
• SoE and Limits to Knowledge

• Atmosphere
• Land
• Inland Waters and Wetlands
• Biodiversity
• Settlements
• Cultural Heritage
• Coastal, Estuarine and Marine

• Response Instruments
• Summary of Report Recommendations
• Strategic Recommendations
• Conclusion

This sustainability review of the Settlements Chapter summarises the chapter content and provides an overview from a 'sustainability' perspective. A similar framework is used for all chapters within the 'Sustainability Review'. This provides a consistent way of comparing the major findings across the SoE Report within this final chapter. The 'Sustainability Review' provides the highest-level summary of each of the chapters. More detailed information is provided within each of the major theme chapters. Links are provided to the issue reports referred to in the 'conditions and trends' section below.

The content is organised under five major headings from a higher-level summary in the section entitled 'vision' to comparatively more detail in the section on 'conditions and trends' and 'what has been achieved'.

1. Objective: Presents an objective for settlements in Tasmania.
    
2. Integrating concepts or indicators: Reports on any integrating concepts or indicators provided in the chapter.
    
3. Capacity to assess and measure: Reports on capacity to assess conditions and trends for this chapter theme.
    
4. Conditions and trends: Presents a summary of the key findings of the chapter, with links back to the related Issue Reports for further detail.
    
5. What has been achieved, 1998-2003: Presents a summary of key initiatives over the five year review period for the Second SoE Report.
    

Settlements Objective

The objective for settlements reflects the vision established by Tasmania Together and the key findings of the Settlements Chapter. Applicable Tasmania Together standards include: 'To minimise material consumption and waste generation' (Goal 24); and 'To improve the planning system to value the environment' (Goal 21). For further information see Tasmania Together Goals applicable to the Settlements Chapter and Tasmania Together

The diversity and livability of settlements, and the sense of place of Tasmanians is maintained through the protection of scenic qualities and native vegetation cover, and attention to the quality of the built environment. Environmental health values are protected through the maintenance of drinking water quality and the acoustic environment, and through the avoidance of contamination of the environment. Solid waste and hazardous waste is reduced wherever practicable and managed through best-practice disposal in order to avoid contaminants entering air, groundwater or surface water. Equity and sustainable development of land resources is promoted through a commitment to strategic planning.

Integrating concepts or indicators

Two integrating concepts that assist in summarising the chapter are liveability and environmental health. Environmental health is about maintaining environments that promote healthy communities, and involves the protection of those aspects of human health determined or influenced by physical, chemical, biological and social factors in the environment (EnHealth 1999). Liveability requires consideration to the range of social, economic and environmental issues.

Unemployment is a key measure because of the significant direct consequences that it has for people. Unemployed people have lower incomes, fewer opportunities to be active citizens, diminished confidence over time, less capacity to consume in ways that may enhance sustainability (such as buying energy saving appliances or organic foods), higher than average morbidity and thus probably a decreased quality of life. Recent statistics show a net decline in the rate of unemployment. In the 12 months to June 1997, at the time of compiling the previous SoE Report, the unemployment rate in Tasmania was 10.2%. It fell to an average of 8.6% in the 12 months to June 2003 (ABS 2003). This pattern is confirmed by employment trends. Tasmania's recent employment growth, with higher levels of both full time and part time employment, together with a reduction in the unemployment rate, indicates that there are growing employment opportunities in the State.

Capacity to assess and measure

Our capacity to understand the impact of settlements on the environment is getter better and, through this improved information, a number of priorities are evident. Some of these priorities-such as waste management and the acoustic environment-are reflected in existing State Government strategies, draft policies and programs.

Information to assess and report on Tasmania's settlements has improved in a number of key areas, although it is still subject to some significant limitations. These improvements include the completion of a current aerial photographic coverage of Greater Hobart and Launceston for The LIST. This coverage will improve the capacity to assess and report changes in land cover and urban extent. The completion of a land use map of Tasmania in the intensive land use areas is also a valuable data source, which has been used in this report to identify land uses in Hobart and Launceston. This has been supported by an assessment of land cover for Hobart and Launceston, based on Landsat satellite data. A map of scenic landscape sensitivity for the lower Derwent, based on the methodology developed by the Landscape and Hillslopes Committee, has been prepared for this SoE Report. In addition, 2001 census data has also been an important source of information for this report.

Conditions and trends

The Settlements Chapter reviews the social, economic and environmental state of Tasmania's settlements. Twelve specific issues were considered in the 2003 SoE Report with regard to settlements. These issues were grouped broadly under the topics of condition, processes and agents of change, and waste management and contamination. Issues included are: population and settlement patterns; environmental health; acoustic environment; bushland and landscape; drinking water quality; social and economic conditions; education; transport; energy sources and use; solid waste; and hazardous waste. More detailed information on these issues is provided in the Settlements Chapter.

Population and Settlement Patterns: Tasmania's resident population at August 2001 was 456,652, according to the Census of Population and Housing 2001 (ABS 2001), a decline of 0.7% since the 1996 census. The 2001 derived estimated resident population (ABS 2002) is 471,604. The most recent estimated resident population (March 2003) is 476,199. Tasmania's share of the total population of Australia declined from 2.9% in 1976 to 2.7% in 1991, 2.6% in 1996 and 2.4% in 2001. March 2003 figures reveal that the percentage remained relatively stable since the 2001 census (ABS 2001 and ABS 2003).

Environmental Health: Efforts to address environmental pollutants with implications for human health include: removal of lead petrol; reduction in workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals and wastes; and banning of smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces. A decline in melanoma rates may reflect increasingly proactive measures to minimise exposure to direct sunlight. Surveys have shown that Australian produce is of high quality with respect to residues and contaminants, and none were found in any Tasmanian produce sampled. There are still concerns with lead exposure from older homes, and involuntary exposure to cigarette smoke. A report was released in July 2003 recommending that the current smoke free areas legislation be extended.

Acoustic Environment: Half of the 4,000 public complaints received each year in relation to environmental harm are in response to noise. In order of significance, sources of excessive noise are from dogs, other domestic sources, secondary industry, and motor vehicles/traffic. Road transport is the most widespread source of noise pollution. The reduction of vehicle speed limits in residential streets to 50km/h may have contributed in reducing noise in residential areas in Tasmania. However, there is little monitoring known which documents such improvements. Noise surveys to assess and measure the acoustic environment at suburban or regional scales are generally not undertaken in Tasmania.

Drinking Water Quality: The quality of drinking water to major urban centres is generally very good in Tasmania; a significant proportion of Hobart's water is sourced from highland catchments. Catchment water management issues are important in ensuring provision of clean drinking water; to this end, major catchment studies for critical drinking water catchments have been completed or are progressing. Small local government water supply systems in rural areas experience the most problems with microbiological water quality, with a significant source being sewage effluent. However, measurable improvements are being made such as through the State's Clean Water Program. In the period 2001-02, the Department of Health and Human Services reported that three bulk water supply systems (compared with six in 2000-01) did not comply with Public Health Act 1997 - Guidelines for Water Quality microbiological requirements (DHHS 2003). The number of water supplies in compliance with national standards increased to 61 compared to 46 in 2000-01 (DHHS 2003). Issues include that there are limited data available for reporting on drinking water quality other than for microbial pollution.

Social and Economic Conditions: Social and economic well-being can be measured through equity, employment status, income, economic activity, housing, and education. Unemployment is a key integrating indicator in assessing social and economic conditions (refer to discussion above). Housing affordability is a further measure. In June 2001, Tasmanian home loan affordability was at its highest since 1994, driven largely by falls in interest rates that resulted in average monthly loan repayments also decreasing (REIA 2001). The picture in Tasmania is one of relatively high housing affordability: almost 70% of households either own or are purchasing their own homes. High levels of home ownership, or the capacity to take on mortgage loans, suggests that Tasmanians are relatively well-off and that home ownership contributes significantly to quality of life. There are also recent positive changes through increasing tourism investment, new investors in Tasmania, retirees coming to the State, and families moving for the safety and lifestyle. In the December quarter 2002, Tasmania's population increased by 2,272 persons (0.48%) compared to the same period in the previous year.

Education: School participation rates for Tasmanian students have shown a marked improvement with retention in schools of students from Year 10 to Year 12 rising from 71.6% in 2000 to 75.0% in 2002, which put Tasmania fourth of the Australian states and territories, and compared favourably with the Australian average of 76.5%. Participation in vocational and tertiary education of the general Tasmanian population aged 15-64 is rising steadily, moving from 13.7% in 1999-2000 to 14.2% in 2001-02. Attendance at tertiary institutions increased from 2.8% of the total population in 1996 of 459,659 to 2.9% of the population in 2001 of 456,652.

Transport: Trends relevant to transport patterns include increasingly dispersed residences, increases in car ownership, and increases in car usage for travel to work. Development of high level outlet roads increases the threshold distance people are prepared to drive to key employment centres. Numerous innovations have been undertaken by Metro Tasmania to offer alternative bus services and to cater to wheelchair passengers. There are uncertainties about the average fuel efficiency of the Tasmanian vehicle fleet, and Tasmania traditionally has the oldest vehicle age.

Energy Sources and Use: Total and per capita energy consumption continues to rise in Tasmania, although the rate of increase has declined in the most recently available data. Data available from ABARE for 1997-98 indicated energy consumption for Tasmania of 203.4 GJ/capita. Tasmania uses less energy than any other State or Territory in Australia and hydro-electricity in Tasmania produces nil greenhouse gas emissions. Approximately half of Tasmania's total energy requirements are sourced from non-renewable sources such as petroleum products and coal. Energy consumption has historically increased at the same rate as economic output in the State, although most recently available statistics suggest that the State economy grew at a slightly greater rate than energy use.

Solid Waste: Currently there are 35 permitted landfill sites in Tasmania compared to 99 sites in 1994. As in other Australian states, there are an unknown number of smaller, mostly rural disposal sites operating without approval. Many of the closed sites have undergone or are undergoing rehabilitation. The Landfill Code of Practice (1996) is being replaced with an updated document that will reflect current world best practice and will provide operators with a framework for operation and rehabilitation. This document will be released in January 2004 with all operators of landfills expected to comply with the Code within a reasonable time frame. Several of the larger landfills, for instance, those at Glenorchy, New Norfolk and Hobart have been operating for several decades and, in keeping with the environmental protection standards of the time, were primarily designed and constructed using natural attenuation liners. Operators of these sites attempt to continually improve their site's environmental performance by ongoing surface and groundwater monitoring, operation management and improved infrastructure. However, the sites often have significant and severe limitations that are difficult to overcome. Surface and groundwater contamination is therefore a legacy of these sites and historical landfilling practices. These sites require post-closure monitoring to determine the scope and degree of any contamination and potential risk to groundwater aquifers and surface waters. In line with the Tasmania Together goals, alternate methods of waste disposal are being examined which may see a reduced reliance on landfilling as emerging waste management technologies become available.

Hazardous Waste: Tasmania's small population and less dense and diverse industrialisation have resulted in relatively low annual volumes of controlled wastes and hence lower waste management pressures than other mainland states. Economies of scale have consequently often lead to problems with the establishment and operation of hazardous waste reuse, treatment and disposal facilities in Tasmania. Waste generators incur significant difficulties in managing their wastes in an environmentally responsible and timely manner. The diverse nature of the waste stream means that no single method of treatment or disposal will deal with all harmful wastes. Landfilling to approved sites, with or without pre-treatment, remains the primary means of managing controlled wastes, however waste avoidance, followed by waste minimisation and resource recovery remain priority actions. A number of waste management facilities currently permitted to accept controlled wastes do not meet accepted best practice environmental or engineering standards. The absence of purpose built facilities within the State to manage certain wastes means that they require threatment on the mainland and are transported under the requirements of the National Environment Protection (Movement of Controlled Waste Between States and Territories) Measure.

Contaminated Sites: The number of suspected but not confirmed contaminated sites is unknown, but is likely to be in the order of many hundreds. The number of known contaminated sites in Tasmania was 81 in May 1995. In 2003, the number of known contaminated sites is 67. There are a number of possible explanations for this decline, and these are discussed in the Contaminated Sites Issue Report.

What has been achieved, 1998-2003

• Efforts to address environmental pollutants with implications for human health include: removal of lead petrol; reduction in workplace exposure to hazardous chemicals and wastes; and banning of smoking in enclosed public places and workplaces. A decline in melanoma rates may reflect increasingly proactive measures to minimise exposure to direct sunlight.
   
• The reduction of vehicle speed limits in residential streets to 50km/h may have contributed in reducing noise in residential areas in Tasmania. However, there is little monitoring and noise mapping.
   
• The 'Draft Environment Protection Policy' (Noise) sets noise emission standards for industry, transport and neighbourhoods, and standards for noise sensitive developments such as residences, schools and hospitals; this policy is subject to review by the Environment Protection Policy Review Panel.
   
• Numerous innovations have been undertaken by Metro Tasmania to offer alternative bus services and to cater to wheelchair passengers.
   
• In March 1999 the Australian Government and the building industry agreed on a national strategy to improve energy efficiency in Australian buildings, and some Tasmanian councils have adopted the requirements of improved building design by providing a rebate for achieving a certain energy efficiency rating.
   
• The completion of Stage 1 of the Woolnorth wind farm and a new wind farm development at King Island are important initiatives in renewable energy development. The provision of reticulated gas in Tasmania will provide enhanced energy options.
   
• The Litter Act 1973 is now under review. Information availability has improved since the 1997 SoE Report, with studies of disposal of solid waste at landfill sites, and contamination of groundwater from landfill sites.
   
• A public discussion paper entitled Toward a Tasmanian Waste Management Strategy was released in 2000; when this strategy is finalised, it will replace the Tasmanian Hazardous Waste Management Strategy and the Solid Waste Management Policy. In 2000 a partnership agreement was set up between the Tasmanian Government and the Local Government Association of Tasmania to establish three regional waste management bodies in the State, although the southern one is the only one that has been established to date.
   
• Initiatives in managing hazardous waste include a collection scheme for organochlorine pesticide waste between 2000-02, a collection scheme for non-returnable containers from crop protection or animal health chemicals; a Trade Waste Exchange Program; and draft Guidelines for Management and Disposal of Medical Wastes in Tasmania (1998).
   
• A controlled waste management project is currently under development to address several of the identified deficiencies in the State's management regime for these wastes. To facilitate improved data collection, a uniform waste classification and data collection system is currently under development. This project will provide the quantitative tools by which the effectiveness of waste minimisation and improved waste management programs can be assessed. This will assist Tasmania in meeting its national and international waste management reporting obligations.