Combatting marine pollution from land-based activities: Australian initiatives

Marine pollution from land-based activities (MPLBA) poses one of the most serious threats to the coastal and marine environment. This paper outlines the nature of the problem and focuses on recent initiatives taken by the Australian government to tackle it. This paper suggests that a solid foundation has been laid for a concerted effort to combat MPLBA in Australia with the release of the first State of the Marine Environment Report and Commonwealth Coastal Policy, development of a National Water Quality Management Strategy and National Waste Minimisation and Recycling Strategy in addition to strong public interest. Yet serious shortcomings are identified, in some initiatives, that stem from a failure to view MPLBA as primarily a waste management problem rather than a water quality or coastal and marine issue. Tentative suggestions are made as to where future action may be taken.