Australia's Oceans Policy: a role for science?

The Commonwealth government's announcement in December 1998 of "Australia's Oceans Policy" heralds a bid to use agreed environmental principles as a basis for better-integrated Commonwealth-State planning and management of our marine assets. The Policy defines a comprehensive implementation structure which should ensure consultation at all levels and a better link to the ministries of the relevant Commonwealth portfolios. A focus on "ecosystem-based planning and management" reduces emphasis on some areas which could benefit from a clearly stated national policy. Marine science and the systems for delivery of data and information are not accorded any particular importance in the implementation of the Policy