Soils Governance, an Australian Perspective

Abstract

It is wonderful to be welcoming the first International Yearbook of Soil Law and Policy with this chapter, which looks at soils governance from the perspective of the people who live in Australia. In this chapter I highlight some aspects of the public policy challenge of soils governance in our country, with an emphasis on systemic issues. The most recent national scientific assessment of Australia's environment paints a picture of the effectiveness of rural soils management that is not heartening. This highlights the need for more effective soils governance, and this brief chapter aims to 'unpack' the challenges that are involved in achieving this.