ENVS8418 Assignment 4 Executive Briefing Report on an Environmental Policy

Format: Write a briefing report for a government agency on a topical environmental policy or planning issue.

Maximum length:  6 pages. This is inclusive of executive summary, visual summary, text, tables, end/foot notes, appendices.

The purpose of this assessment is to deepen your understanding in one area of environmental policy. You will apply research and critical analysis skills and extend your writing and communication skills.  You will also apply your insights within an organisational context by way of evaluating the practical and policy implication.

You are required to write a briefing report for the senior executive group in a NSW local council on an environmental policy or project. You need to:

1. Select and understand deeply your topic (list below)
2. Select a relevant council and undertake background research on the council’s strategy and operations[1] to identify where and how the policy or project may have an impact (positively or negatively).[2]

 Topics

(web sites checked at 16 June 2021)

Renewable energy

• Large and small scale energy policy reforms: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Renewable-Energy

Open Spaces

• Public Space Legacy Program: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Planning-reforms/NSW-Public-Spaces-Legacy-Program
• Greener Places design framework: https://www.governmentarchitect.nsw.gov.au/policies/greener-places

Transport and planning

• Parramatta Light Rail: https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/tags/parramatta-light-rail
• Western Sydney Aerotropolis: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area/Priority-Growth-Areas-and-Precincts/Western-Sydney-Aerotropolis

Environment

• Environment SEPP: https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/State-Environmental-Planning-Policies/Draft-Environment-SEPP
• NSW Coastal Management Framework: http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Policy-and-Legislation/Coastal-management and https://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/topics/water/coasts/coastal-management/framework.
• NSW Draft Water Strategy: https://www.industry.nsw.gov.au/water/plans-programs/strategy

Bushfire planning

• Planning for Bushfire Protection: https://www.rfs.nsw.gov.au/plan-and-prepare/building-in-a-bush-fire-area/planning-for-bush-fire-protection

New planning horizons

• Planning for liveability and wellbeing: http://gsc-public-1.s3.amazonaws.com/s3fs-public/30-03-2017_LiveabilityFramework_Final.pdf

You may like to choose your own topic, but you MUST check this with the convenor first.

The briefing report:

1. MUST use the template provided (no deviations).
2. Is to be written following government writing style guidelines (12 point font Aerial).
3. Can assume the reader is familiar with the topic areas but not the intricate details or implications, thus this should be your focus. For example, there is no need to go back to basics explain foundational concepts (e.g. what is climate change and its relationship to sea level rise), rather the focus should be the impact of the policy or reform to your audience.
4. Must contain a visual summary. This is an additional communication exercise designed to broaden your skills and demonstrate through knowledge of the subject matter and its impact through a diagram, sketch, pictorial or other visual means. It also serves as an important communication device that would be included for example in a power point presentation, on a web page or other media.

This assessment task relates to the following Unit Learning Outcomes:

• Understand and critically assess environmental theory, plans and policies across multiple scales and jurisdictions
• Apply environmental and planning law and policy and planning skills to the decision-making process of government and industry.
• Identify and critically assess the interests, roles and responsibilities of stakeholders involved in environmental planning and policy decisions.
• Develop individual and group writing and research skills for different target audiences

Template  HEADINGS

Executive Summary

(the following headings are to be used for your summary)

(must not exceed 1 page)

TITLE Add a one-line title

Key Information

Start with minimal descriptive context of the topic and the issues it raises. Limit this to 1 or 2 paragraphs. Place most of the traditional ‘Background’ in the ‘Context’ section over the page if further detail is needed.

Foreground your analysis of the issue

As briefly as you can, discuss the analysis that supports your recommendation, capturing the main conclusions about the topic and the reasons supporting the recommendation.

If your readers need more extensive analysis, include the most important elements on the first page and place any further detail in the ‘Rationale’ section over the page.

Use analytical headings to structure your key information

Structure this page by your analysis of the issue rather than by the narrative of the research.

Your main reasons should appear in one-line analytical headings, and the text under each should briefly justify each reason and support it with evidence.  The Executive members should be able to read the core message, scan the headings and understand the essence of the briefing and the reasoning for the recommendation.

Be as concise as possible

Consider your reader’s needs rather than the level of detail you may prefer. How much information does the Executive really need to understand and act on your recommendation?

In more complex briefings, foreground the most important information on the first page, then follow with supporting information. The Executive can decide how much detail he needs.

In simpler briefings, you do not need to write any text for the ‘Rationale’ or ‘Context’ sections if you can fit everything on 1 page, but include the media and consultation table.

Make sure the key information and recommendation do not go over 1 page.

Write in plain English and delete instructions

Prefer short words and sentences, write in the active voice and avoid jargon and clutter.

Delete or overwrite all instructional text in this template.

Minimise the use of references here unless they relate specifically to the subject matter. The body of the report is where the supporting references or document should lie

Financial Implications

This should include both funding and financial impacts. Funding implications include cost, total budget, funding source. Financial implications include information on any potential broader risks for government (e.g. even though no additional funding is being sought, there may be a change in a pattern of service delivery, or if the recommended project is not funded there may be wider financial implications for government). In the real world your report would be considered by the Finance Directorate to ascertain the funding implications and their comment and analysis would be included in this section (or in more detail in the main body of the report).

Recommendations

That the Executive Group.....

i.e. What do you want them to agree on? This could be simple maintain a watching brief on the issue, commission a more detailed study, implement a specific program or policy,….

VISUAL SUMMARY 

(1 page max)

RATIONALE

Do not repeat key information from the executive summary

This is the main ‘discussion section’ and is designed to provide more detail examining the implications of the policy on your organisation and support your recommendations.

As you are writing from the perspective of a local council you should reference documents contained as part of the council’s integrated planning and reporting framework  including the 10 community strategic plan, Operational Plan and Delivery Program and documents linking to the Local Environment Plan (or if available Local Strategic Planning Statements). Your understanding of the council should extend to the impact of relevant state government plans such as Regional (metro) or District Plan (see Greater Sydney Commission web site) and Premier’s Planning Priorities.

This section should add further analysis of the policy/framework and provide the necessary support for your conclusions (that would point to your recommendations), opinion, reasons, evidence, and explanation.

You may like to support your analysis with other research as to the efficacy and evidence of the policy and how it may / or may not reach its intended aims (i.e. demonstrate your broader reading, research and critical analysis). This is where you add value to the organisation by drawing in other lines of evidence and sources that enrich the understanding of the issue and its potential impact.

This section is not a summary of background, process, history, basic facts – as this in a summary form can go in the context section).

This section should also explain why the recommendation is the best approach for the organisation/department. In this context you should consider:

• the risks and benefits of the recommendation
• how the risks can be mitigated or realised (i.e. is there a need to change in internal procedures, processes or priorities)
• the risks and benefits of alternatives, including status quo.

CONTEXT

Add further context only if needed

Do not repeat the descriptive information that you included at the start of the ‘Key information’ section. This ‘Context’ section is for additional background detail that the Minister may turn to after reading the most important points.

You may include a chronology of events (to summarise how the policy has changed and to highlight key impacts) - this can be used as part of providing a short history of key events, policies, legislative change.

Your context section must also contain a comparative brief analysis of this policy in reference to three similar approaches (within Australian or overseas). This analysis needs to demonstrate your understanding of the specific policy intent in reference to others and comment whether it is best practice or where the Council may have room to improve if it wanted to be the exemplar of environmental policy reform.

Your comparative analysis should also comment on what your current organisation is doing in relation to the subject matter (noting that the direction for change would be included in the rationale section).  This will require you to do a bit of web searching (and by doing this you will become more familiar with the roles and responsibilities of council)

CONSULTAITON

This section will be hypothetical for you, but the intention of including it is to get you to consider how and who you would consult on the subject matter. This could relate to sections within the council (not names) and you should look at the organisational structure on the web as a guide to who or what sections would be necessary or important to consult.

This is an important part of a briefing paper as it services to demonstrate the integrated nature of environmental issue. Ideally this section will be written from the perspective that you have already consulted within your agency/council. It may also outline what additional consultation is required (that would also be reflected in the recommendations)

[1] Details on what is a Community Strategic Plan in NSW can be found at: https://www.olg.nsw.gov.au/councils/integrated-planning-and-reporting/framework/community-strategic-plan

[2] For information on various palms and project you may like to visit the State Government’s Planning Portal https://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/Plans-for-your-area