Evolution of a Regional Environmental Enforcement Network : The Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators Network (AELERT)

This paper documents the evolution of the Australasian Environmental Law Enforcement and Regulators neTwork (AELERT), through several phases, focussing on both the accomplishments and challenges encountered along the way. Commencing as a national network with five Australian foundation member agencies in November 2004, by November 2010 membership of AELERT has grown to incorporate over 75 member agencies. Significantly, membership is truly representative as it includes members drawn from all three levels of government and each of the eight Australian jurisdictions and both levels of government in New Zealand. AELERT has evolved organically, rising from a ‘bottom-up’ practitioner base in the early years to being recognised by a ‘top-down’ Ministerial level body as a professional network of similarly aligned member agencies with an increasing regional and international profile