Page 265 - Week 03 - Wednesday, 31 May 1989
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Wednesday, 31 May 1989
______________________
MR SPEAKER (Mr Prowse) took the chair at 10.30 am and read the prayer.
VOCATIONAL TRAINING BILL 1989
Postponement of Notice
Motion (by Ms Follett for Mr Whalan) agreed to:
That notice No. 1, executive business, be postponed until a later hour this day.
NATURE CONSERVATION (AMENDMENT) BILL 1989
MRS GRASSBY (Minister for Housing and Urban Services) (10.31): I present the Nature Conservation (Amendment) Bill 1989. I move:
That this Bill be agreed to in principle.
The ACT Nature Conservation Act came into operation in June 1982. The Act was established to protect native flora and fauna in the ACT and Jervis Bay Territory and it provides for the management of national parks and nature reserves. It is similar to legislation in the States and Northern Territory.
The Australian Government has signed agreements with the Japanese and Chinese governments which provide for special protection to migratory birds. This now requires this Government to amend the Act to protect the migratory birds and their habitat in the ACT. An example of this is the annual migration of Latham's snipe from Japan and China to Australia. Numbers of these birds may be seen in the ACT between August and February.
The amendments will help us to protect and manage these birds. The Nature Conservation (Amendment) Bill 1989 will also protect endangered wildlife. A species given special protection status will have a high level of protection under the Bill. For example, specific requirements are spelt out for the issue of a permit or licence affecting any species with special protection status.
The Bill also proposes other amendments to the Act. The major amendments are: upgrading penalties in line with other States and the Northern Territory; penalties to be set according to the seriousness of the offence; improved procedures for preparing lists of plants and animals which
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