Page 3409 - Week 12 - Tuesday, 11 October 1994
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I will now expand on some of these points and explain other aspects of the importance of these areas to the concept of the bush capital. Both Namadgi and Canberra Nature Park contribute to the conservation of rare or threatened species of plants and animals. Namadgi contains many endangered plants and animals as well as landscapes that are rare on our continent. Some species occur only within Namadgi National Park. These include mountain gentians, a kind of wildflower, a rare eucalypt species, and a tea-tree named Leptospermum Namadgiensis. Namadgi also protects threatened plants and animals. For example, the ACT populations of the brilliantly striped corroboree frog are some of the best in Australia and are vital to the national conservation of the species. This is but one example of many, which is due to the fact that the mountains of the ACT were less severely affected by early grazing, logging and mining practices than the alpine areas in, for example, New South Wales and Victoria, and they are known to include some of the best examples of certain plant and animal communities and landforms in Australia. Although smaller, Canberra Nature Park is similarly blessed. For example, the populations of endangered legless lizards and golden sun-moths in units of Canberra Nature Park are the only ones in reserved areas, or, in one case, almost the only ones. On accepted criteria, this would make those reserves significant on an international scale.
Namadgi National Park is part of the Australian Alps system which stretches from Victoria to the Australian Capital Territory. With a total length of 500 kilometres, the alps cover an area of roughly 25,000 square kilometres, or about 0.3 per cent of Australia. Half of this alpine area is reserved within national parks such as the Alpine National Park in Victoria, Kosciusko National Park in New South Wales - I am told that the original pronunciation of Kosciusko has been anglicised to suit our language - and the Namadgi National Park in the ACT. The alps' assemblages of plant and animal communities are among the richest on the mainland, and probably the richest with national park or equivalent protection. The Australian Alps also provide a spectacular mountain landscape which has a rich cultural history - one which reflects the bush character of this country.
It is for the above reasons that the alps have been recognised by the Federal Government, the New South Wales Government, the Victorian Government and the ACT Government for their important natural and cultural heritage by a memorandum of understanding for their future protection and management. Historically, conservative governments have not been recognised as being as committed to the environment as those of a progressive flavour; but now, because of the clear understanding and feeling of the community on these issues - as I said a little while ago - woe betide any government which does not protect these important parts of our natural and cultural heritage. This ACT Government, this Labor Government, is committed to the ongoing management of Namadgi National Park as an integral part of that alpine system - a commitment which not only ensures the protection of a semiwilderness area for Canberrans to enjoy but also preserves a special area for all Australians.
Much has been said about the requirement for the ACT to create jobs. I think that the opportunity for tourists to see these very important parts of Australia can be exploited even further in the creation of jobs, noting, of course, that we do not have the same opportunities in our employment base to develop jobs as do some other States.
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