Page 1560 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 31 March 2009
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week. Dr Hodgkinson identified a number of grassland sites on which to undertake ecology burns in the autumn of 2009. Some of these sites, including at Campbell, Barton, Evatt, Yarralumla and Florey, were assessed to be approaching a critical threshold with respect to canopy closure and required a burn either to clear canopy cover or weeds. However, Dr Cooper has recommended only experimental burns, as undertaking such burns in our urban areas could be difficult. These burns should now be considered urgent purely because time is getting away from us. I look forward to hearing that the government will move ahead quickly on this.
We know that government has not always moved quickly on issues. In 2004, their election platform contained a commitment to ensure that the grassland at west Majura was made a reserve, along with Campbell Park. This would form a parcel of land that joins with both the Mt Ainslie reserve and an area of yellow box-red gum grassy woodland. Nearly five years later, there is no reserve status for west Majura. One of the commendations of the report is to resolve the heritage status of this and other reserves in a timely manner. As Dr Cooper has done, I call on the government, in collaboration with the Department of Defence, to expand the Mt Ainslie reserve to include these two areas. I would suggest it would be useful to see this protection put in place before ACT Roads signs off on plans for the Majura Parkway.
A similar lack of urgency was implied by the minister in his speech last week in regard to the culling of kangaroos. He also made urgent recommendations in relation to rabbits and weeds. Mr Corbell said the government is in the process of finalising its weed strategy, which is good news. However, the problem of rabbits appears somewhat less urgent, with the government having undertaken to commence a review. Excuse my cynicism, but I hope that the minister can somehow, from his departmental process, draw some guidance to take urgent action on these matters.
The commissioner also raises a number of policy and legislative issues that could be improved—mechanisms that exist in the ACT but also with federal law and cross-jurisdictional management. She calls for streamlining of the ACT government’s planning and nature conservation legislation to ensure that the Nature Conservation Act, which is under review as we speak, covers all land management matters.
Also highlighted is the federal government’s EPBC act which should be changed to allow it to be more responsive to the needs of grassland ecosystems. There is also need for coordination and cooperation across the range of land managers responsible for the management of our grasslands. Of course, we can have all the goodwill in the world and reports from experts tell us that things should be done to protect our native ecosystems, but without strong enforcement of and compliance with recommended measures, it will continue to be death by a thousand cuts for our grasslands.
There is a great deal of public discussion to be had about the culling of kangaroos and other such matters placing pressure on our grasslands. The Greens look forward to hearing not only how the government will respond to the recommendations in the report but also to seeing clearer indications that we are getting real outcomes on the ground to improve the health of our grasslands.
MR CORBELL (Molonglo—Attorney-General, Minister for the Environment, Climate Change and Water, Minister for Energy and Minister for Police and
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