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CONTINUING SURVIVAL IN THE WILD OF THE NATIVE FLORA AND FAUNA OF

THE A.C.T., WITH PARTICULAR ATTENTION BEING GIVEN TO THE

MANAGEMENT OF POTENTIALLY THREATENING PROCESSES AND THE

DEVELOPMENT OF COMMUNITY PROGRAMS TO PROMOTE NATURE

CONSERVATION.

MADAM SPEAKER, THE PROVISIONS CONTAINED IN THE BILL RECOGNISE THE

IMPORTANCE OF A CONTINUING INVOLVEMENT BY THE COMMUNITY IN ITS

IMPLEMENTATION.

THE FLORA AND FAUNA COMMITTEE WOULD SEEK PUBLIC COMMENT ON THE

ADMINISTRATIVE GUIDELINES AND SCIENTIFIC CRITERIA THAT IT WOULD BE

REQUIRED TO DEVELOP FOR THE ASSESSMENT OF THE CONSERVATION

STATUS OF NATIVE PLANTS AND ANIMALS AND THE ECOLOGICAL

SIGNIFICANCE OF THREATENING PROCESSES. IT WOULD ALSO ESTABLISH AN

EARLY AND CLOSE WORKING RELATIONSHIP WITH THE HERITAGE COUNCIL

OF THE A.C.T. AND THE A.C.T. ENVIRONMENT AND CONSERVATION

CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE AS REPRESENTATIVES OF NATURAL HERITAGE

AND NATURE CONSERVATION INTERESTS IN THE COMMUNITY.

COMMUNITY PARTICIPATION IN A MANAGEMENT RESPONSE TO

DECLARATIONS WOULD BE ENCOURAGED. ACTION PLANS PRODUCED BY

THE CONSERVATOR WOULD BE RELEASED AS A DRAFT FOR PUBLIC

COMMENT. ALSO, DEVELOPMENT OF THE PROPOSED NATURE

CONSERVATION STRATEGY WOULD INVOLVE EXTENSIVE PUBLIC

CONSULTATION.

THE PROVISIONS OF THIS BILL ALLOW THE A.C.T. GOVERNMENT TO BE

WELL-PLACED TO MEET ITS RESPONSIBILITIES UNDER NATIONAL SCHEMES

TO CONSERVE AUSTRALIA'S BIOLOGICAL RESOURCES.

IN PARTICULAR, AS SIGNATORIES TO THE INTERGOVERNMENTAL AGREEMENT

ON THE ENVIRONMENT, THE GOVERNMENT WILL ACCEPT CERTAIN

OBLIGATIONS IN RELATION TO A NATIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE

CONSERVATION OF AUSTRALIA'S ENDANGERED SPECIES AND ECOLOGICAL

COMMUNITIES.

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