LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY (MEMBERS’ STAFF) ACT

Determinations

MRS CARNELL (Chief Minister): Mr Speaker, for the information of members, I present, pursuant to the Legislative Assembly (Members’ Staff) Act 1989, two determinations made under subsection 11(2) of the Act, dated 1 July and 10 July 1995. I also present two determinations made pursuant to subsection 6(2) of the Act and dated 1 July 1995 and 10 July 1995.

PAPER

Workforce Statistical Report

MR HUMPHRIES (Attorney-General): For the information of members, I present the ACT government workforce statistical report for the fourth quarter of 1994-95.

NATURE CONSERVATION ACT

Papers and Ministerial Statement

MR HUMPHRIES: (Attorney-General and Minister for the Environment, Land and Planning): I present, pursuant to the Subordinate Laws Act 1989, Determination No. 99 made under the Nature Conservation Act 1980 relating to the criteria for declaring a species vulnerable or endangered, an ecological community to be endangered or a process threatening. I ask for leave to make a short statement.

Leave granted.

MR HUMPHRIES: Mr Speaker, the Flora and Fauna Committee was established under an amendment to the Nature Conservation Act 1980 which came into force in October 1994. The main function of the committee is to provide the Minister with advice on nature conservation matters, with a particular emphasis on identifying those native species and ecological communities of the ACT region that are threatened with extinction. Committee members were appointed in January this year for a three-year period and hold office on a part-time basis. The members of the committee have been selected for their expertise in biodiversity and ecology, and a range of disciplines is represented so that collectively the committee has the knowledge and experience required to address a variety of issues. They are all well-qualified and experienced scientists who have been drawn from organisations such as the CSIRO, the Australian National University, the University of Canberra and the Commonwealth Government and from the private sector.

The committee is required, under the Nature Conservation Act, to develop criteria for determining whether a species or ecological community is threatened with extinction or whether a process is ecologically threatening. These criteria and the committee's procedural guidelines are required to be tabled in the Assembly.

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