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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 1996 Week 9 Hansard (27 August) . . Page.. 2619 ..

MR HUMPHRIES (continuing):

I consider the creation of jobs and the meeting of obligations in respect of that land as being some kind of failing, but I have to say that the Government takes the view that there is an issue of allocating priorities between different things, and that is part of that process.

I would think, Mr Speaker, that the process will go on for quite some time. As Ms Horodny indicated, there is now under way work on the strategies for the protection of each of those four plant species which have been declared endangered and the two animal species which have been declared vulnerable, and that work is proceeding as quickly as possible. As I have said, protection of that area of wet themeda at West Belconnen, I hope, for the time being, will allow us to proceed with that other work without threatening that particular environment or ecological community, if you like. But at the end of the day we are going to have to make a decision about how we balance all those considerations. Protecting every conceivable place in the Territory where one of the - but not in this case - not even endangered or threatened but rare species might be found could be a very costly decision, which I think the community as a whole would find difficult to bear.

MR SPEAKER: Do you have a supplementary question, Ms Horodny?

MS HORODNY: Yes. I would suggest that we cannot afford to not protect them, Mr Humphries, but my supplementary question is: When will the Government be releasing its nature conservation strategy, also required under the Act, also considering that section 15S of the Act says that this strategy must be prepared as soon as possible after the commencement of the amending legislation in 1994?

MR HUMPHRIES: The strategy referred to is a matter which I believe is under way at the moment within the Government. I will take on notice the question of when it is likely to arrive. I also note the comment you made about not being able to afford not to protect these species. Let me say that I think this is a matter very much in your hands as much as anybody else's. The legislation we have which operates to protect these sorts of threatened species and ecological communities is the creature of this Assembly. It was not a requirement when the legislation was passed that every habitat identified be protected automatically. But you are a legislator; you make laws in this Territory. If you feel that every site must be protected automatically, I strongly urge you to put an amendment forward now, or when you can do so, to change the Nature Conservation Act. I think that will be going too far. But you may have the numbers when the time comes. I suggest that you not just blame the Government for operating within the framework of the law, but seek to change the law if you feel it is not appropriate.

Mrs Carnell: I ask that all further questions be placed on the notice paper.

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