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Legislative Assembly for the ACT: 2004 Week 04 Hansard (Thursday, 1 April 2004) . . Page.. 1506 ..

Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve. The first year result of the northern corroboree frog program is 295 young frogs in excellent health. We are hoping to enhance that this coming year.

We have also continued and enhanced waste management in the ACT with a program of continuing innovation. There is increasing community support for the no waste goal. We have received incredible milestones in relation to the reduction of waste in the ACT as a result of our commitment, including completing and opening the Mitchell Resource Management Centre; and upgrading the Mugga Lane landfill, including the new site for Revolve. We have commenced construction of the Hume resource recovery estate; expanded the Parkwood recycling estate, formerly the West Belconnen landfill; established the eco-business program to assist businesses to reduce their waste, as well as water and energy consumption; and established the waste wise schools program.

We have completed a very significant strategy for the conservation and development of a sustainable water strategy for the ACT—something that nobody has ever done; the new water strategy for the ACT—which will be completed and released I think in the next few weeks as well. In addition, we have now completed a complete overhaul and review of the ACT greenhouse strategy.

MR HARGREAVES: I have a supplementary question. Can the minister confirm the importance of lowland woodlands conservation in the government’s overall strategy for environmental protection and management?

MR STANHOPE: I certainly can. The conservation of lowland woodland in the ACT is an issue of high profile, an issue to which the ACT has committed very significant resources in terms of research, money and personnel.

As I have just briefly indicated, we have completed a lowland woodland strategy for the ACT. It is a very significant document. It is science based, and facilitated and controlled in its development particularly by Dr David Shorthouse. Dr Shorthouse, the architect and author of the lowland woodland strategy, would be the ACT’s leading expert in the management of lowland woodland eco-systems and lowland woodland. His report is a very significant piece of scientific work. I note that, in his recent report, Commissioner Baker acknowledges the government’s very significant progress on issues in relation to lowland woodland and their protection in the ACT. He notes the relatively high level of habitat protection in the ACT, including the lowland woodland and grassland strategy. His report indicates a very significant degree of satisfaction with the progress we have made in conserving biodiversity in the region. He states:

The government’s effort in relation to lowland woodland conservation is an area in which the government’s efforts have been far stronger in recent years than previously.

That is an area of commendation from Dr Baker for the government in his state of the environment report and it is in relation to this government’s commitment to and efforts in lowland woodland conservation.

In the context of that, as members know, we have also in the last year or a year ago committed an additional 1000-plus hectares of high quality lowland woodland to the nature reserve system. This is a significant contribution to the protection of lowland

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