Page 764 - Week 03 - Tuesday, 1 April 2008
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A report on consultation was prepared by the ACT Planning and Land Authority, responding to the issues raised in the submissions. The Standing Committee on Planning and Environment has considered the consultation report and the recommended final variation. In its report released in February 2008, the committee made six recommendations in relation to the draft variation, among which was a recommendation that the variation proceed. The government has considered the issues raised, and the government response that provides a detailed response to the committee’s recommendation has been prepared.
I will provide the Assembly with a brief outline of the government’s response to the committee report. The committee’s first recommendation is that the proposed variation to the territory plan proceed.
The committee’s second recommendation is that the ACT Planning and Land Authority include in the lease and development conditions a requirement that the developer is to ensure thorough trappings and searches are conducted of arthropod burrows on the site prior to any site development, with the aim of salvaging grassland earless dragon individuals. The government agrees, and the Land Development Agency, which is responsible for the leasing arrangements over the land, have made appropriate arrangements to ensure that a survey be undertaken of grassland earless dragons on the block prior to site development.
The government concurs with the committee’s third recommendation that a grassland earless dragon specialist be consulted to assist in the above process. The Land Development Agency engaged David Hogg, an environmental consultant, to undertake a survey of the grassland earless dragon in consultation with Alison Rowell, a specialist biological consultant. That work was undertaken during March of this year.
The committee’s fourth recommendation is that the ACT Planning and Land Authority and the Department of Territory and Municipal Services adopt the recommendations of the Conservator of Flora and Fauna, particularly in relation to the preservation and maintenance of remaining grassland earless dragon grassland habitat. This recommendation is supported for grassland areas identified as being future reserves. They have been withdrawn from leasing and fenced and have been identified as public land nature reserves on the new territory plan map to ensure the protection of the grassland habitat.
The committee’s fifth recommendation is that the proposed grassland nature reserves are managed in a way to maintain the natural temperate grassland habitat for the grassland earless dragon populations, including appropriate pasture management and weed control. The government is committed to managing the proposed grassland nature reserves to ensure the maintenance of natural habitat for the grassland earless dragon populations, including appropriate land management agreements, pasture management, conservation leases and weed control.
The committee’s sixth recommendation is that, in relation to ongoing management of remaining grasslands in the area, the government take into consideration the findings of the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment’s investigation into the
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