Page 1197 - Week 04 - Tuesday, 24 March 2009
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MS BURCH: Yes, and I thank the minister for outlining that. Are there other steps that this government is taking to ensure that kangaroo populations are managed at a sustainable level?
MR STANHOPE: I will not delay the Assembly for much longer in relation to the issue, other than to say this is an issue which is of the utmost importance. I say by way of an aside, and without wishing to be provocative or political, that the Liberal Party, in its election promises, included in its range of cuts a cut to the proposed development of a kangaroo management plan. I just say that as an aside. This is not an issue of any significance to the Liberal Party. Interestingly, in the context of the debate we are currently having, I remind members—I am sure that nobody has forgotten—and the Canberra community that amongst the $200 million worth of cuts, which would have resulted in 200 job losses, which were part and parcel of—
Mr Hanson: Oh? So we wouldn’t be going into deficit then.
MR STANHOPE: Wouldn’t be going into deficit? Amongst those promises, of course, was a promise to retrospectively legislate to reduce stamp duty revenues by $35 million. Wouldn’t be going into deficit? Pull the other one!
MR SPEAKER: Order, Chief Minister!
MR STANHOPE: But it is relevant to note that the Liberal Party is so concerned about this issue that its election promises contained a promise to abandon a kangaroo management plan.
MR SPEAKER: Order! Chief Minister, one moment please. Chief Minister, the question was about what your government is doing on kangaroos. Could you return to the relevant answer, please.
MR STANHOPE: Well, it is relevant to provide an environment in which the government operates in relation to these issues—an environment of sustained opposition to good management and good government. But it is relevant that, in addition to the development of a detailed, evidence-based, science-based kangaroo management plan, the government did ask the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment also to undertake a detailed assessment of the impact of kangaroos most particularly on our lowland grasslands, an ecosystem that is significantly at risk. Significant vulnerable and endangered species of both flora and fauna across the ACT are at serious risk in some localities of local extinction, as a result of the depredations caused by overgrazing by kangaroos. Most particularly, we experienced that at Lawson, where a number of species—the golden sun moth, the Ginninderra peppercress and the perunga grasshopper—are all essentially threatened with local extinction as a result of overgrazing by kangaroos. And that is repeated at a number of sites around the ACT.
The commissioner has, in the last week, provided a copy of her report on lowland grasslands to the minister, Mr Corbell. Mr Corbell will, of course, take advice on that and provide a response. He will certainly provide advice to his cabinet colleagues, to
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