Page 1557 - Week 05 - Tuesday, 31 March 2009
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .
answered by the report of the inquiry into grassland management by the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment. The draft kangaroo management plan covers a broad range of policy areas. Those that are more likely to interest the broader community include appropriate kangaroo density in lowland grassy ecosystems.
Recent scientific research on a range of ACT sites indicates that a kangaroo density in the range of approximately 0.6 to 1.5 per hectare is optimal for conservation of lowland grassy ecosystems such as the endangered natural temperate grasslands and yellow box-red gum grassy woodland and associated endangered species. Some grassland and woodland reserves already have kangaroo densities exceeding or on the threshold of 1.5 kangaroos per hectare and action is required to immediately address this to ensure that the ecosystems are not damaged. Kangaroo populations can grow very rapidly.
Another item in the draft kangaroo management plan covers relocation. Relocation is not proposed for the purpose of reducing kangaroo numbers. Relocation involves moving animals from one location to another. To date, translocation has only ever been attempted for small numbers and even then its success is questionable. Licences have never been issued in the ACT for hand rearing or releasing of eastern grey kangaroos in the ACT. This plan proposes that this policy continue. The hand rearing of young kangaroos leads to many difficult problems in later life for kangaroos themselves and the public.
In the grasslands report, which was released for comment almost at the same time as the release of the draft kangaroo management plan, we have the benefit of the report from the Commissioner for Sustainability and the Environment from her inquiry into the management of the ACT grasslands. In conducting her inquiry, Dr Cooper had access to a wide range of scientific expertise from outside the department as well as to the departmental managers, researchers and community groups.
In summary, the commissioner identifies a number of threatening processes confronting the remaining grasslands. The kangaroos are an important one of those and Dr Cooper recommends immediate action to relieve grazing pressures and to hold kangaroos at a sustainable number and density. As highlighted, the draft kangaroo management plan proposes a grassland conservation density for eastern grey kangaroos in the range of approximately 0.6 to 1.5 per hectare in the grasslands area.
Madam Deputy Speaker, the draft kangaroo management plan also outlines the importance of research to support evidence-based management. The ACT is already investing in research needed to provide information that is scientifically sound. For example, the ACT has done the first study of the eastern grey kangaroo population ecology and from that work an interactive model has been developed that allows land managers to predict how kangaroo populations may grow and the results of a proposed culling program. Thus, it enables land managers to develop sustainable long-term solutions to population reductions.
MS HUNTER (Ginninderra—Parliamentary Convenor, ACT Greens) (11.36): I would like to start today by welcoming the report that the minister tabled in the
Next page . . . . Previous page . . . . Speeches . . . . Contents . . . . Debates(HTML) . . . . PDF . . . .