Page 337 - Week 01 - Thursday, 27 February 2014
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With such an important piece of legislation, which the government spent a lot of time developing, you would think that more time for consultation would be appropriate and clear communication about this deadline would be essential. I am here today to request the support of members of the Assembly for the exposure draft of this bill to be referred to the Standing Committee on Planning, Environment and Territory and Municipal Services. This is a logical way forward for this. We want to give community groups a chance to thoroughly review and scrutinise the exposure draft and contribute their own suggestions and comments.
We would like it to go to the committee so that there is the time and ability for the exposure draft of this bill to be compared and contrasted with the old Nature Conservation Act and to review the impacts it may have on other legislation, such as the Planning and Development Act. This, we believe, would give conservation and environment groups the chance to provide their input and detail. We want to ensure we get the best possible piece of environmental legislation. We need to get the basics right and include all stakeholders in the consultation. I encourage members to support this motion today.
MR RATTENBURY (Molonglo—Minister for Territory and Municipal Services, Minister for Corrections, Minister for Housing, Minister for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs and Minister for Ageing) (5.05): I thank Ms Lawder for raising this issue today. The Nature Conservation Act is an important piece of legislation as it establishes a range of protections for various aspects of our natural environment, such as native animals, fish and plants. It establishes criteria, processes and guidelines for nominations and declarations, endangered and threatened species and communities, including the requirement for action plans for particular species or communities.
It dictates management requirements for national parks and nature reserves. It establishes the parks and conservation service. It establishes the roles and responsibilities for the Conservator of Flora and Fauna and the Flora and Fauna Committee. The Nature Conservation Act gives legislative force to the nature conservation strategy. It restricts the clearance of native vegetation. It establishes rules around the creation of land management agreements and it creates many offences and licences in relation to all of these issues. Thus, this legislation is of utmost interest to conservation groups and other stakeholders across the ACT.
The legislation was first drafted in 1980, long before self-government. It has been amended many times over the years, of course, as a response to the continual evolution of best practice management of our biodiversity. In 2004 the ACT Labor Party promised to revise the legislation, importantly, to strengthen the role of the Conservator of Flora and Fauna, and the conservation community have been waiting for this important revision since that time.
Given the length of time that the groups have been waiting for this new bill, I think we all agree that there is no rush at this point. Adding a few months to finalise the bill to allow for thorough discussion of the issues will not hold up any current management processes, and I think it will result in a much better outcome.
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