SAVING THE GREATER GLIDER, KOALA AND YELLOW-BELLIED GLIDER FROM EXTINCTION

 The North East Forest Alliance calls on the Federal Government 

to save Koalas and Gliders from extinction

In a media release on July 5 the North East Forest Alliance (NEFA) demanded the Commonwealth urgently remove its approval for the NSW Government to clear and log the homes of Koalas and Greater Gliders now that they have both been listed as nationally Endangered.

The Greater Glider has now been listed by the Federal Government as Endangered because of “an overall rate of population decline exceeding 50 percent over a 21-year (three generation) period, including population reduction and habitat destruction following the 2019–20 bushfires”, the Scientific Committee further noting “cumulative impacts of the 2019-20 bushfires, ongoing prescribed burning, timber harvesting and climate change will continue to put pressure on remaining greater glider habitat. Fire-logging interactions likely increase risks to greater glider populations”.

“The Federal Government cannot continue to turn a blind-eye to plight of nationally listed threatened species as NSW drives them to extinction, it is equally culpable as co-signatory to the North East NSW Regional Forest Agreement which gives blanket approval for clearing and logging of threatened species habitat across public and private lands in north-east NSW.

“Populations of many of our forest species have been decimated by clearing and logging, and now their depleted populations are being pushed to extinction by the increasing severity of droughts, heatwaves and bushfires.

“The 2019/20 fires took a huge toll on our forest wildlife, causing massive losses in the heavily burnt forests, leading the Federal Government to list the Yellow-bellied Glider as Vulnerable in March, the Koala as Endangered in May, and now the Greater Glider as Endangered.

“The Commonwealth should no longer allow the NSW Government to clear and log the remaining refuges for Koalas, Greater Gliders, and Yellow-bellied Gliders if it wants to avoid their extinction.

“The new federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, needs to intervene by changing the North East NSW Regional Forest Agreement to restore the requirement for pre-logging surveys to identify where nationally listed threatened species survive, and ensure that clearing and logging is prohibited in their homes.

“To save our species, we first need to identify where they live, protect their homes and then start restoring their habitat” Mr. Pugh said.

Conservation Advice for Petauroides volans (greater glider (southern and central))

https://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/species/pubs/254-conservation-advice-05072022.pdf

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A FEDERAL ENVIRONMENT ACT WORTH DEFENDING

 In July 2020, Graeme Samuel released his interim report on the second review of Australia’s national environment law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act). This interim report confirmed the community’s lack of trust in the Act’s effectiveness to protect the environment, which is in decline and under increasing threat.

This review is a once-in-a-decade chance to improve protection for the places and animals we love. But is the Commonwealth Government using it as an excuse to target the EPBC Act as merely green tape in need of cutting?

Samuel’s interim review report did recommend sweeping changes to the Act, such as: improving everyone’s access to quality ecological data (with ‘everyone’ including decision-makers, proponents and the community); more research into ecosystem functioning to improve confidence in predicting the impacts of development; clearer direction to avoid or mitigate environmental impacts from development; a set of legally enforceable national environmental standards; and removal of duplication between federal and state processes.

Samuel’sfinal report was submitted to Federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley in October and was publicly released on January 28, 2021.

Before the submission on the final report, the Morrison Government was already cherry-picking recommendations to suit its agenda. It commenced work on handing over approvals to the states based on some “interim” national environmental standards. Interim standards hurriedly made and cemented in these agreements could undermine the development of the comprehensive national standards Samuel recommends for environmental protection and outcomes.

We need strong safeguards in place to protect our globally important places and unique wildlife. We also need a better regulator to oversee compliance. Samuel was scathing in highlighting that penalties issued over the past 10 years under the EPBC Act are less than a quarter of the parking fines issued in one year by Orange City Council.

Weakening the EPBC Act to speed up project approvals will only fast-track environmental destruction.

LATEST AUSTRALIAN STATE OF THE ENVIRONMENT REPORT CONCERNS AUSTRALIAN CONSERVATION FOUNDATION

In a recent article in The Sydney Morning Herald[1], Kelly O’Shanassy, CEO of the Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF), commented on the latest national State of the Environment report.

She said  that while there were some positive signs such as improvements to the Murray-Darling Basin through increased environmental flows, the “story is grim”. 

The report points to inadequate funding and a lack of effective national coordinated action which has contributed to the current state of our environment. Federal government spending to protect and restore nature in Australia is at its lowest level in a decade and is expected to decline further.  For every $100 of federal expenditure less than 5 cents reaches conservation programs.

She points out that while government spending on the environment is so small it is “preparing to spend $1 billion of taxpayers’ money to help build Adani’s proposed Carmichael coal mine in Queensland, which, ironically, will be a major source of pollution for decades to come.”

The ACF believes the government needs to increase funding for the environment by at least 400% “if it is to reverse the dramatic decline of Australia’s wildlife, reefs and forests.”

O’Shanassy  points to the economic benefits that a healthy environment brings in sectors such as tourism and agricultural production.

“Nature in Australia is one of the key drawcards for international visitors, worth about $40 billion to the economy based on figures from Ecotourism Australia.”

“Healthy water catchments reduce nutrient loading, salinity and erosion.  Healthy soils increase productivity through better water retention and nutrient cycling.  Increased biodiversity improves native pollinators, which improve yields.  Native species can play a critical role in natural pest control.”

In conclusion O’Shanassy called on political and business leaders to stand up on this issue.

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[1] “Neglecting nature is a budget burden”, The Sydney Morning Herald, Wednesday, March 8, 2017.

FALLOUT OVER CARMICHAEL MINE DECISION - Clarence Woman's Message to MP

The Australian Federal Government, through Greg Hunt MP, Minister for the Environment, recently gave federal approval for Adani's proposed Carmichael Coal Mine in the Galilee Basin in Central Queensland.  The Mackay Conservation Group engaged the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) to challenge the approval in court.

The court overturned the Minister's decision because it failed to take into account two Approved Conservation Advices for two nationally threatened species that will be significantly impacted by the mine – the Yakka Skink and the Ornamental Snake.

TheMackay Conservation Group also had concerns about the carbon emissions from the burning of the coal from the massive mine and the impact of those emissions on the World Heritage listed Great Barrier Reef as well as Adani's poor environmental history.

Both Prime Minister Abbott and Attorney-General Brandis have expressed outrage at the decision and the capacity of conservationists to use the courts to prevent a development which they claim is in the national interest. In order to stop this from happening again they are legislating to prevent third party appeal rights except for those whose land is directly affected by a development.

Many community members and conservation groups are concerned about this response of the Abbott Government to the Carmichael decision. A Clarence Valley woman sent the following message to her federal Member of Parliament , Kevin Hogan (Member for Page).  Hogan is a National and a member of the governing Federal Coalition.

MESSAGE  TO  KEVIN  HOGAN  MP 

I am appalled that the Government of which you are a part is planning to remove community rights to take action in the courts against proposals which threaten the health of the natural environment. 

The comments which have been made by the Prime Minister and the Attorney General in response to the court decision on the Carmichael Mine case are over the top and verging on the hysterical.  Those bringing the case WON it because the decision of the federal government was flawed.  The court decision was righting a wrong.  That's what the law is supposed to do and that's what the community expects it to do.

Stripping the rights of community members and community groups to protect the environment in the courts may be applauded by big business, miners and foreign companies but it is betraying the community and future generations.  Governments should be supporting orderly legal processes rather than seeking to pervert them.

Does this government exist to kowtow to big business - including foreign mining companies - or does it exist to govern for the people of this nation and their long-term future?

The health of the natural environment is important to ALL of us because we rely on it for services such as clean air and clean water.  It is also vital that we ensure that the environment stays healthy for future generations - for my children and grandchildren and for YOUR children and grandchildren as well.

You might care to consider your position in relation to gas-mining in your electorate.  Would you support the stripping of the rights of Northern Rivers community members such as the Grafton Loop of the Knitting Nannas from taking legal action - if they so desired - to prevent a gas-mining company from endangering the natural environment in our area ?

The Government's proposed draconian legislation will have very wide ramifications - many of which will not be in the interests of local members such as yourself.  For that reason I urge you to speak out VERY strongly against this legislation.

Note: Kevin Hogan has stated that he opposes gas-mining in the Clarence electorate.  The writer of the message is presuming that Hogan would not support his constituents being denied the right to  take the miners to court.