Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I move:

That the Senate—

(a) expresses deep concern about the upper Spencer Gulf population of the giant Australian cuttlefish (Sepia apama) which has catastrophically declined from a high of over 200 000 individuals in 1999 to less than 10 000 individuals in 2012; and

(b) calls on the Gillard Government to urgently reassess whether or not the upper Spencer Gulf population of this species is eligible for listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a brief statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Jacinta Collins (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Parliamentary Secretary for School Education and Workplace Relations) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

In 2009 this species was assessed by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee as not being eligible for listing. They considered the Spencer Gulf population was not a distinct species and that estimates of size are an underestimate. The committee also considered the Spencer Gulf population is subject to variation influenced by seasonal environmental conditions. The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities continues to monitor the issue.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The question is that the motion be agreed to.

Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Mr President, I seek leave to make a very short statement.

John Hogg (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Penny Wright (SA, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I would just like to remind the chamber what this motion was about and what we were asking the chamber to agree to. The giant Australian cuttlefish is a magnificent marine creature which is found in South Australia's Upper Spencer Gulf. It has a unique breeding season at Point Lowly. It is the only one of its kind known in the world, and tourists from all over the world come to view this unique phenomenon.

There has been a catastrophic decline in the numbers of the giant Australian cuttlefish, from a high of over 200,000 in 1999, to over 125,000 following an assessment done just three years ago, to 10,000 now. The causes are not known but further industrialisation is planned for this area. The South Australian government has not been taking sufficient action. We have called on the Gillard government to urgently reassess whether this precious species should be eligible for listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. Unfortunately, the chamber did not support that motion.