Senate debates
Thursday, 13 September 2012
Motions
Endangered Species
11:58 am
Larissa Waters (Queensland, Australian Greens) Share this | Hansard source
I move:
That the Senate—
(a) notes:
(i) the intention of the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Mr Burke) to transfer responsibility for protecting our nationally threatened species and wilderness places to state governments by March 2013, and
(ii) that the Victorian Premier (Mr Baillieu) is ready to sacrifice the endangered Leadbeater’s Possum for logging and development; and
(b) calls on the Government to retain responsibility for all major decisions on environmentally damaging projects that affect our nationally threatened species and wilderness places.
Charlie Schroeder
Posted on 14 Sep 2012 3:54 pm
The intention by the Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities (Mr Burke) to transfer responsibility for protecting our nationally threatened species and wilderness places to state governments is not sensible. Removes even imagined safeguards. Though the Gillard Labor government has a terrible record of preserving wildlife, habitat and heritage, failing to recognise even the intrinsic value of our native flora and fauna.
To play the wildlife Pontius Pilate is neither sound nor reasoned. One assumes this move is only to take pressure off the incumbent minister. To make life easier for him, so he doesn't have to make the sensible decisions. Then being able to blame any state government for species extinction, rather than have any of the fault traced back to the federal government.
Such a decision will be detrimental for wildlife, because it is the state governments that want to dilute any safeguards for wildlife and their habitat.
The states and federal governments should certainly have a say in strengthening the safeguards for our native animals, but neither the state nor the federal government should have the power to undermine the safeguards for wildlife and their habitat. We have lost far too many and too much already. Too many species and too much global credibility regarding looking after our native animals.
Thanks for your support for wildlife Larissa.