Minority report of Labor senators
Labor Senators support the
recommendations of the majority report; however we do not believe that they go
far enough in ensuring the continued survival of Australia’s national parks,
conservation reserves and marine protected areas and the globally important
biodiversity they contain.
Values and objectives of
the conservation estate
Many of those who provided
evidence to the Inquiry argued that conservation of biodiversity should be
considered as a prime value of parks and protected areas. The majority report
acknowledges the central value of conservation with a significant proportion of
its content dedicated to the issue of conservation. As the effects of global
warming continue to cause stress to the natural environment, legally protected
parks and reserves will fulfil an even more important role in protecting Australia’s
unique biodiversity.
Furthermore, it is a
widely-held view that parks and reserves are one of the most cost-effective
ways of conserving biodiversity.
In this context, it is our
belief that there should be a new national consensus that biodiversity
conservation should be the number one priority both in the creation of new
parks and in the management of existing ones – both terrestrial and marine.
The Terrestrial Reserve System
The evidence suggests that
regional delivery of NRM has reduced the priority of biodiversity conservation
in NRM plans and investment strategies. The Australian Conservation Foundation
reported[1]
that from a “national NGO perspective, it has proved extremely difficult to
input into regional NRM planning”, concluding that “it seems clear that the
integration of biodiversity conservation into regional planning is largely
inadequate at present”.
The Department of Natural
Resources, Environment and the Arts, Northern Territory Government, in their
submission to the Inquiry, wrote:
“Biodiversity
conservation in the Northern Territory is primarily a Territory responsibility, but
obligation and benefits extend beyond Territory borders.”
Regional NRM planning creates
a situation where individual management plans can be disproportionately
influenced by local pressure and interest groups, leading to a diminished
emphasis on biodiversity conservation and other national priorities.
There were also concerns
raised about the need to refocus on the benefits of a national reserve system
that extends beyond merely those who visit the areas. The importance of
biodiversity conservation extends beyond the borders of an individual reserve:
conservation is a national and international responsibility with many economic,
scientific, cultural and aesthetic benefits for all of humankind.
The National Parks
Association of Queensland Inc. in their submission to the Inquiry noted that:
There is growing pressure for “user-pays” approaches
to fund parks and greater commercialisation of parks including placement of
commercial, privately owned infrastructure on National Parks in Queensland.
The "user pays" philosophy distorts management agency mission away from
protection to one of fostering high visitor numbers.
Visitors are not the principal users of parks. The
entire community benefits from the biodiversity protection and ecosystem
services provided by parks whether they visit or not.
In moving to a focus on
conservation as the major concern, it is important that we examine the way
reserves are funded and managed. While tourism is an important and valuable
concern, it should not override the main purpose of the national reserve
system.
Throughout the country we
were very impressed with the hard work and dedication displayed by those
responsible for managing individual parks and reserves and we do not want to
diminish the very important role performed by these individuals. However, we
believe that the Commonwealth must take on a leadership role in the development
and funding of NRM plans in order to ensure that there is a greater focus on
biodiversity conservation as well as supporting the national reserve system for
biodiversity conservation purposes.
Protecting the Marine Environment
The majority report’s
recommendations regarding the establishment of marine protected areas for Australia are
inadequate given the significance of marine conservation in the context of the
impact of global warming.
Consideration should be given
as to whether the National Representative System of Marine Protected Areas
(NRSMPA) is adequate in the face of the increasing threats of climate change
and land-based run-off.
The report also notes
evidence from Ms Petrachenko of the Department of Environment and Water
Resources that additional Commonwealth funding of $37.7million in 2006/07 “will
enable us to reach our objective, which is to complete the identification of
marine protected areas in all Commonwealth waters, so around the EEZ, by 2012.
That is in line with the international objective of having a complete network
of MPAs.”
We call on the Commonwealth
to consider providing funding and leadership so that the NRSMPA is established
by 2012.
The majority report makes no
recommendations with regards to problems with the process of establishing
marine protected areas (MPAs). The committee heard evidence about the
controversy surrounding the completion of the south-east MPA. WWF, in a recent
policy paper entitled ‘Priorities for a living Australia’[2],
suggests that the south east MPA failed to deliver a “first class scientific
outcomes and demonstrates that current processes are inadequate to ensure MPA
declarations are based on the best science available”.
Consideration should be given
to the WWF’s recommendation that an independent National Marine Parks
Scientific Commission be established to guide future MPA planning process, so
that the scientific evidence provides the basis of the establishment of all
future MPAs.
There is an urgent need for a
more consistent approach to consultation so that all parties can feel confident
in the process. It is also important that this consultation and planning work
quickly and fairly to resolve the issues. As Mr Paul Gamblin, the
spokesperson for the Save Ningaloo Campaign said during the Perth
hearings:
...One of the very interesting elements of that is that industry
is often very keen for that to happen as well, because it provides them with
more certainty. They may not have access to all of the areas that they may have
wanted, but they will often trade that for certainty—that is what they tell us,
for example. That goes for the community too: the feeling of certainty, knowing
what the future might hold. Sitting around a table and trying to work that out
is very, very important, and we do not do it enough.
There is a need to ensure
that the process is fair, and that it balances all interests and views
appropriately.
It is disappointing that the
majority report makes very little mention of the potential large scale damage
from climate change to the Great Barrier
Reef Marine Park. The
April 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Report starkly
demonstrates the threat that climate change poses to the Reef. The Commonwealth
Government should increase its efforts to build resilience and protect the Reef
from the damage caused by climate change.
The role of indigenous
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islanders in marine protected areas has also been
completely overlooked by the majority report, despite the significant expertise
and responsibility indigenous Australians have in regard to our marine areas.
Consideration should be given
to the continued development of the Indigenous Sea Ranger programme.
Threats to the Reserve System
Climate Change
The major issue for park
establishment and management is the impact of climate change on species and
ecosystems located in the reserve system.
The majority report fails to
adequately address the issue of climate change and its impact. Climate change
poses the greatest risk to species and ecosystem survival as well as increasing
the risk of other threats such as fires. For example the UN’s Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change Report of 6 April
2007 indicates “that up to 30 per cent
of plant and animal species so far assessed are likely to be at increased risk
of extinction if increases of global temperature exceeds 1.5 – 2.5 deg. C”[3].
Increases of global temperature of at least 2 deg. C are more than likely by
the end of the century. The Commonwealth Government must therefore make
addressing the problems of climate change its number one priority.
The main strategy for
tackling global warming must be a focus on the reduction of carbon emissions.
In this light, the Howard Government’s response is entirely inadequate and will
do little to prevent great damage to the reserve system. The Commonwealth
Government must do more to address the problem including: ratifying Kyoto, setting
targets and establishing a carbon trading scheme.
The majority report
identifies resilience and connectivity as adaptation measures for parks and
their resident species and ecosystems. However the recommendation of “focusing
on their connectivity” says nothing about how to achieve this goal.
We would add the following
recommendations in response to this issue:
- That the Commonwealth, in
consultation with the State and Territories, review ‘National Biodiversity and
Climate Change Action Plan 2004 – 2007’ with a view to developing a revised and
more action-orientated program with clear performance measures and provide
funding for completion of priority strategic actions;
- That the Commonwealth work with
State and Territory Governments to initiate a research and development program
on the impact of projected climate change on Australia’s indigenous species and
ecosystems and parks and reserves and identify appropriate adaptation measures;
- That the Commonwealth and State
and Territory Governments support appropriate off- reserve conservation
measures;
- That the Commonwealth and States
and Territory Governments provide sufficient funding to complete the national
reserve system (NRS), with a particular focus of reserve system needs in the 15
National Biodiversity Hotspots announced by the Commonwealth Government in
October 2003;
- That the Commonwealth take the
lead in establishing wildlife corridors through both reserve and off-reserve
measures to assist migrating species, including funding for detailed studies
into the most appropriate strategies for the proposed Eastern Australian Great
Escarpment Corridor; and
- That the Commonwealth Government
takes on a leadership role in this issue to ensure a strong, national approach
to national parks and reserve establishment and management that makes
biodiversity conservation the main priority.
Fire
The majority report states
that “fire is a natural part of the Australian landscape” with no mention of
the well-established relationship between fires and global warming. It is clear
that climate change poses one of the greatest threats to national parks and
reserves, to the extent that it even increases the impact of other threats such
as bushfires, making it even more urgent that we respond to the problem quickly
and effectively.
The evidence presented to the
Inquiry showed that there is still very vigorous debate concerning both the
risks of bushfires and its use in protecting both the natural environment and
areas inhabited by humans. This is a debate in which the Commonwealth
Government must take on a leadership role in developing a national approach
based on the best research and that properly balances all the risks and
benefits.
Feral Animals and Weeds
Given the threat to national
parks and reserves posed by feral animals and weeds, we were surprised that the
majority report simply noted the Government’s failure to respond to the
recommendations of a previous Committee report: “Turning back the tide – the
invasive species challenge”. The Howard Government’s failure to respond to the
recommendations contained in that report demonstrate its lack of concern for
this problem.
We are also concerned that the Commonwealth’s decision in 2006 not to
continue funding the CRC for Australian Weeds Management has increased the
threat to our national parks and reserves.
In light of the evidence
presented to this Inquiry which demonstrates the threat posed to national parks
and reserves, we call on the Commonwealth Government to address the
recommendations as a matter of urgency.
Furthermore, we must develop
an agreed national framework that can support a coordinated response to the
control of feral animals without delay.
Threats to the marine reserve system
The majority report has very
little to say about the impact of agricultural run-off on the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park. It is very important that the Commonwealth take on a
leadership role in finding the best way of reducing this impact.
Private conservation
Australia’s pastoral regions are among the most
under-represented in the reserve system, but there is little discussion in the
majority report about ways in which this problem may be addressed.
The concept of environmental
stewardship, where government payments help to provide environmental services
above a base level of duty of care, is an important idea that is currently
being debated. This should be given serious examination as a way of increasing
the role of private individuals and organisations in off-reserve conservation.
National Reserve System
There is a great need for the
Commonwealth to take on a much stronger leadership role in completing the
national reserve system and undertaking off-reserve conservation.
The funding required by
Recommendation 17 should work towards meeting the Gilligan Report’s
recommendations, in particular, the target of 80 per cent representation of
regional ecosystems in the NRS by 2010-2015. A particular focus should be on
reserve establishment and management requirements in the 15 National
Biodiversity Hotspot areas.
While supporting the
direction of the majority report, we cannot endorse its recommendations as
being sufficient to address the problems raised throughout this inquiry. We
call on the Commonwealth Government to show national leadership on this issue,
and ensure that better management systems are put in place to protect and
expand Australia's national parks, conservation reserves and marine
protected areas.
Particularly in the light of
the new challenges we face due to climate change, it is essential that we
ensure that our main priority is the conservation of Australia’s biodiversity,
and that we act quickly and effectively to reduce the impact of global warming
on Australia’s diverse and unique ecosystem.
Senator Kate Lundy
ALP, Australian Capital Territory |
Senator Claire Moore
ALP, Queensland |
| |
|
Senator Ruth Webber
ALP, Western Australia |
Senator Dana Wortley
ALP, South Australia |
Navigation: Previous Page | Contents | Next Page