NSW biodiversity in the red

“Something is seriously wrong with our system of protecting biodiversity in NSW”, said Ms Rhiannon.

 “The area around Sydney has the highest number of threatened ecological communities of any region in Australia, with more than 10 listed under the EPBC Act”, said Ms Rhiannon.

“The far north coast of the state and the Sydney basin have more than 150 species of plants and animals on the federal threatened species list. These are among the highest levels in the country.

“NSW State Government projects such as Transgrid’s transmission line between Bonshaw and Lismore on the NSW far north coast and the Tillegra Dam project in the Hunter carry the potential to have further devastating impacts on biodiversity.

“There is strong community opposition to these projects, with many local people deeply concerned about the impact on biodiversity.

“In 2006 the Howard government opened up significant loopholes in the EPBC Act, including removing the right to challenge ministerial discretion on its merits.

“Federal Labor has sat on their hands and made no effort to close these loopholes.

“The Greens are committed to tightening up the EPBC Act. We want to limit ministerial discretion so that approvals cannot be given to activities which cause significant impact to threatened species or to World Heritage or Ramsar sites.

“We also propose adding a greenhouse trigger for major new greenhouse gas emitting projects and requiring all decision making under the EPBC Act to explicitly consider climate change.

“The Hawke Review of the EPBC Act proposed an interim greenhouse trigger, based on a threshold of 500,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent from a proposed project. But in December last year, Environment Minister Peter Garrett killed off Labor’s 2007 election promise to introduce a greenhouse trigger.

“There seems to be a disconnect in the system where project proposers, particularly at a state level, have a “roll the dice” attitude when it comes to seeking permission to destroy threatened species and ecological communities.

“The Greens are committed to reining in the extinction rate of Australia’s plants and animals by prioritising biodiversity and working across all levels of government and within communities to achieve these ends,” said Ms Rhiannon.

The Greens plan for biodiversity

The Greens have committed to:

• incorporating a greenhouse trigger for Matters of NationalEnvironmental Significance for major new greenhouse gas emitting projects and requiring all decision making under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act explicitly consider climate change;
• requiring the consideration of cumulative impacts when assessing Matters of Environmental Significance;
• limiting ministerial discretion under the EPBC Act so that approvals cannot be given to activities which cause significant impact to threatened species or ecological communities, to National, Commonwealth and World Heritage or Ramsar sites;
• preventing the use of environmental 'offsets' in relation to Matters of National Environmental Significance; and
• reinstating and expanding the right to appeal the merits of key Ministerial decisions and removing the threat of orders for security for costs and for costs following court action.