19 October, 2016
Rally hears that Baird's land-clearing proposals are reckless and cruel
Hundreds of protesters have rallied outside NSW Parliament today demanding Premier Baird scrap his plans to weaken land-clearing and nature-protection laws.
It is anticipated the government will introduce its Biodiversity Conservation Bill and the Local Land Services Amendment Bill to parliament within days to ensure it is voted on by the end of the year.
NSW Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski said: “Those who care about nature in NSW are totally opposed to Premier Baird’s package.
“The proposed laws will only further the short-term interests of big agribusiness and property developers, not the communities and wildlife that depend on healthy soils, waterways and bushland for their long-term survival.
“The laws have little to do with wildlife and bushland conservation and everything to do with fast-tracking land clearing and property development.
“We are calling on Mr Baird to scrap the package and either fund Local Land Services to make existing laws work as they were intended, or go back to the drawing board and come up a package that actually delivers stronger, workable protections.”
NSW National Parks Association CEO Kevin Evans said: “Nature in NSW is under extreme pressure, with almost 1000 species listed as threatened and bushland rapidly disappearing across the state.
“Without urgent action, koalas and many other iconic species will become extinct in our lifetime.
“Mr Baird’s proposed laws do not address this crisis. In fact, they will make matters worse by increasing land clearing, one of the key processes threatening the long-term survival of our native species.
“Premier Baird either doesn’t understand the crisis facing our wildlife and ecosystems or he simply doesn’t care. Either way, he is out of touch.”
Sydney Wildlife Chairperson Maryanne Large said: “These laws will not only threaten wildlife in rural areas, they will fast-track habitat destruction in Sydney and other urban centres around the state.
“The removal of bushland already kills hundreds of thousands of mammals each year in NSW. [1] Loosening controls will only increase the losses and the suffering.
“If Mr Baird truly wants to end animal cruelty, as he has often stated, he should withdraw these bills and come up with laws that provide strong, effective controls on land clearing.”
Speakers at today’s rally included: Kate Smolski, CEO, NSW Nature Conservation Council; Kevin Evans, CEO, National Parks Association; Maryanne Large, Sydney Wildlife; Lynda Stoner, Animal Liberation; Luke Foley, NSW Opposition Leader; Mehreen Faruqi, MLC, Greens Environment Spokesperson; Mark Pearson, MLC, Animal Justice Party.
[1] WWF (2015), Native wildlife at risk if NSW Native Vegetation Act is repealed, WWF 2015. http://www.wwf.org.au/news_resources/resource_library/?12820/Native-wildlife-at-risk-if-NSW-Native-Vegetation-Act-is-repealed
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