27 January, 2017
Case of “extinct” guinea flower highlights the failure of federal and state planning systems to protect threatened species
Nature Conservation Council CEO Kate Smolski is calling for new procedures to ensure threatened species are protected from development at all stages of the assessment and approval process.
The case of the “extinct” Guinea flower discovered in November last year on the site of a major transport infrastructure project in at Moorebank in Sydney’s southwest highlights a systemic failure of state and federal planning and environmental laws to protect threatened species. [1]
“This story shows our planning system does not protect threatened species if they are found after development approval has been granted,” NCC CEO Kate Smolski said.
“This is a significant failing that reveals how our planning system values development above all else, even if that means threatening endangered native plants and animals. This must change.
“If endangered plants and animals are found after planning approvals are granted, there should be a stop-work trigger to ensure steps are taken to guarantee their survival.”
Ms Smolski said the case of the Guinea flower Hibbertia fumana also exposed a significant flaw in the Federal Government’s environmental assessment processes.
“It is unacceptable that the Federal Government approved this project before the full environmental impacts were known,” she said.
“If the Federal Environment Department had concerns about the biodiversity assessment for this project, it should have required more information before granting approval, not after the fact.”
Ms Smolski said the NSW Government must explain why the Planning Assessment Commission was not alerted to the presence of the endangered plant.
“An OEH spokesman reportedly said it was not his department’s role to inform the PAC of the species’ presence on the development site. How absurd. If the OEH is not standing up for our endangered species, who else in the government will? This highlights that the current system is broken.
“The government should also explain why it took until mid-December to list the species as critically endangered when it was rediscovered on site more than a month earlier. It is hard to avoid the conclusion the NSW Government delayed listing the species to ensure the project were ahead as scheduled.”
[1] http://www.smh.com.au/environment/dont-rock-the-boat-rediscovery-of-plant-kept-under-wraps-as-project-approved-20170127-gtzrf3.html
Tags
Forests and wildlifePlanning and Development
Let others know about this issue