❓ Question regarding the Liberal-National government's actions to protect threatened species, specifically numbats and woylies in Dryandra Woodland, followed by a response highlighting conservation efforts and criticizing the Labor Party's environmental record.
AnsweredQoN 615Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
NATIONAL THREATENED SPECIES DAY — DRYANDRA
WOODLAND
615. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Environment:
I note it is National Threatened
Species Day today and that the minister made an announcement yesterday about
the new measures —
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I know you are enjoying yourself, but settle
down. Start again, please.
Dr
G.G. JACOBS : I note it is National Threatened Species Day today —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. Carry
on.
Dr
G.G. JACOBS : I note it is National Threatened Species Day today and that
the minister made an announcement yesterday about new measures to protect our
numbats and woylies in Dryandra Woodland. Could the minister please outline
what the Liberal–National government is doing to protect our threatened
species?
WOODLAND
615. Dr G.G. JACOBS to the Minister for
Environment:
I note it is National Threatened
Species Day today and that the minister made an announcement yesterday about
the new measures —
Mr
D.A. Templeman interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Mandurah, I know you are enjoying yourself, but settle
down. Start again, please.
Dr
G.G. JACOBS : I note it is National Threatened Species Day today —
Several members interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Member for Albany, I call you to order for the first time. Carry
on.
Dr
G.G. JACOBS : I note it is National Threatened Species Day today and that
the minister made an announcement yesterday about new measures to protect our
numbats and woylies in Dryandra Woodland. Could the minister please outline
what the Liberal–National government is doing to protect our threatened
species?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the member for Eyre for this
question. It is National Threatened Species Day today. I think the numbat is
particularly symbolic this day. It is one of our most threatened species—there
are fewer than 1 000 of them left in the wild—and it is also our state
emblem. What is no laughing matter, and something that we take very seriously,
is working through the commitments that we gave in the 2013 state election. We
made an undertaking that we would put in a sanctuary zone or a sanctuary area
for numbats and woylies to be re-habitated back into Dryandra, and that is
exactly what we are delivering on—not only for our state fauna emblem,
the numbat, but also for woylies and up to 10 species that can thrive within
that enclosure in Dryandra and then also be released back into bushland. This
forms part of this state's award-winning western shield program, a world-leading
conservation program that removes feral predators, allows for healthy breeding in
either a zoo, a sanctuary zone or an island, and also allows their
reintegration and release back into bushland to ensure that those species
survive into the future.
Another thing that is no laughing
matter is that this government not only backs up action, but also is making
significant policy changes. I will take this time to mention the Biodiversity
Conservation Bill—a bill that has been sought after for 66 years. I again
remind the house on National Threatened Species Day that only a few short weeks
ago, the Labor Party voted against the listing of critical habitat. The Labor Party
voted against —
Several members interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I love that one! If members can believe it, the Labor Party
voted against the listing of threatened ecological communities. It is National
Threatened Species Day today, yet the Labor Party voted against increasing
penalties under the act from $10 000 to $500 000 for harming a numbat. The
Labor Party would rather leave it at $10 000. It does not want the government
to be able to protect critical habitat.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Don't do it, member for Bassendean!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : It is only interested in playing pure politics to its fellow
travellers in the conservation movement—individuals who, I suspect, are
keen to follow the member for Gosnells' pathway into safe Labor seats.
If only they cared for the environment like the Liberal–National
government does. If only they cared enough to change those acts that are
generations overdue. If only they cared enough to make investments like this
investment in a sanctuary area in Dryandra to ensure the perpetuity of species
like numbats and woylies into the future.
question. It is National Threatened Species Day today. I think the numbat is
particularly symbolic this day. It is one of our most threatened species—there
are fewer than 1 000 of them left in the wild—and it is also our state
emblem. What is no laughing matter, and something that we take very seriously,
is working through the commitments that we gave in the 2013 state election. We
made an undertaking that we would put in a sanctuary zone or a sanctuary area
for numbats and woylies to be re-habitated back into Dryandra, and that is
exactly what we are delivering on—not only for our state fauna emblem,
the numbat, but also for woylies and up to 10 species that can thrive within
that enclosure in Dryandra and then also be released back into bushland. This
forms part of this state's award-winning western shield program, a world-leading
conservation program that removes feral predators, allows for healthy breeding in
either a zoo, a sanctuary zone or an island, and also allows their
reintegration and release back into bushland to ensure that those species
survive into the future.
Another thing that is no laughing
matter is that this government not only backs up action, but also is making
significant policy changes. I will take this time to mention the Biodiversity
Conservation Bill—a bill that has been sought after for 66 years. I again
remind the house on National Threatened Species Day that only a few short weeks
ago, the Labor Party voted against the listing of critical habitat. The Labor Party
voted against —
Several members interjected.
Mr
A.P. JACOB : I love that one! If members can believe it, the Labor Party
voted against the listing of threatened ecological communities. It is National
Threatened Species Day today, yet the Labor Party voted against increasing
penalties under the act from $10 000 to $500 000 for harming a numbat. The
Labor Party would rather leave it at $10 000. It does not want the government
to be able to protect critical habitat.
Mr
D.J. Kelly interjected.
The
SPEAKER : Don't do it, member for Bassendean!
Mr
A.P. JACOB : It is only interested in playing pure politics to its fellow
travellers in the conservation movement—individuals who, I suspect, are
keen to follow the member for Gosnells' pathway into safe Labor seats.
If only they cared for the environment like the Liberal–National
government does. If only they cared enough to change those acts that are
generations overdue. If only they cared enough to make investments like this
investment in a sanctuary area in Dryandra to ensure the perpetuity of species
like numbats and woylies into the future.
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