Hon Lynn MacLaren questions the Minister for Environment regarding a conservation agreement between the Commonwealth, Satterley Property Group, and the Department of Environment and Conservation, specifically concerning funds allocated for Western Ringtail Possum habitat assessment. The Minister confirms the agreement details and expenditure of the funds.

AnsweredQoN 1466Legislative Council
Asked
19 August 2014
Portfolio
Environment

QuestionView source ↗

(1) Will the Minister table the conservation agreement between the Commonwealth Government and Satterley Property Group, that requires the latter to contribute $200,000 to the then Department of Environment and Conservation? (2) Does the conservation agreement between the Satterley Property Group and others, and the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment and Heritage agree that the Satterley Property Group would pay the then Department of Environment and Conservation $200,000 over a period of two financial years, namely 2006-2007 and 2007-2008? (3) Was this amount for the purposes of undertaking a Western Ringtail Possum habitat assessment, detailed biological surveys, identification or corridors between habitat areas and the development of evaluation and risk management strategies? (4) Has all or part of this $200,000 been spent and, if so, how much has been spent? (5) If some or all of these funds have been spent, will the Minister please provide details of: (a) the specific purposes for which the funds were spent; (b) when the money was spent; (c) how much was spent on each of the specific purposes; and (d) the recipients of the funds spent for each of the specific purposes?

AnswerView source ↗

Answered
16 September 2014
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
28 days
(1) No, the State Government is not a party to the agreement. The agreement is publicly available.
(2) Yes.
(3) Yes.
(4) Yes, $200 000 has been spent.
(5) (a) The funds were used to employ a contract ecologist and field assistant, with specialist skills not readily available in the department, to undertake biological surveys and an assessment of western ringtail possum habitat and produce maps to assist in evaluating the risk posed to this species by future land use and development in the Bunbury to Busselton area;
(b) The funds were spent between February 2009 and March 2014;
(c) (i) Specialist contract staff and operational support costs - $190 600;
(ii) Specialist mapping staff and production costs - $9 400;
(d) The recipient of the funds was the Department of Parks and Wildlife.

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