❓ A WA parliamentary question seeks information on the Department of Parks and Wildlife's actions and funding related to Night Parrot conservation following a 2013 workshop. The response clarifies the roles of the department, Fortescue Metals Group, and the Commonwealth government in Night Parrot research and recovery.
AnsweredQoN 1661Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
For the one day workshop conducted by the Department of Parks and Wildlife on 22 August 2013 on Night Parrots, with the purpose to determine the highest-priority research needs to ensure survival of viable populations of Night Parrots, I ask: (a) does the Department of Parks and Wildlife propose to provide the participants of that workshop with an annual report on its achievements in implementing the agreed actions; (b) what were the actions agreed to by the participants at that workshop; (c) what was the dollar value of offset funds, under the control of the Department of Parks and Wildlife on 21 August 2014, that related to Night Parrots; (d) what offset funds were expended between 22 August 2013 and 21 August 2014 on Night Parrot projects; (e) how much and on what projects were these funds expended; (f) against each of the actions agreed to by the workshop participants, what has been specifically achieved between 22 August 2013 and 21 August 2014 on Night Parrot projects; and (g) what research reports or other publications indicating outcomes have been published between 22 August 2013 and 21 August 2014 that relate to the agreed actions for Night Parrots?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
14 October 2014
Responded by
Minister for Mental Health representing the Minister for Environment
Response time
28 days
(a) No. The Department of Parks and Wildlife facilitated the workshop to determine the research priorities for the Night Parrot to inform a recovery plan for the species in Australia. The workshop was funded by the Fortescue Metals Group and attended by over sixty participants. Outputs from the workshop are publicly available and were used by the Fortescue Metals Group to develop a Night Parrot Research Plan, to fulfil their commitments associated with Commonwealth environmental approvals of the expansion of the Cloudbreak Mine in the Pilbara. The resultant research plan has been approved by the Commonwealth and is also publically available.
(b) Actions agreed to by workshop participants were:
(i) Prepare workshop outputs.
(ii) Distribute workshop outputs.
(iii) Submit a Night Parrot Research Plan.
(iv) Revise/update the Night Parrot Interim Recovery Plan for WA.
(v) Consider developing a National Recovery Plan.
(vi) Look for opportunities to progress agreed research priorities, which were:
(1) Consolidate existing knowledge/data;
(2)(a) Refine survey methods;
(2)(b) Develop a contingency plan to protect the newly discovered population;
(3) Conduct further surveys;
(4)(a) Manage the social aspects associated with the population discovery; and
(4)(b) Better understand natural history.
(c) Nil, the Department has not received any offset funds for research or on-ground activities associated with the Night Parrot.
(d-e) Not applicable
(f)
(i) completed by the Department.
(ii) completed by the Department.
(iii) completed by the Fortescue Metals Group.
(iv) no progress.
(v) responsibility of the Commonwealth Department of the Environment.
(vi) activities have proceeded through the implementation of the Commonwealth
approved Night Parrot Research Plan developed by the Fortescue Metals Group.
(g) Nil
(b) Actions agreed to by workshop participants were:
(i) Prepare workshop outputs.
(ii) Distribute workshop outputs.
(iii) Submit a Night Parrot Research Plan.
(iv) Revise/update the Night Parrot Interim Recovery Plan for WA.
(v) Consider developing a National Recovery Plan.
(vi) Look for opportunities to progress agreed research priorities, which were:
(1) Consolidate existing knowledge/data;
(2)(a) Refine survey methods;
(2)(b) Develop a contingency plan to protect the newly discovered population;
(3) Conduct further surveys;
(4)(a) Manage the social aspects associated with the population discovery; and
(4)(b) Better understand natural history.
(c) Nil, the Department has not received any offset funds for research or on-ground activities associated with the Night Parrot.
(d-e) Not applicable
(f)
(i) completed by the Department.
(ii) completed by the Department.
(iii) completed by the Fortescue Metals Group.
(iv) no progress.
(v) responsibility of the Commonwealth Department of the Environment.
(vi) activities have proceeded through the implementation of the Commonwealth
approved Night Parrot Research Plan developed by the Fortescue Metals Group.
(g) Nil
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