❓ Question regarding the Shire of Jerramungup's compliance with clearing permit regulations for roadworks, particularly on Boxwood Hill-Ongerup Road. The response details permit applications, alleged unlawful clearing, and flora surveys, but deflects the road safety question.
AnsweredQoN 5799Legislative Assembly
QuestionView source ↗
(1) In relation to the Boxwood Hill-Ongerup Road in the Shire of Jerramungup, in the last five years has the the shire submitted Clearing Permit Applications for all road works involving any vegetation removal, and if so, how many? (2) In the last five years how much road works has the Shire of Jerramungup
undertaken without valid Clearing Permits, and: (a) in the last five years has the Shire of Jerramungup applied for a clearing permit after the clearing has taken place? (3) In the last five years has the Shire of Jerramungup undertaken flora
surveys for all road works involving any vegetation removal, and if so, how many? (4) In the last five years has the Shire of
Jerramungup undertaken road works which resulted in the removal of any threatened or declared or rare or priority species, and if so, which ones and how many? (5) In the last ten years have there been any death or serious injury accidents
on the Boxwood Hill-Ongerup road south/east of Oakdale Road, and if so, when and how were they caused?
undertaken without valid Clearing Permits, and: (a) in the last five years has the Shire of Jerramungup applied for a clearing permit after the clearing has taken place? (3) In the last five years has the Shire of Jerramungup undertaken flora
surveys for all road works involving any vegetation removal, and if so, how many? (4) In the last five years has the Shire of
Jerramungup undertaken road works which resulted in the removal of any threatened or declared or rare or priority species, and if so, which ones and how many? (5) In the last ten years have there been any death or serious injury accidents
on the Boxwood Hill-Ongerup road south/east of Oakdale Road, and if so, when and how were they caused?
AnswerView source ↗
Answered
19 September 2016
Responded by
Minister for Environment
Response time
33 days
(1) Since 2011, the Shire of Jerramungup has submitted ten clearing permit applications to the Department of Environment Regulation (DER) and the former Department of Environment and Conservation, of which four were granted, two withdrawn, one refused and three are currently under assessment.
Two of the ten clearing permit applications included Boxwood Hill-Ongerup Road. One was received and withdrawn in September 2013 and one was received in June 2016 and is currently under assessment.
(2) Clearing for the purpose of maintaining an existing road is exempt from the requirement to obtain a clearing permit. DER does not maintain records on exempt clearing activities conducted by the Shire of Jerramungup. Any extension, widening or realignment of an existing road that involves the clearing of native vegetation however, may require a clearing permit.
DER has received the following reports of alleged unlawful clearing for the Shire of Jerramungup:
(i) ICMS 38597 was received on 11 November 2015 regarding approximately 4.2 km of road work clearing along Devils Creek Road, Gairdner. A letter of advice was provided to the Shire as a result; and
(ii) ICMS 41181, received 7 June 2016; 41624, received 18 July 2016; and 41834, received 8 August 2016 regarded approximately 8 km of road work clearing along Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road, Needilup. The alleged unlawful clearing of native vegetation in the Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road reserve is currently being investigated by DER.
(a) Yes. The Shire of Jerramungup applied for a clearing permit (CPS 7129/1) to clear Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road, Needilup which included part of an area that had been cleared and this area was excluded from the assessment.
(3) Flora surveys were provided with three of the ten clearing permit applications.
(4) DER and the Department of Parks and Wildlife are not aware of the Shire of Jerramungup impacting any declared rare or priority flora during roadworks in the past five years. Parks and Wildlife has not issued any permits to take rare flora under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 .
Of the three clearing permit applications that had a flora survey, the survey for CPS 4881/1 was undertaken at the wrong time of the year and DER’s assessment determined that it may contain rare flora species. This application was withdrawn by the Shire of Jerramungup.
The flora and fauna survey submitted with clearing permit application CPS 6566/1 did not identify any rare or priority species. This permit was granted.
The flora and fauna survey submitted for application CPS 7129/1 did not identify rare or priority flora. This application is under assessment.
Six clearing permit applications were assessed as unlikely to impact on rare or priority flora and one is yet to be determined.
(5) This question should be directed to the Minister for Road Safety.
Two of the ten clearing permit applications included Boxwood Hill-Ongerup Road. One was received and withdrawn in September 2013 and one was received in June 2016 and is currently under assessment.
(2) Clearing for the purpose of maintaining an existing road is exempt from the requirement to obtain a clearing permit. DER does not maintain records on exempt clearing activities conducted by the Shire of Jerramungup. Any extension, widening or realignment of an existing road that involves the clearing of native vegetation however, may require a clearing permit.
DER has received the following reports of alleged unlawful clearing for the Shire of Jerramungup:
(i) ICMS 38597 was received on 11 November 2015 regarding approximately 4.2 km of road work clearing along Devils Creek Road, Gairdner. A letter of advice was provided to the Shire as a result; and
(ii) ICMS 41181, received 7 June 2016; 41624, received 18 July 2016; and 41834, received 8 August 2016 regarded approximately 8 km of road work clearing along Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road, Needilup. The alleged unlawful clearing of native vegetation in the Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road reserve is currently being investigated by DER.
(a) Yes. The Shire of Jerramungup applied for a clearing permit (CPS 7129/1) to clear Boxwood Hill – Ongerup Road, Needilup which included part of an area that had been cleared and this area was excluded from the assessment.
(3) Flora surveys were provided with three of the ten clearing permit applications.
(4) DER and the Department of Parks and Wildlife are not aware of the Shire of Jerramungup impacting any declared rare or priority flora during roadworks in the past five years. Parks and Wildlife has not issued any permits to take rare flora under the Wildlife Conservation Act 1950 .
Of the three clearing permit applications that had a flora survey, the survey for CPS 4881/1 was undertaken at the wrong time of the year and DER’s assessment determined that it may contain rare flora species. This application was withdrawn by the Shire of Jerramungup.
The flora and fauna survey submitted with clearing permit application CPS 6566/1 did not identify any rare or priority species. This permit was granted.
The flora and fauna survey submitted for application CPS 7129/1 did not identify rare or priority flora. This application is under assessment.
Six clearing permit applications were assessed as unlikely to impact on rare or priority flora and one is yet to be determined.
(5) This question should be directed to the Minister for Road Safety.
Explore WA Government Data
Search the full archive in the free dashboard, or query programmatically via API.
Explore more
Government Gazette
Appointments, regulatory notices, planning changes.
Hansard
Debates, questions, speeches and sentiment.
Tabled Papers
Reports and documents tabled in Parliament.
Committees
Committee profiles and recent reports.
Regulations
Subsidiary legislation with filters and summaries.
Bills
Proposed laws and parliamentary progress.
Acts
Current WA legislation and summaries.
Explanatory Memoranda
Bills with EMs (text/PDF) available.
Members
MP profiles, party breakdown and rankings.
Pollie Rankings
Data-driven rankings across 19 categories.
Amendment Chains
Track how schemes and regulations evolve over time.