❓ Dr. Pettitt questions the Minister for Environment regarding advice sought before publishing the Biodiversity Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021. The Minister confirms advice was sought from DBCA, who consulted with DFES and DWER, to reduce administrative burden for bushfire mitigation activities.
AnsweredQoN 868Legislative Council
QuestionView source ↗
BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION
(EXEMPTIONS) AMENDMENT ORDER 2021
868. Hon
Dr BRAD PETTITT to the minister representing the Minister for
Environment:
I refer to the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021 published in the Western Australian Government Gazette on 15 October 2021.
(1) Did the
minister seek any advice prior to the publishing of the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021?
(2) If yes to
(1), can the minister list who was consulted and provided advice on the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021?
(3) Will the
minister table the advice received?
(EXEMPTIONS) AMENDMENT ORDER 2021
868. Hon
Dr BRAD PETTITT to the minister representing the Minister for
Environment:
I refer to the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021 published in the Western Australian Government Gazette on 15 October 2021.
(1) Did the
minister seek any advice prior to the publishing of the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021?
(2) If yes to
(1), can the minister list who was consulted and provided advice on the Biodiversity
Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021?
(3) Will the
minister table the advice received?
AnswerView source ↗
I thank the honourable member for
some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the
Minister for Environment.
(1)–(3) The
Minister for Environment sought advice from the Department of Biodiversity,
Conservation and Attractions prior to the
publishing of the Biodiversity Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021 .
DBCA consulted with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on the preparation of the
amendment order.
DBCA
advised the government that the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016—BC
act—introduced additional requirements for an authorisation to
take and disturb threatened fauna species and modify threatened ecological
communities. These requirements were identified following concerns raised by
stakeholders and following DBCA's
implementation of the BC act. It was identified that the legislation placed an
added administrative burden on landowners and occupiers seeking to
undertake bushfire mitigation activities to reduce fuel loads, including
planned burning.
The
amendment order will reduce the administrative burden on landowners and
occupiers, local government and Department of Fire and Emergency
Services employees who are undertaking the bushfire mitigation activities
specified in the order, and it will clarify how the defences in the
Biodiversity Conservation Act apply when a person undertakes a bushfire
mitigation or bushfire suppression activity. This approach considers the
potential impacts of reducing fuel loads through bushfire mitigation activities
against protection of the community and the environment from the impacts of
bushfires. As the climate continues to change, low-intensity planned burning is
critical to prevent high-intensity bushfires impacting on the environment, with potentially long-lasting
impacts. To help ensure that biodiversity values are maintained , a series of fire information notes for key
threatened species and ecological communities has been developed to
assist landholders to manage fuel loads, while recognising the requirements of
threatened species and ecological communities.
some notice of the question. The following answer is provided on behalf of the
Minister for Environment.
(1)–(3) The
Minister for Environment sought advice from the Department of Biodiversity,
Conservation and Attractions prior to the
publishing of the Biodiversity Conservation (Exemptions) Amendment Order 2021 .
DBCA consulted with the Department of Fire and Emergency Services and the
Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on the preparation of the
amendment order.
DBCA
advised the government that the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016—BC
act—introduced additional requirements for an authorisation to
take and disturb threatened fauna species and modify threatened ecological
communities. These requirements were identified following concerns raised by
stakeholders and following DBCA's
implementation of the BC act. It was identified that the legislation placed an
added administrative burden on landowners and occupiers seeking to
undertake bushfire mitigation activities to reduce fuel loads, including
planned burning.
The
amendment order will reduce the administrative burden on landowners and
occupiers, local government and Department of Fire and Emergency
Services employees who are undertaking the bushfire mitigation activities
specified in the order, and it will clarify how the defences in the
Biodiversity Conservation Act apply when a person undertakes a bushfire
mitigation or bushfire suppression activity. This approach considers the
potential impacts of reducing fuel loads through bushfire mitigation activities
against protection of the community and the environment from the impacts of
bushfires. As the climate continues to change, low-intensity planned burning is
critical to prevent high-intensity bushfires impacting on the environment, with potentially long-lasting
impacts. To help ensure that biodiversity values are maintained , a series of fire information notes for key
threatened species and ecological communities has been developed to
assist landholders to manage fuel loads, while recognising the requirements of
threatened species and ecological communities.
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