Joint media release with Total Environment Centre
Key environment groups today attacked proposals by the Keneally government to pave the way for developers to destroy populations of threatened species under the controversial biocertification scheme.
Line drawn over sketchy development
Joint media release with Total Environment centre and Lake Wollumboola protection association inc
The proposed 1200 lot coastal development between two Wetlands of National Importance
on the NSW South Coast should be scrapped to protect the area’s significant habitat and
wildlife, environment groups said today.
Tourism bill passes – Green light for private development in national parks
The Keneally government has given the green light to developers to exploit national parks for exclusive commercial tourist developments in a Bill that passed NSW Parliament’s Upper House late last night (9 June).
“Today is a sad day for the people of NSW. A sad day when the Labor Government, supported by the Coalition, passed a bill that radically erodes forever the long held protection of our unique national parks in NSW,” said Kevin Evans, Executive Officer of the National Parks Association of NSW.
Sartor's Tourism Bill Opens NSW National Parks for Business
The National Parks Association (NPA), the Nature Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), the Blue Mountains Conservation Society (BMCS) and The Wilderness Society Sydney (TWS) today rejected changes to national parks laws introduced into Parliament by Environment Minister, Frank Sartor that will open up national parks to unrestrained tourist developments.
Environment Minister, Frank Sartor introduced the National Parks and Wildlife Amendment
(Visitors and Tourists) Bill 2010 into Parliament last Thursday. It is set for debate in the Lower
House 9 June.
Biobanking sells out state’s biodiversity
The NSW government has announced today the state’s first ‘Biobank’ site, but the
state’s peak environment group says biobanking will do nothing to protect NSW’s
threatened biodiversity.
“The Biobank scheme allows developers to buy their way out of protecting
threatened species and their habitat. It will not stop urban clearing or halt the
alarming rate of biodiversity loss due to overdevelopment,” said Nature
Conservation Council of NSW, Acting Chief Executive Officer Haydn Washington.
Proposed amendments to National Parks Act threaten natural areas
The NSW government is expected to introduce amendments to the National Parks
and Wildlife Act in this session of parliament, which could allow larger impact
facilities such as supermarkets and fast food outlets in the state’s precious
national parks, according to the state’s peak environment group.
‘Tourism’ could become enshrined in national park management principles,
following the recommendations of the Tourism Taskforce. However, the Nature
Conservation Council of NSW has serious concerns that inappropriate tourist
Local Government Association wants National Parks kept safe for nature
The Annual Conference of the Local Government Association last week resolved to express concern
about opening up National Parks to recreational hunting and commercial development.
The Local Government Association is concerned about any move to allow recreational shooting and
plans by the NSW State Government to develop commercial facilities inside National Parks. The
Association is also concerned that the National Parks and Wildlife Act and the Wilderness Act may be
amended to facilitate development.
Community demands answers from Government on Hunting Bill
The Parks and Native Animals Coalition is calling on NSW Minister for the Environment, John
Robertson, to publicly confirm his recent statements in Parliament opposing the Shooters
Party proposal to open up National Parks to recreational hunting.
At the Budget Estimates hearing on 17 September, 2009 Minister Robertson stated that “the
Government has made it completely clear that we are opposed to hunting in national parks”
and that “the Government does not support [Game and Feral Animal Control Amendment]
Government must not sell out the environment for political gain
The state’s peak environment group is calling on the NSW Government to stop
making backroom deals that sell out our precious natural places and wildlife for
the benefit of vested interests, such as the arrangement to open national parks to
shooters reported today.
“Time and again we see the Government playing politics with the protection of
NSW’s environment rather than standing firm against developers, the Shooters’
Party and others who seek to exploit it,” executive director Cate Faehrmann said
today.
Hunting is not conservation, environment groups claim
Environment and animal welfare groups have lodged a variety of complaints about the
NSW Game Council with regulatory agencies, including the ACCC.
The organisations include the Invasive Species Council (ISC), WIRES, the Nature
Conservation Council of NSW (NCC), the Humane Society International (HSI), the
Wilderness Society, the Colong Foundation for Wilderness, the National Parks Association
of NSW and the Total Environment Centre.
They have referred complaints about the Game Council to the Australian Competition
