Threatened species plans – free from public comment
The government has suddenly got its skates on and seems to be writing protection plans for threatened wildlife. EEG launched legal action against the Department for its failure to do this in early June. Suddenly the Supreme Court is looming and EEG and a few select groups have a generous 10 days to comment on the Draft Action Statement (as from 20th Aug).
Logging has been wiping out Glossy Black habitat for almost 2 decades – unhindered by bothersome threatened wildlife protection plans.
It’s been a convenient delay for logging and developers to have no enforceable protection plans for 374 listed species!
But if you want to comment on their plans – forget it. The draft action statement is not for the public, missing from the FFGA website where draft statements should be.
This is a barefaced insult to threatened species and public participation.
From a quick read of the draft, it looks to be a tuppeny attempt to give the appearance of a protection plan. Is this deliberately written to be toothless? The public should be able to comment on this.
We’ve been in touch with DEPI and will let you know if it decides to improve its public consultation process on the endangered Cockatoo. Read the EEG submission here
UPDATE: DEPI refuses to extend the comment period or even include the draft Action Statement on their website for the public to see and comment!