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Parliamentary Questions


Question Without Notice No. 204 asked in the Legislative Council on 15 June 2017 by Hon Diane Evers

Parliament: 40 Session: 1


LAND CLEARING — THREATENED SPECIES — LEWIN FOREST
      204. Hon DIANE EVERS to the minister representing the Minister for Forestry:
      (1) Is the minister aware of reports by WA Forest Alliance last month that rare nesting hollows critical to the survival of forest red‑tailed, Baudin's and Carnaby's cockatoos and other threatened wildlife were destroyed during clear‑felling in Lewin Forest near Manjimup?
      (2) Does the minister acknowledge that the WA government's 2008 recovery plan for forest red‑tailed and Baudin's cockatoos lists habitat loss and a shortage of nest hollows as some of the key threats to these species and calls for increased habitat protection, including of known nesting trees?
      (3) What statutory requirements, if any, exist for the protection of threatened species habitat during logging operations?
      (4) If there are no statutory requirements —
          (a) what are the guidelines for the protection of threatened species habitat during logging operations;
          (b) who monitors to ensure these guidelines are followed; and,
          (c) what action does the government take if the guidelines are not adhered to?
Hon SAMANTHA ROWE replied:
I thank the honourable member for some notice of the question. I provide the following answer on behalf of the minister representing the Minister for Forestry.
(1) I am aware of the claims made by the WA Forest Alliance.
(2) I am aware of the recovery plan.
      (3) Harvesting operations are managed under the provisions of the ''Forest management plan 2014–2023'' and various subsidiary documents produced in accordance with the Conservation and Land Management Act 1984. The ''Forest management plan'' states at page 20 —
          The Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) also contains provisions relating to the protection of nationally‑listed threatened species and ecological communities. In that part of the plan area covered by the RFA � the Commonwealth and State governments have agreed that the CAR reserve system and the forest management system meet the requirements of that Act for the protection of threatened flora and fauna and ecological communities � Therefore, the provisions of the EPBC Act for environmental assessment are not triggered for forestry operations.
(4) Not applicable.