Question On Notice No. 1056 asked in the Legislative Council on 20 October 2022 by Hon Dr Brad Pettitt
Question Directed to the: Minister for Emergency Services representing the Minister for Environment
Parliament: 41 Session: 1
Question
I refer to the McGowan Government’s commitment made in February 2019, ‘Plan
for our Parks’ to secure a further five million hectares of new national parks,
marine parks and other conservation areas over the next five years. Now, more
than three years and eight months on from that commitment, and I ask:
(a) how many hectares of conservation estate have now been created under the
Plan for Our Parks initiative; and
(b) is the Government on track to achieve the full five million hectares in the
next 16 months, by February 2024 as initially promised?
Answered on 22 November 2022
a) A total of 1,127,042 hectares has been created under the Plan for Our Parks initiative.
b) The establishment of conservation reserves under Plan for Our Parks is largely dependent on the negotiation of Indigenous Land Use Agreements with native title holders, which have been interrupted by the COVID-19 pandemic. It is still likely that the five million hectares will be created by February 2024.