Adam Bandt (Melbourne, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The beautiful alpine region in my state of Victoria is under threat from a recent decision by the new coalition state government to allow cattle grazing in the Alpine National Park. Cattle were removed from the Alpine National Park in 2005 following an investigation by the alpine grazing parliamentary task force. Cattle are still able to graze in state forests adjacent to the park and other areas in the region, but last month the Baillieu government reintroduced cattle grazing under the spurious guise of scientific research into the alleged benefits of cattle grazing for fire control.

Up to 400 cattle have been introduced to six so-called research sites in the Alpine National Park. There is no scientific justification for allowing the return of cattle to the park. In fact, the excuse of scientific research has less validity than Japanese claims about scientific whaling. The most significant peer reviewed research on alpine grazing was carried out shortly after the 2003 fires in the park. In that study, approximately 100 kilometres of transects across grazed areas of the Bogong High Plains were measured. The report examined grazed and non-grazed areas inside and outside the park and concluded:

There was no statistically significant difference between grazed andungrazed areas in the proportion of points burnt.

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The use of livestock grazing in Australian alpine environments as a fire abatement practice is not justified on scientific grounds.

At the end of January this year, 125 Australian scientists called on the Victorian government to postpone its cattle grazing trials in the Alpine National Park. In a letter to the state environment minister, Ryan Smith, the scientists said that trials to test whether grazing reduces bushfire risks lack scientific integrity and warned the government that they may have broken federal laws. The Environment Defenders Office confirms that under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act any action likely to have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance must be referred to the federal environment minister and that this includes any plans to return cattle to the park.

It is my understanding that the Victorian government has so far failed to refer the action of returning cattle to the park to the minister, nor has the federal minister requested a referral. According to reports, the cattle are already doing significant damage in the park. An early investigation conducted by Dr Henrik Wahren of Latrobe University’s Research Centre for Applied Alpine Ecology showed alpine tree frogs and their wetland habitat being trampled. He said that the wetland habitat of the alpine tree frog is heavily used by cattle and, given the level of damage already observed after just two weeks, it is likely to be severely degraded by the time the cattle are removed for the season in April. The tree frog and alpine wetlands are listed as nationally threatened under the Commonwealth’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

The Victorian state government’s return of cattle grazing to the Alpine National Park under the guise of scientific research is an act of environmental vandalism. It is a clear breach of environmental law, and the federal minister needs to act. Yesterday the federal minister responded to my concerns by saying his personal view was that the alpine area was not a farm. I agree with him, but the Alpine National Park needs more than words. The federal minister has the powers under the EPBC Act and needs to use them, and if he does not I propose to take action. I am currently preparing a private member’s bill that will outlaw grazing in the Alpine National Park. If we do not see progress from the minister on this matter I will introduce the bill.

Yesterday a coalition of environment groups led by the Victorian National Parks Association made clear that they will not accept this return to cattle grazing, and I want to congratulate the VNPA for their spearheading of this campaign. These alpine areas are important wilderness and heritage areas, and an expansion of cattle grazing would threaten an important part of Victoria’s tourist economy. This cannot be allowed to continue. It is a national park not a paddock, and I will work with the many people in my electorate and across the country to ensure it ends.