Melissa Price (Durack, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

I would like to start by assuring the member for Macquarie that there are no reductions in the department's funding or average staffing levels—as we adjust our programs, like the conclusion of the Green Army.

In response to the member for Forde, I would like to acknowledge his deep commitment to the environment and also just remind him of the largest investment in the Regional Land Partnerships: some $450 million over five years from 2018-19 to 2023. These practical, on-the-ground types of programs will cover things like protecting threatened species, which I'll talk a little more about shortly, Ramsar wetlands, threatened ecological communities, the natural heritage, outstanding universal value of world heritage properties, soil biodiversity, and vegetation, and supporting agricultural systems to adapt to change. The list goes on.

Today I have the great pleasure to talk about good news. We don't get to talk about good news too much in this place—certainly the media's not that interested. But I want to talk about the good work that this government is doing with respect to Australia's threatened species, because we have got a wonderful story to tell. Last week I had the pleasure of visiting Tidbinbilla Nature Reserve, where I announced we would invest some $400,000 how in a raft of new projects to protect some of Australia's most vulnerable species. Our government's contribution, I'm very proud to say, has leveraged an additional $750,000 from a variety of organisations—providing cash and in-kind contributions, which of course is an excellent result for the nation as a whole.

These latest initiatives represent just a tiny fraction of our overall investment since we took office back in 2013. This government recognise the importance of protecting and preserving our threatened species. In 2013 we appointed Australia's first Threatened Species Commissioner and in 2015 we launched the first national Threatened Species Strategy. Last year, we invited the private sector to join the fight against extinction, through the threatened species prospectus. Over the last four years, more than $255 million has been allocated to some 1,200 projects across Australia. Sally Box, who joined me at Tidbinbilla last week, is now Australia's second Threatened Species Commissioner—

An honourable member: Doing a fine job!

I agree. She's doing an outstanding job. Dr Box will ensure we focus our efforts and broker really positive solutions for our environment that support Australia's threatened plants and animals. This work is underlined by the new initiative that we announced last week. At Tidbinbilla the federal government is going to provide 80,000 to support the creation of a predator-proof area that will help to recover brush-tailed rock wallabies. This is the cutest animal. It has a tail about a metre long. It really is quite the rock star in its own environment. We enjoyed that experience very much. In addition to the immediate benefits, the research we gather will guide the future reintroduction programs for the rock wallaby. It is a great example of this government's commitment to preserving Australia's wildlife and demonstrating what can be achieved through collaboration. I would like to acknowledge the contribution of Zoos Victoria and the ACT government to this project at Tidbinbilla. They are also committed to the work with threatened species.

This enclosure at Tidbinbilla is just a small part of a large investment. In Victoria, scientists will join forces to extinction-proof threatened orchids. In the Northern Territory, feral cat control will protect the critically endangered central rock rat. In South Australia, a project on Kangaroo Island will improve habitat for the Kangaroo Island gannet, the hooded plover and the eastern curlew. The project will greatly increase the number of cats culled nationally, helping us reach the target of two million cats culled by 2020.

Kangaroo Island is one of the five priority islands where we hope to completely eradicate feral cats. The government is proud to support that goal. Next month, I have the pleasure of going to Kangaroo Island and meeting up with the Kangaroo Island Land for Wildlife group who, with our support, will manage the delivery of this critically important initiative. One other project I would like to mention is in Queensland. We are partnering with the Macadamia Conservation Trust to develop replica collections of the endangered Bulberin nut tree.

You've heard me talk before about my very large electorate of Durack. It spans 1.8 million square kilometres. It boasts an incredibly diverse landscape. It's no surprise that 20 per cent of all of the threatened species in Australia are found in my electorate. Their protection is something that I take very seriously, as does the Minister for the Environment and Energy, as does our government. As the Assistant Minister for the Environment, it is my commitment to ensure the government continues to deliver on its strong record. I have no doubt that, with the programs I have mentioned and the further programs that this government is responsible for, our mission is to ensure the survival of our most special— (Time expired)

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