David Pocock (ACT, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Minister, there's a proposed DHA development in the north of Lawson, here in the ACT, and the development proposes 443 dwellings on approximately 47 or so hectares of land. A number of community groups and a large number of constituents have contacted my office with concerns that the development will have significant environmental impact. The proposal would have a significant impact on natural temperate grasslands, which form one of the most threatened ecosystems in Australia. Less than 0.5 per cent of the ecosystem remains in good condition across the country; 99.5 per cent of it has either been destroyed or is in poor condition. You can't offset that. You can't offset a critically endangered temperate grassland. We know that Defence Housing Australia have form on this. If you look at their range of projects, they're constantly coming up against the EPBC Act and often just disregarding it. This is a very serious thing that I would expect a Labor government to care a bit more about. Given the potential impact that clearing will have on golden sun moths and striped legless lizards, I'm interested in whether these changes will make it more likely that the Lawson grasslands project will go ahead.