[Greens-Media] Media Release: Rainforest clearing under 10/50 laws breached commonwealth protections – report says

[David Shoebridge MLC]

Media Release: Rainforest clearing under 10/50 laws breached commonwealth
protections – report says
 0
<http://davidshoebridge.org.au/2014/12/14/rainforest-clearing-under-1050-laws-breached-commonwealth-protections-report-says/#comments>

A highly critical report on the clearing of hundreds of square metres of
critically endangered littoral rainforest in the Tweed has been referred to
the Federal Environment Minister for his urgent intervention. The clearing
was carried out under controversial NSW 10/50 laws, and the report finds it
has had a significant adverse impact on the one of the Tweed’s last pockets
of critically endangered rainforest.
[image: Letter from the EDO to the Federal Minister for the Environment]
<http://davidshoebridge.org.au/wp-content/uploads/2014/12/141205-Minister-Hunt-EPBC-Act-Orders.pdf>

Letter from the EDO to the Federal Minister for the Environment
See the EDO correspondence and reporting in the Sun Herald here:
http://davidshoebridge.org.au/2014/12/14/rainforest-clearing-under-1050-laws-breached-commonwealth-protections-report-says/

Despite the report’s findings of significant damage to this critically
endangered rainforest the Coalition’s Federal Environment Minister is still
refusing to take any action.

The clearing occurred on 11 August 2014, less than 2 weeks from the
commencement of the controversial 10/50 code and only days after the
council had refused a DA on the site because of its impact on the
critically endangered Littoral Rainforest and Coastal Vine Thicket.

An independent ecological report into the clearing has identified it as
likely having a significant impact on an ecological community at serious
risk of extinction. The NSW Environmental Defenders Office has referred the
matter to the Federal Environment Minister requesting he make urgent
remediation orders.

The 10/50 laws have seen at least one other property owner at Fingal Head
seek approval from the Federal Minister to clear rainforest trees on their
land. That application remains pending.
*Greens MP, David Shoebridge said:*

“The NSW Government has so badly bungled these laws that the only remaining
protection is the Federal Minister, who must now intervene to ensure that
no more critically endangered vegetation is lost.

“Because the land owner thought they had carte blanche to clear the land
under the 10/50 laws, there was no application made and no one checking to
ensure this critically endangered rainforest was protected.

“Council’s attempt to protect this rainforest was undone by the State
Government’s botched laws which have put the landowner at risk of
significant costs and penalties under the Commonwealth EPBC Act.

“It’s not just this one site that is impacted by the 10/50 laws. This
appalling law is opening thousands of sites across the state to damaging
clearing without any formal oversight.

“The loss of critically endangered littoral rainforest on this single site
alone is reason enough to halt the operation of the code across NSW,” Mr
Shoebridge said.

*Kay Bolton, President of Fingal Coastcare Inc who commissioned the report
said:*

“The Tweed has one of the richest and most diverse environments in
Australia which makes it such a precious place to live, but unless we act
to protect that environment we will lose it.

“This is one of the last remaining pockets of littoral rainforest in the
Tweed, and the report makes it clear that this is a unique ecological
community that must be preserved.

“The state government pushed these 10/50 laws through parliament without
thinking what impact they will have across the rest of the state, and the
impact has been devastating.

“There was never any bushfire risk on this property and this clearing shows
just how open to abuse the 10/50 laws are,” Ms Bolton said.

*The report found:*

   - The vegetation cleared was critically endangered Littoral Rainforest
   and Coastal Vine Thicket
   - Clearing had a significant impact on this unique pocket of Tweed
   littoral rainforest
   - The cumulative impact of allowing such clearing would have a
   significant impact on littoral rainforest across the country


-- 

*David ShoebridgeGreens MP in the NSW Legislative CouncilP: (02) 9230
3030 |Media: 0408 113 952|T: @ShoebridgeMLC
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