TASMANIAN farmers are calling for fresh debate about protecting threatened species from human actions. Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association policy manager Peter Skillern said current laws assumed all threatened species could and should be protected. Mr Skillern said the aspiration saw farmers face extensive environmental assessment and approval processes when trying to work their land. Under existing federal legislation, a person must not actions that have, will have, or are likely to have a significant impact on a listed threatened species without approval from the Environment Minister. Mr Skillern argued the issue was far more nuanced than current laws implied, and needed to be revisited. ‘‘We shouldn’t assume that just because there is a threatened species involved there needs to be an assessment about whether that species can be saved achievably or not,’’ Mr Skillern said. ‘‘That’s a scientific debate that needs airing. ‘‘Decisions need to be made which may in turn affect government policy,’’ he said. The state’s peak farming body raised the issue to a Senate inquiry into streamlining ‘‘green tape’’ last year. The TFGA told the committee saving all threatened species was not always desirable or attainable. ‘‘As a community, we need to reassess our ability to protect and nurture all threatened and endangered species,’’ the lobby group said in its submission. ‘‘It will be important to prioritise those that have a very real likelihood of success and accept that some will not survive.’’ The TFGA said environmental impacts should be avoided and mitigated where possible, but argued it was important to accept that some adverse impact was unavoidable. ‘‘Listings need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that they bear up contemporary scrutiny and community expectations.’’ Environment Minister Greg Hunt was unavailable for comment.
TASMANIAN farmers are calling for fresh debate about protecting threatened species from human actions.
Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association policy manager Peter Skillern said current laws assumed all threatened species could and should be protected.
Mr Skillern said the aspiration saw farmers face extensive environmental assessment and approval processes when trying to work their land.
Under existing federal legislation, a person must not actions that have, will have, or are likely to have a significant impact on a listed threatened species without approval from the Environment Minister.
Mr Skillern argued the issue was far more nuanced than current laws implied, and needed to be revisited.
‘‘We shouldn’t assume that just because there is a threatened species involved there needs to be an assessment about whether that species can be saved achievably or not,’’ Mr Skillern said.
‘‘That’s a scientific debate that needs airing.
‘‘Decisions need to be made which may in turn affect government policy,’’ he said.
The state’s peak farming body raised the issue to a Senate inquiry into streamlining ‘‘green tape’’ last year.
The TFGA told the committee saving all threatened species was not always desirable or attainable.
‘‘As a community, we need to reassess our ability to protect and nurture all threatened and endangered species,’’ the lobby group said in its submission.
‘‘It will be important to prioritise those that have a very real likelihood of success and accept that some will not survive.’’
The TFGA said environmental impacts should be avoided and mitigated where possible, but argued it was important to accept that some adverse impact was unavoidable.
‘‘Listings need to be reviewed regularly to ensure that they bear up contemporary scrutiny and community expectations.’’
Environment Minister Greg Hunt was unavailable for comment.
