THE state and federal governments have quashed calls to rethink protections afforded to threatened and endangered species. The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association has called for fresh debate on existing laws that they say assume all threatened species could and should be protected. TFGA policy manager Peter Skillern said the imperative was seeing farmers caught in a complex and costly web of environmental regulation when trying to work their land. Mr Skillern urged scientific debate on whether it was always desirable or attainable to save threatened species, saying it may be better to prioritise those with a very real likelihood of success and accept some would not survive. However, Tasmanian Environment Minister Matthew Groom said the government was fully committed to the proper protection of threatened species. "We continue to engage with farmers and other stakeholders to get their thoughts and ideas for reducing regulation and making business easier," Mr Groom said. "However, we would not countenance any changes which weaken protections for threatened species." The Tasmanian Environmental Defenders Office has said laws protecting endangered species from human actions are inefficient, inconsistent and poorly coordinated. EDO Tasmania lawyer Jess Feehely said all threatened species should be protected. However, Ms Feehely said farmers were being bogged down in ineffective environmental laws, arguing a state and federal legislative overhaul was long overdue. A spokesman for federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said the Australian government was committed to streamlining environmental approvals and assessments. ''We can cut red tape and streamline approvals, and importantly, we can do it without compromising high environmental standards,'' the spokesman said. Tasmanian Greens environment spokesman Nick McKim said he was surprised and disappointed farmers appeared to want weakened threatened species protections. "Healthy, productive farms need healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity, both of which would be compromised by watering down threatened species' protection," Mr McKim said. "If Tasmania takes this backward step, markets for our fantastic produce could be threatened."
THE state and federal governments have quashed calls to rethink protections afforded to threatened and endangered species.
The Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association has called for fresh debate on existing laws that they say assume all threatened species could and should be protected.
TFGA policy manager Peter Skillern said the imperative was seeing farmers caught in a complex and costly web of environmental regulation when trying to work their land.
Mr Skillern urged scientific debate on whether it was always desirable or attainable to save threatened species, saying it may be better to prioritise those with a very real likelihood of success and accept some would not survive.
However, Tasmanian Environment Minister Matthew Groom said the government was fully committed to the proper protection of threatened species.
"We continue to engage with farmers and other stakeholders to get their thoughts and ideas for reducing regulation and making business easier," Mr Groom said.
"However, we would not countenance any changes which weaken protections for threatened species."
The Tasmanian Environmental Defenders Office has said laws protecting endangered species from human actions are inefficient, inconsistent and poorly coordinated. EDO Tasmania lawyer Jess Feehely said all threatened species should be protected.
However, Ms Feehely said farmers were being bogged down in ineffective environmental laws, arguing a state and federal legislative overhaul was long overdue.
A spokesman for federal Environment Minister Greg Hunt said the Australian government was committed to streamlining environmental approvals and assessments.
''We can cut red tape and streamline approvals, and importantly, we can do it without compromising high environmental standards,'' the spokesman said.
Tasmanian Greens environment spokesman Nick McKim said he was surprised and disappointed farmers appeared to want weakened threatened species protections.
"Healthy, productive farms need healthy ecosystems and rich biodiversity, both of which would be compromised by watering down threatened species' protection," Mr McKim said. "If Tasmania takes this backward step, markets for our fantastic produce could be threatened."
