Native Vegetation (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill

Second Reading

Adjourned debate on second reading.

(Continued from 16 October 2024.)

The Hon. S.E. CLOSE: Mr Deputy Speaker, I draw your attention to the state of the house.

A quorum having been formed:

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (12:55): I rise to indicate my support for the Native Vegetation (Miscellaneous) Amendment Bill 2024, a bill that supports achieving the Malinauskas Labor government's election commitment to increase the legislative protection, monitoring and compliance of the act, including ruling out any reduction in the level of legislative protection for native vegetation and biodiversity.

Native vegetation comprises the native flora of our state, including beautiful trees such as our mighty river red gums—my personal favourite—hardy shrubs, our grass-like sedges, bush foods like finger limes and lemon myrtle, and grasses such as bottlebrush and weeping rice grass, and incorporates simpler life forms such as mosses, lichens and fungi, providing essential ecosystem services and a crucial component of our state's biodiversity.

Minister Close mentioned that it also provides ecological benefits such as stabilising stream banks and improving water quality, as well as addressing climate change through absorbing carbon dioxide and acting as carbon sinks. These carbon sinks are of significant and growing financial value for farming communities. Native vegetation can also be used to control and reverse forms of land degradation, such as erosion and salinity, potentially saving the agricultural sector millions of dollars.

The Native Vegetation Act 1991 and Native Vegetation Regulations 2017 are the legislative basis for the management and protection of native vegetation in the state, with the act applying to the majority of the state, excluding parts of metropolitan Adelaide. The act provides incentives and assistance to landowners in relation to the preservation and enhancement of native vegetation and controls the clearance of native vegetation in the state.

The act was a significant reform when first introduced and has prevented mass vegetation clearance; however, like in so many other areas we have seen a need for reform and made a number of environmental election commitments and this bill supports our Labor government's efforts to achieve these commitments to improve our state. The act is being amended to clarify, streamline and improve assessment and compliance processes.

The changes will allow for more appropriate mid-range compliance options to be utilised. Contemporary compliance tools will be introduced, along with emergency orders where urgent action is required. The bill will provide consistent and fit-for-purpose clearance requirements with the Native Vegetation Council and provide more options with regard to the conditions for offsetting, which can be attached to a consent to clear native vegetation. The proposed additional conditions include payment to a third-party provider or applicant, following the achievement of milestones relating to the attainment of that significant environmental benefit. The applicant can also pay an amount for the purpose of supporting the administration, monitoring and enforcement of measures, actions or requirements that relate to the requirement of achieving a significant environmental benefit.

Additionally, the bill proposes to move some permitted activities from the regulations into the act. This includes applications for new buildings, dwellings, infrastructure and residential subdivisions. I seek leave to continue my remarks.

Leave granted; debate adjourned.

Sitting suspended from 13:00 to 14:00.