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House of Assembly - Fifty-Second Parliament, First Session (52-1)
2011-02-23 Daily Xml
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VULNERABLE SPECIES, MURRAY-DARLING BASIN

Ms BEDFORD (Florey) (14:38): Thank you, ma'am. My question is to the Minister for Environment and Conservation—

Members interjecting:

The SPEAKER: Order!

Ms BEDFORD: They are such a rabble. My question is to the Minister for Environment and Conservation. What initiative is being undertaken to strengthen the protection of nationally vulnerable species in South Australia's Murray-Darling Basin region?

The Hon. P. CAICA (Colton—Minister for Environment and Conservation, Minister for the River Murray, Minister for Water) (14:39): I thank the member for Florey for her question and acknowledge her commitment to the preservation and the protection of vulnerable species wherever they might be.

Today I am pleased to announce that the South Australian and commonwealth governments have combined resources to acquire approximately 286 hectares of land at Hogwash Bend near Waikerie. This area is of particular importance because it contains the largest known South Australian breeding colony of the eastern regent parrot.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: Yes, it is. The eastern regent parrot is listed as vulnerable under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This parrot has suffered a decline in range and abundance over the last 100 years.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: No, we are going to prevent it from ever becoming a deceased parrot. You are dead right. The eastern regent parrots are in decline due to a range of threats. In the past, the regent parrot was destroyed as an agricultural pest and many nesting and foraging areas were cleared. Today, their continued survival may be threatened by other birds forcing them from their nest hollows, the clearing of small areas of mallee that link to nesting and foraging sites, long periods of drought, and illegal destruction and human disturbance around nests. Currently, there are thought to be only 300 breeding pairs in the South Australian River Murray corridor.

The recently acquired Hogwash Bend site supports mature river red gums, nesting sites for regent parrots, and a large area of mallee woodland in close proximity, providing the essential feeding requirements for the breeding parrots. Eastern regent parrots require feeding grounds to be located within 20 kilometres of their nesting colonies.

In addition to the eastern regent parrot, I can inform members that the property protects habitat supporting other threatened species, including the brush-tailed possum, darter, little friarbird, Gilbert's Whistler, Australian bustard and the carpet python.

I am pleased that the purchase of this land was assisted through a commonwealth Caring for our Country National Reserve System grant, which contributed approximately two-thirds of the purchase price, with the state government contributing the remaining funds. I am also pleased to report that there is a high level of community interest in conserving and increasing the available habitat for the regent parrots. In particular, I would like to acknowledge the previous landowners for maintaining the area in good condition, including the retention of mallee and river red gums with hollows.

Members interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: There is squawking. We can't save you. I'm not suggesting you're a parrot but you're squawking like one.

An honourable member interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: An eastern suburbs squawking parrot. The addition of this land to the reserve system contributes to our state Strategic Plan biodiversity targets relating to no known native species loss and the establishment of biodiversity corridors.

Ms Chapman interjecting:

The Hon. P. CAICA: A squawking parrot, ma'am.

The SPEAKER: Order!

The Hon. P. CAICA: The South Australian government remains committed, as do the majority of South Australians, to protecting our nationally vulnerable species and conserving our state's unique biodiversity. The Hogwash Bend site will become a new conservation park under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972, and it is anticipated that it will be formally proclaimed as such later this year.

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