Conservation Stewardship Incentive Project

The Hon. K.J. MAHER (14:50): My question is to the Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation. Will the minister update the chamber on the Conservation Stewardship Incentive pilot project, and advise how this project can offer pastoralists new business opportunities?

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER (Minister for Sustainability, Environment and Conservation, Minister for Water and the River Murray, Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation) (14:50): The Hon. Mr Maher comes up with some doozies. This is a fantastic question, and I am very grateful to him for asking it. As it happens I do have some notes in front of me, which I can use to answer the honourable member's question.

The Hon. D.W. Ridgway: What a coincidence.

The Hon. I.K. HUNTER: It is, indeed, a coincidence. South Australia's arid lands have some of our state's most stunning and unique environments and landscapes, attracting tourists from all over the world every year. However, there is no doubt that living in this part of the state poses some unique challenges, and the government remains determined to encourage and facilitate a range of activities that can assist people who are living, and making a living, on our arid lands. We want to ensure that the region has a healthy and functioning ecosystem, because the viability of the entire region actually depends on this, but we also want to have sustainable industries and vibrant communities in our arid lands.

Today I am very pleased to update the chamber in relation to the Hon. Mr Maher's question on a pilot project that has the capability of achieving all three aims for the benefit of the entire region. I am referring to the Conservation Stewardship Incentive pilot project that was launched on 27 October. This is a scheme offered to outback pastoralists on a voluntary basis, which is being delivered by Natural Resources SA Arid Lands. The scheme is funded by the state's Trans-Australia Eco-Link initiative and by the Native Vegetation Council through its Significant Environmental Benefit grants scheme. Pastoralists who are interested in the scheme can choose to enter into an agreement to protect and manage important biodiversity areas for conservation purposes on their property.

The government is interested in how conservation areas can be established that best fit in with, and even complement, the pastoral enterprise operations of the properties. The scheme will aim to preserve and enhance a number of biodiversity targets, including species, communities and habitats that are of particular significance regionally and across the whole country or habitats that are poorly represented in our current public conservation reserves.

There is also a particular focus on preserving and protecting critical ecological refugia threatened by climate change. These are areas where special environmental circumstances have enabled a species or a community of species to survive after extinction in surrounding areas. Pastoralists know their land better than anybody else does. They have an intimate knowledge that often spans generations, and this puts them in an excellent position to help us protect important biodiversity areas and to provide those services for the benefit of the wider community.

This scheme is not only beneficial to the environment, it will also offer an additional business opportunity for pastoralists to assist in creating diverse pastoral enterprises designed to better cope with the harsh and unpredictable nature of the outback environment. I understand that this type of incentive scheme is the first of its kind in this state. It is different to past schemes in that it compensates for any impact on pastoral production. The amount of compensation will be negotiated directly with pastoralists on an individual basis and determined by individual circumstances. Pastoralists who sign up to the scheme will be paid a negotiated up-front lump sum payment to enter into a long-term agreement for up to 42 years on a particular area of land.

Pastoralists have the opportunity to register their interest in participating in the incentive project by 19 December this year. I am pleased to report that in the first two weeks of the expression of interest period we have received 21 inquiries from pastoralists, and 15 expression of interest forms and accompanying incentive guidelines have been sent out to other interested persons. This is a promising start to the initiative, which I hope signals an opportunity to expand the program into the future. I hope that many pastoralists take advantage of this opportunity to diversify their activity and also help improve the health and biodiversity of the region at the same time.