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Legislative Council - Fifty-Fourth Parliament, Second Session (54-2)
2020-07-22 Daily Xml
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Parliamentary Committees

Natural Resources Committee: Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Region

The Hon. N.J. CENTOFANTI (15:54): I move:

That the sixth report of the committee, fact-finding visit, Alinytjara Wilurara Natural Resources Management Region, be noted.

One of the Natural Resources Committee's important roles is undertaking fact-finding visits to South Australian natural resource management regions. The committee aims to visit at least two NRM regions each year. The visits are opportunities to meet with NRM board members and local NRM groups and to obtain a direct understanding of the challenges and priorities in each region. It should be noted that the visit was conducted before the Landscapes SA framework came into effect; therefore, references throughout this speech continue to refer to the previous natural resource management regions framework.

The Natural Resources Committee visited the Alinytjara Wilurara region from 20 to 22 November 2019. At around 250,000 square kilometres in size, the region is vast. It covers the north-west quarter of South Australia and represents approximately 28 per cent of South Australia's total land area. The population of the region is around 3,000. The AW NRM board is the only NRM board with an entirely Aboriginal membership, and its work contributes to Strong People, Healthy Country and Water.

The 2019 visit provided a rich array of experiences and activities for the committee to investigate. The committee previously visited the region in 2014. At that stage, the committee noted that buffel grass had spread widely in the APY ranges. The committee expressed its concern that buffel had not been declared as a weed in South Australia, or nationally at that stage. In 2015, buffel was declared a weed in South Australia. In 2019, buffel grass continues to pose a key challenge for biodiversity and effective natural resource management in the region.

In 2014, the committee received information about the Warru Recovery Project, which has continued to deliver successful outcomes and was a highlight of the committee's 2019 visit. The committee's visit also encompassed an exploration of the Nilpena Station fossil site and a briefing on the Department for Environment and Water's bid for world heritage status for the site. The committee met with Mr Ian Crombie, the former chair of the AMYAC, at the Mabel Creek Station.

The committee thanks the communities of the AW region for hosting them on country and APY lands general manager Richard King for welcoming them to the APY lands. For making theirs an enriching visit, the committee is extremely appreciative to Mr Mick Haynes presiding member; the AW NRM board and the AW board; Mr Ian Crombie, elder, councillor and former chair, AMYAC; Mr Jason Irving, manager, national parks and protected areas program, Department for Environment and Water; Mr Ross Fargher, manager, Nilpena Station; Ms Jane Fargher, manger, Prairie Hotel; Mr Tony Magor, manager, parks and co-management, Department for Environment and Water; and Mr James Thiessen, program manager, AW Natural Resources Management Board. There are many other people who contributed to the organisation, transport and the successful progress of the visit from inception to completion. We extend sincere thanks to everyone who assisted.

I recognise and thank each of the members of the committee for their contributions to this report: Mr David Basham MP, Mr Nick McBride MP, Dr Susan Close MP, the Hon. John Darley MLC, the Hon. Terry Stephens MLC and the Hon. Russell Wortley MLC. Finally, I thank the committee staff: parliamentary officers, Mr Phil Frensham and Mr Shannon Riggs, and research officer Dr Monika Stasiak for their essential and much appreciated work in support of the committee's functions.

Debate adjourned on motion of Hon. I.K. Hunter.

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