National parks
Ms SANDELL (Melbourne) (11:18): My question is to the Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change. Victoria’s central west region is home to a number of threatened species, including the greater glider, a species which is even more at risk now after the bushfires destroyed so much of their habitat in the eastern part of the state. In June last year the Victorian Environmental Assessment Council (VEAC) recommended areas in the central west be protected by being made into national parks. That was after two rounds of public consultation. Under law the government has six months to respond to the report, but that deadline passed in February and we still have not heard what is going on. My question is: is the government still committed to declaring new national parks in Victoria’s central west, as recommended by VEAC?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (11:18): I thank the member for Melbourne for her question. Certainly some of the topics that have been touched on by the member are very important. It is also very important to reflect on the fact that the recent bushfires that have befallen Victoria have been absolutely devastating in terms of the impacts on our biodiversity.
Obviously we have been absolutely consumed by the work that has been required in response to those fires, and certainly my department has been actively and very heavily involved, together with the rest of government, with a clear focus on assisting with those firefighting efforts. Certainly the VEAC recommendations are before government for consideration, and we will consider a response to that at the appropriate time. But let us be very—
Members interjecting.
Ms D’AMBROSIO: I have already explained that our department has been absolutely absorbed in protecting communities and fighting bushfires—
Members interjecting.
The SPEAKER: The member for Ripon is warned.
Ms D’AMBROSIO: As appropriate we will come to providing a response to the VEAC investigation at the most appropriate time.
Ms SANDELL (Melbourne) (11:20): I appreciate the answer by the minister, but the government’s response was due in February. There was almost five months between the VEAC report and the fires, so there was ample time to consider the report. Given the devastation to our wildlife with the fires, this decision is even more urgent now, and it is more urgent because some of the habitat is at imminent risk of being destroyed—for example, 40 per cent of the Mount Cole area near Ararat, which is home to 25 threatened species, is zoned for logging. Given the fires have devastated so much of our wildlife, Victorians want to know what the government will do to protect our remaining habitat. So could the minister give the public any more certainty about exactly when these important areas will be declared as national parks?
Ms D’AMBROSIO (Mill Park—Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change, Minister for Solar Homes) (11:21): Thank you for the supplementary question. There is no-one in any doubt in terms of our government’s commitment and support for rescuing threatened species as a result of the bushfires. And exactly what we have been doing, what my department has been doing, is very actively utilising $17.5 million investment for emergency response specifically for the biodiversity rescue of threatened species.
As I said earlier, we will provide our response at the most appropriate time, given that we are absolutely committed to tackling the emergency responses that we need to provide right now, and we will continue to do that.
Ms Sandell: On a point of order, Speaker, just on relevance. My question was, is the government still committed to the national parks and when will they declare the national parks. It was not about their response to threatened species in relation to the bushfires.
The SPEAKER: The minister has concluded her answer, but the supplementary question was around: can the minister give any more certainty around the issued that you raised? I think the minister was relevant to that question when she answered it.