Wednesday, 4 October 2023

Barmah strategic action plan

Wendy LOVELL (Northern Victoria) (18:11): (483) My adjournment matter is directed to the Minister for Environment, and it concerns the status of the planned review of the Barmah National Park and Barmah forest Ramsar site strategic action plan 2020–23. The action that I seek is for the minister to provide a comprehensive update to the public on the status of the review into the strategic action plan, including if the review has commenced, details of what consultations have been held with the Barmah community and local stakeholder groups and a date when the review will be completed and recommendations released to the general public.

The Barmah strategic action plan 2020–23 for the protection of flood plain marshes in Barmah National Park and Barmah forest Ramsar site was publicly released by Parks Victoria in February 2020. The four-year plan outlines the program to address priority threats to the flood plain marshes within the Barmah forest Ramsar site, which is largely located in the Barmah National Park. The Barmah National Park and forest supports nearly 300 native species of birds, fish, reptiles, frogs and other animals, and the government claims the strategic action plan was designed to better protect the Barmah forest Ramsar site ecosystem that supports these species. The plan was developed following consultation with government agencies, traditional owners, community members, environmental groups and other stakeholders. Due to contradicting information released by the Andrews Labor government, there is uncertainty in the local community regarding when the all-important review of the strategic plan will be completed, so now it is up to the Allan Labor government to actually give us this information. In the plan it clearly states on page 5, under subheading 1.3, ‘Duration and review’:

This plan applies over a four-year period, through to June 2023

And:

In the final year of the plan a more comprehensive review will occur.

Yet the summary of the strategic plan published on the Parks Victoria website states that the review will be conducted between June 2023 and June 2024. I have recently been contacted by numerous community groups and residents in the Barmah region who have reported to me that no community consultation has been done regarding this review, which was supposed to have commenced nearly four months ago. It is imperative that the Barmah community and key community groups are provided the opportunity to provide input into the effectiveness of the Barmah National Park strategic plan and that the Andrews Labor government – or the Allan Labor government, as it is now – are fully transparent on the review process of such an important policy document.