Thursday, 14 August 2025

 Georgie PURCELL (Northern Victoria) (12:48): (1749) My question is for the Minister for Planning. Each year swift parrots migrate from Tasmania to the mainland in search of food. Last month a flock of hundreds of these beautiful birds was sighted near Bendigo. Due to their critically endangered status, this was estimated to be close to the entire population. Swift parrots have been faced with the increased destruction of their habitat from continued native forest logging, from the recent expansion of the Fosterville Gold Mine and, critically, from the growth of housing developments in central Victoria. At the current rate of decline it is estimated that the swift parrot will be extinct by 2031. Will the government ensure that planning assessments consider impacts on intermittent habitat for migratory endangered species in my electorate?