Photo: DERM

Wildlife Queensland freely acknowledges that the Hon. Kate Jones Minister for Climate Change and Sustainability is generous with her time for our concerns and has achieved significant gains for certain aspects of the environment.

These gains include:

• Protection of the Great Barrier Reef
• An increased focus on SEQ’s dwindling koala population
• Establishment of a waste levy to benefit the environment.

Such achievements deserve accolades and the conservation movement does celebrate - but only briefly. As significant as these achievements are, the battle to arrest the decline in biodiversity let alone reverse it, is far from won.

When The Hon. Kate Jones and the Bligh Government announced $54m over 5 years for national park acquisition, Wildlife Queensland along with the conservation movement, gave the Government the applause that appeared warranted. This was the most significant funding for national park acquisition since the Labor Goss Government in 1989-1992.  On learning that at least $27m is to be directed to North Stradbroke Island, as important an issue as NSI is, Wildlife Queensland and other conservation organisations are disillusioned.  There is no way that the remaining $27m, even with 2:1 funding provided by the Commonwealth from the National Reserve System, will the true needs of the national park estate be achieved.

Should $50m of the state funding be directed to acquisition and with the likelihood of attracting some $100m from the Commonwealth, together with other State held forests, then there would be the basis of an appropriate national park estate.  The Minister was made aware of our disappointment.

On the brighter side, Wildlife Queensland was pleased with the ongoing progress with potential marine parks for the Gulf of Carpentaria - although more rapid progress would have been welcomed. Other discussions included the control of buffell grass in specific national parks in light of a potentially bad fire season. DERM is aware of our concerns, and shares those concerns, but an immediate cost effective and practical solution is not obvious. On going discussions will continue to address this challenging problem.

Other issues included the Coal Seam Gas industry and nature refuges. Our call for banning of opera house traps for catching yabbies was mentioned briefly. Wildlife Queensland expressed our continued opposition to high speed power boat racing in marine parks with the potential harm to wildlife and the environs. Wildlife Queensland indicated an apparent conflict with existing DERM policy. Representatives of DERM in attendance suggested a different interpretation of the policy. It will be an issue for ongoing discussion.

These meetings are beneficial and Wildlife Queensland really appreciates such opportunities. Wildlife Queensland is of the opinion that The Minister has a genuine concern for wildlife and its environment and works hard within the Government’s policy framework to deliver the maximum benefits possible.

For more information on Wildlife Queensland's activities, call us on +61 7 3221 0194 or send us an email.