Environment fears if 'radical' overhaul ratified

Feb. 19, 2015, 8:03 p.m.

There are claims that NSW could see unprecedented levels of land clearing and threatened species will become extinct if the "radical" recommendations of a review of NSW Biodiversity Legislation are adopted by the NSW government.

The Independent Biodiversity Legislation Review Panel handed down its final report in December.

It recommends repealing the Native Vegetation Act 2003 as the act "has not met expectations as a central pillar of biodiversity conservation in NSW".

The panel also recommends repealing the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 and parts of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 Act and "reconstituting elements of them in a new Biodiversity Conservation Act".

Greens candidate for Kiama, Terry Barratt, said the report portrayed current biodiversity legislation as an impediment to agricultural and other types of development, rather than recognising that it was there to protect NSW's biodiversity.

Mr Barratt said the proposed approach was "radical" and intended to clear away the obstacles and responsibilities biodiversity protection laws impose on the corporate farming, mining and development industries.

He said the failure to achieve legislative biodiversity objectives was largely due to poor government resource allocation, rather than inadequate legislation.

"Both Labor and Liberal governments have for years been progressively reducing the capacity of government departments to respond to the challenges associated with biodiversity protection," Mr Barratt said.

Gerroa Environmental Protection Society secretary, Howard Jones, said current laws helped protect areas such as the Illawarra escarpment.

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Environment fears if 'radical' overhaul ratified