Putting developers in the driving seat.
The NSW Government is taking the axe to pollution and planning laws to reduce
your right to know about and comment on development, and bringing in a new
native vegetation law that puts the farmer "in the driving seat".
These new laws will be debated in the current session of Parliament.
If passed they will threaten the entire urban and natural environment of
NSW.
The draft Protection of the Environment Operations Bill fails to deliver
a pollution prevention system. Developers will be given indefinite rather
than short term licences and many important pollution decisions will be
transferred to inadequately resourced local councils leading to 176 different
systems across the state!
The proposed integrated Development Assessment Scheme seriously weakens
the community's right to participate in development decisions. Any type
of development can be made exempt from normal assessment process. Environmental
assessment can be fast tracked or even made discretionary.
The Government's White Paper on the Native Vegetation Conservation Bill
allows local committees to develop regional vegetation management plans
that will override environment protection zonings and SEPPs 14 (Coastal
Wetlands) and 26 (Littoral Rainforest). National Parks and Wildlife Service
will be relegated to an advisory role on threatened species. The Bill does
not contain a clear target for vegetation retention. Self regulation by
farmers is the aim.
The four organisations listed below are urging us to let the Carr government
know we will not tolerate such retrograde legislation. Lobby your local
MP and write to the Premier and relevant Ministers.
For more details on the proposed legislation call
Total Environment Centre (02) 9247 4714
Nature Conservation Council (02) 9247 4206
Environmental Defenders Office (02) 9262 6989
National Parks Asociation (02) 9233 4660
What is the easiest thing you can do right now to help our native birds
and animals?
Reply to the soon to be released NSW Companion Animal White Paper which
is the latest (and final) draft of the Companion Animals Act.
When the NSW Companion Animals Act becomes law later this year, we will
at last have some rules regarding the control of domestic cats and hopefully
some stronger rules for the control of dogs. The Act will also have laws
regarding the welfare of companion animals.
The White Paper is a firming up of a working party (made up of mostly animal
welfare group) which has been looking at submissions made to the earlier
Companion Animals Green Paper, and, like the Green Paper, will be open for
comment.
The cat lobby have been well represented in this campaign. Some members
of cat groups openly say that a curfew won't work so we should not have
one.
A curfew is an absolute necessity if our small native animals are to survive
in sensitive urban areas. Those cat owners who are law abiding will obey
a curfew thus reducing the fatality rates of native animals.
Don't let uncaring cat owners dictate this act.
If you care about our native animals ring Michelle Gleeson on 02 9793 0813
and ask to be put on the mailing list for the White Paper. When you reply,
make sure you ask for strong controls on cats and dogs. Your submission
could be vital for the protection of our small native birds and animals.
Norm Webb
St Georges Basin