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The Hon. JOHN DELLA BOSCA: On 28 August the Hon. Ian Cohen asked the Minister for Land and Water Conservation a question without notice relating to the native vegetation regulation. The Minister for Land and Water Conservation has provided the following response:
The regulation of native vegetation clearing in NSW is a complex task requiring the balancing of environmental, social and economic considerations, a fact acknowledged by the Auditor-General in his report.
The Department of Land and Water Conservation (DLWC), in responding to the performance audit report, has welcomed its findings and recommendations as a constructive contribution to the Department’s efforts to continually improve its performance in administering the Native Vegetation Conservation Act.
A sound information base is critical to the success of the native vegetation reforms and a number of initiatives are being progressed to improve this aspect. DLWC, in conjunction with the Native Vegetation Advisory Council, is developing a program for the systematic monitoring of all native vegetation in NSW. While previous studies have been limited in their coverage due to the technology used, the program currently being developed aims to monitor clearing, revegetation and regeneration of all native vegetation, including grasslands.
Efforts are also being concentrated on improving the vegetation mapping coverage of NSW, with the Government having allocated $17 million over the period 1999-2006. Priority for mapping has been targeted to areas where regional vegetation committees are in place and in the process of developing regional vegetation management plans. DLWC has, however, acknowledged the shortfalls in this area that have been identified in the audit report, and will be considering the recommended measures to extend and expedite the mapping program.
As a final comment on information systems, DLWC maintains a comprehensive database, VegNet, which records statistics pertaining to clearing applications approved under the Native Vegetation Conservation Act. Recorded data includes areas approved for clearing, areas required to be retained under vegetation, dominant vegetation species in areas approved for clearing and the purpose of the clearing (eg land use).
In terms of its operational capacity to regulate the native vegetation reforms, DLWC continues to define and document its resource needs and commitments through the annual budgetary process.
The Bilateral Agreement signed by NSW and the Commonwealth in May this year is designed to provide an effective and integrated framework to deliver and monitor the National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality in NSW. Importantly, the Agreement acknowledges that implementation will occur within the existing framework of State legislation, policies and strategies that are described in the Agreement.
In this regard, the Department of Land and Water Conservation is addressing its native vegetation management commitments, through the Native Vegetation Conservation Act, consistent with its obligations under the Bilateral Agreement.
The Bilateral Agreement also establishes the principles and processes for administration and allocation of funding under the National Action Plan. The Commonwealth and NSW have established a Steering Committee to facilitate implementation of the Agreement. Membership of this Steering Committee consists of representatives of two Commonwealth agencies and five NSW agencies, not just the Department of Land and Water Conservation. The Secretariat is provided by The Cabinet Office.