ACT Greens MLA Shane Rattenbury today supported calls by the Environment Commissioner for a grassland reserve in the Majura Valley.

“The Majura Valley is one of the large intact areas of grassland in the ACT, arguably one of the largest in southeast Australia, and yet has no reserve protection,” said Mr Rattenbury today.

“This is a great opportunity to protect one of the still intact native grasslands, home to a range of threatened species.”

The report finds that only 40% of the Territory’s native grasslands are in good condition.

“The ACT’s temperate grasslands are a threatened ecosystem. It’s pleasing that at last we have a comprehensive assessment of their value and the threats that need to managed to ensure their preservation”, said Mr Rattenbury.

The grasslands are home to endangered species, such as the Earless Dragon, the Golden Sun Moth and the Ginninderra Peppercress. Only 5% of the estimated 20,000 hectares that existed prior to European settlement are left.

“It’s been death by a thousand cuts for our grasslands – urban development has left us only fragmented areas, and now these are also at risk from overgrazing by rabbits and kangaroos, as well as weed infestations and inappropriate mowing regimes,” said Mr Rattenbury.

“Some of these threats are easier to manage than others, but we must take action on all areas, including further development threats such as that at the Canberra Airport.”

“We are lucky to live in the bush capital, but with that comes responsibility to look after the grasslands and the woodlands that are in and around our suburbs.”

“This is a comprehensive report and a step along the way to looking after these vulnerable ecosystems. We look forward to seeing the Government take action on the many recommendations”, said Mr Rattenbury.

5 Aug 08

Deb Foskey, ACT Greens MLA, today said that the Planning and Environment Committee’s decision to ditch its Inquiry into water might have been the ACT Government’s plan all along.

“When I proposed in July last year that a Select Committee be set up to inquire into water management and use, the Government referred it to its Standing Committee on Planning and Environment instead,” said Dr Foskey.

“It was clearly afraid that a non-partisan select committee would come out with recommendations it wouldn’t like.”

“I said at the time that the Planning and Environment Committee was too busy to take on this important issue.”

“I wanted a short sharp Inquiry to feed into ACTEW’s Water2Water process – instead, the 16 or so people who made submissions to the Committee and appeared before it must be wondering why they bothered.”

“Today, in the Assembly, the Government even refused me leave to make a statement after Mick Gentleman’s announcement that the Committee had dropped the Inquiry.”

“Clearly, it didn’t want to be reminded of my concerns, a year ago, that a majority government with a majority on committees – as it has on this one – doesn’t lead to the best outcomes for the ACT.”

“Meanwhile, our water use goes unscrutinised – let’s hope that the next Assembly has the numbers and good sense to ensure that we get a non-partisan inquiry into water, because this will continue to be an enormous issue for the ACT,” said Deb Foskey.