The Hon Sussan Ley, the Minister for the Environment, announced the Morrison Government’s new five-year Action Plan to underpin the Threatened Species Strategy on 12 February 2022.

The Threatened Species Strategy 2021-2031 sets the Government’s forward plan for action to protect and recover Australia’s threatened plants, animals and ecological communities. The Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2021-2026 underpins the 10 year strategy.

Australian Rural & Regional News sought clarification from Minister Ley on the points below and received a response required to be attributed to a (unnamed) spokesperson from the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment.

ARR.News comments and questions are in italics.

ARR.News: The action plan states that it was “developed with input from the community, land managers, scientists, conservation groups, Indigenous land and sea managers and other stakeholders”. There is a single reference to “farmer” in the strategy document and none in the action plan.

DAWE: The Threatened Species Strategy Action Plan 2021-2026 recognises that farmers, agricultural and other land managers play a key role in environmental management.

• Were farmers and other landowners (as distinct from land managers) consulted? If so, to what extent?

DAWE: The plan was developed with input from the community, land managers (including farmers), scientists, conservation groups, Indigenous land and sea managers and other stakeholders. All Australians were invited to contribute their views via on-line public survey, written submissions and through targeted stakeholder workshops which included representations from the National Farmers Federation, natural resource management, Landcare and other community organisations.

• Why have both the 10 year strategy and the 5 year action plan apparently overlooked farmers and the use of land for agriculture and also foresters and the use of land for forestry?

• Do the strategy and action plan apply to agricultural land owned by farmers and land used for forestry?

DAWE: The Australian Government has a proven track record of delivering on-ground action, in partnership with farmers and local communities, to address the challenges faced by Australia’s native wildlife and environment. The National Farmers’ Federation and other farming representative groups are regularly engaged on relevant matters related to the listing and conservation planning for threatened species, for example to seek feedback on assessments for threatened ecological communities that occur across agricultural regions. In addition, the Threatened Species Scientific Committee has a dedicated member who has been appointed to help facilitate consultation with the farming sector.

Target 6 of the action plan is to “increase the area managed for conservation by 50 million hectares by 2026”.

• To put it in perspective, this amount of land is approximately double the size of Victoria. Where will this land come from?

• Will this be agricultural land converted to national parks?

DAWE: Target 6 builds on the momentum established under the Australian Government’s Indigenous Protected Areas (IPAs) program, National Landcare Program and other environmental restoration programs, inviting willing partners to protect, manage and restore areas of important to threatened species survival. Of the 50 million hectares target, it is anticipated that 45 million hectares will be identified from the IPAs program and another 5 million hectares will be identified as land where activities to benefit threatened species and threatened ecological communities are taking place, which could be supported by programs such as the Supporting Communities to Manage Pest Animals and Weeds Program and the National Landcare Program.

• How does the Morrison Government assess and balance the value of land used for agricultural purposes and land managed solely for conservation?

The action plan states that “Increasing Indigenous-led land and sea management will make a significant contribution to restoring habitat and achieving healthy ecosystems and continue Traditional Owners’ custodianship of land and sea country”.

• Why is the role of all farmers and current landowners in restoring habitat and achieving healthy ecosystems not recognised or supported (eg tree planting, wildlife corridors, managing invasive species (animal and plant), land remediation, erosion control)?

The action plan focus on a limited number of invasive species – foxes, feral cats, gamba grass and myrtle rust.

• Why is there no support for the control of the many other invasive species that impact on habitat and wildlife (eg feral deer, pigs, rabbits, fireweed, Paterson’s curse etc) including by farmers and other landowners?

DAWE: In implementing the action plan and its targets, the Australian Government is committed to working closely with communities, farmers, land managers and organisations on activities to restore and conserve habitat (such as tackling pest animals and weeds) for the benefit of threatened species and ecological communities.