A two-year inquiry into ecosystem decline, tabled in state parliament on December 2, found native species were experiencing significant declines in population size and distribution.
About 2000 animals, plants and ecological communities are listed as threatened in Victoria, an increase from 700 five years ago.
It means the state has the highest number of threatened species by sub-region in Australia.
Major threats include: climate change; more frequent and intense bushfires; invasive species such as cats, foxes and rats; land clearing; and changes to rivers, wetlands and flood plains.
The inquiry heard there were only approved action plans in place for about 14 per cent of threatened species.
It could take up to five years for the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning to implement plans for the rest.
The Legislative Council Environment and Planning Committee made 74 recommendations, including that the Victorian Government urgently ensures action plans are put in place for all threatened species and that appropriate funding is allocated.
The committee also recommended the creation of a standalone environment department, with its own minister, which will have the sole purpose of protecting the environment and native species.
Several recommendations deal with the management of invasive species, with the committee calling for a more consistent and effective approach to cat management, a phase-out of 1080 bait, and a trial reintroducing dingoes into the wild as predators.
In a minority report, the Victorian Coalition opposed the proposals to phase out 1080-baiting and the re-introduction of dingoes but recommended the government collaborate with Traditional Owners to offer accreditation in conservation and Indigenous land management, as is done in NSW.
Other minority report recommendations included:
- Abandon the ‘Safer Together’ fire policy and adopt the 2009 Victorian Bushfire Royal Commission’s recommendation for fuel reduction on five per cent of the forest.
- Discard the Victorian Forestry Plan and continue with sustainable harvesting of native forests.
- Employ a landscape-wide strategy for conservation management of threatened species.
- Better control pest weeds and animals with an increased and secure funding stream for local groups, like Landcare.
A coalition of environmental groups also wants a dedicated long-term threatened species program and a dramatic increase in public funding for land and sea conservation, threatened species laws and programs.
“The dozens of findings and recommendations of the ecosystem decline inquiry are a good starting point, but we now need the government to step up, invest and take urgent action to halt species and ecosystem decline before it's too late,” Environment Victoria chief executive Jono La Nauze said.
Read the report at: https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/epc-lc/article/4455
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