Efficacy of the "Threatening processes" provisions in the threatened species conservation act 1995 (NSW): Bush-rock removal and the endangered broad-headed snake

Environmental and Planning Law Journal

Volumn 14, Issue 1, 1997, Pages 3-16

  Mahony, Sue ^a  

^a Public Interest Advocacy Centre   (Australia)

Author keywords

[No Author keywords available]

Indexed keywords

EID: 0001903642     PISSN: 0813300X     EISSN: None     Source Type: Journal    
DOI: None     Document Type: Article

References (199)

1. Article 7(c), Convention on Biological Diversity.
2. Article 8(1), Convention on Biological Diversity.
3. The Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 which predates the Convention also employs this technique.
4. Mansergh, Davey and Robertson, Reptiles and Amphibians of Victoria-Legislation" in Lunney and Ayers (eds), Herpetology in Australia-A diverse discipline (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, 1993).
5. B Preston, 'The Role of Law in the Protection of Biological Diversity in the Asia-Pacific Region" (1995) 12 EPLJ 264 at 271-274; J Bradsen, "Biodiversity Legislation: Species, Vegetation, Habitat" (1992) 9 EPLJ 175.
6. See Meyers and Temby, "Biodiversity and the Law: A Review of the Commonwealth Endangered Species Protection Act of 1992" (1994) Griffith Law Review 39; J Bradsen, "The 'Green Issues': Biodiversity Conservation in Australia" in Boer, Fowler and Gunningham (eds), Environmental Outlook, Law and Policy (ACEL, 1994), pp 207-210.
7. Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 (Clh), Sched 1, Pt 1.
8. Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995 (NSW), Sched l, Pt 1.
9. Lunney and Ayers, 'The official status of frogs and reptiles in New South Wales" in Lunney and Ayers (eds), Herpetology in Australia-A diverse discipline (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, 1993), p 405.
10. B Preston, "Section 92 and Interstate Trade in Wildlife: A Moral Question" (1987) 4 EPLJ 175 at. 176.
11. Shine and Fitzgerald, "Conservation and Reproduction of an Endangered Species: The Broad-Headed Snake, Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Elapidae)" (1989) 25 Australian Zoologist 65 at 66.
12. Also in some cases, populations and ecological communities. These aspects are not discussed in this article because the particular species which will be examined is a listed species.
13. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
14. S Edmonds and J Giddings, "Guaranteeing the Survival and Evolution of Endangered Species: An Analysis of the Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act (Victoria)" (1992) 9 EPLJ 421 at 428-429.
15. Wilson and Clark, "The Victorian Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988: a five year review of its implementation" in People and Nature Conservation: Perspectives on Private Land Use and Endangered Species Recovery, Transactions of the Royal Zoological Society of New South Wales (1995), p 99.
16. See B Elling, "Research on SEA in Denmark" in S Morel, R Verheem and N Lee (eds), EIA Methodology and Research: Third EU Workshop on EIA, Delphi 1994 (European Commission, 1994), p 61.
17. See B Elling, "Research on SEA in Denmark" in S Morel, R Verheem and N Lee (eds), EIA Methodology and Research: Third EU Workshop on EIA, Delphi 1994 (European Commission, 1994), p 61.
18. Section 20, FFG Act.
19. Pt 3, Div 1, TSC Act.
20. Section 43, FFG Act.
21. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
22. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
23. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
24. Australian National Parks & Wildlife Service, Australian National Strategy for the conservation of species threatened with extinction (1992).
25. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
26. Papps and Wilson, "Biodiversity Conservation in New South Wales: the role of the National Parks and Wildlife Service" in Bradstock, Auld, Keith, Kingsford, Lunney, Sivertsen (eds), Conserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, July 1995), p 402.
27. Environmental Defender's Officer (EDO)/National Threatened Species Network (NTSN) Seminar, The New Threatened Species Conservation Act of 1995 in Action", Australian Museum (31 May 1996).
28. Section 33(1), ESP Act.
29. Section 74(1), TSC Act; s 19, FFG Act.
30. Section 121, TSC Act.
31. Section 90, EP&A Act, as amended by para [19], Sched 5, TSC Act.
32. Section 77a, EP&A Act, inserted by para [14], Sched 5, TSC Act.
33. Section 112(1b), EP&A Act, amended by para [24], Sched 5, TSC Act.
34. Section 11 2b, s 112c, EP&A Act, inserted by para [26], Sched 5, TSC Act.
35. Section 112a, EP&A Act, inserted by para [26], Sched 5, TSC Act.
36. Section 91, TSC Act.
37. Section 92(2), s 95(1), TSC Act.
38. Section 97, TSC Act.
39. Section 15, TSC Act.
40. Section 19(5), TSC Act.
41. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
42. Schedule 3, ESP Act: predation by the European red fox; dieback caused by the root rot fungus; predation by feral cats; competition and land degradation by feral rabbits and feral goats.
43. The incidental catch of seabirds during oceanic longline fishing operations, gazetted on 9 August 1995; written communication, Barbara Bennett, Endangered Species Unit, Australian Nature Conservation Agency (ANCA).
44. Personal communication, David Meagher, FFG section, Victorian Department of Conservation and Natural Resources.
45. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
46. processes, which were: alteration to the natural flow and temperature regimes of, and the increases in sediment input into, rivers and streams; introduction of exotic organisms into marine waters; introduction of live fish into waters outside their natural range; loss of hollow-bearing trees in native forests; predation of native wildlife by the introduced red fox; removal of wood debris from streams; soil and vegetation disturbances caused by cattle grazing in alpine regions and by marble mining; use of lead shot in cartridges for the hunting of waterfowl; use of phytophthora-wSecXd gravel on construction of roads, bridges and reservoirs. Other processes listed since October 1994 include the collection of native orchids, the input of toxic substances into rivers and streams and the prevention of the passage of aquatic biota as a result of instream structures.
47. Section 3(1), FFG Act.
48. Section 18(1), ESP Act.
49. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
50. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
51. Section 10, FFG Act.
52. Section 17(1), TSC Act.
53. Section 135, TSC Act.
54. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
55. Graham Wilson, NPWS (NSW), NSW Young Lawyers Threatened Species seminar, Taronga Zoo (19 May 1996).
56. Glowka et al (eds), A Guide to the Convention on Biological Diversity, Environmental Policy & Law Paper No (UCN, 1994), p 50.
57. The Hon Ernie Page, New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Hansard, 12 December 1995, p 4725.
58. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
59. The Hot Pam Allan, New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Hansard, 13 December 1995, p 4875.
60. Section 34, Interpretation Act 1987 (NSW).
61. Jarasius v Forestry Commission (1987) 71 LGRA 79 at 96.
62. Section 23(3)(b), ESP Act.
63. The Hon Richard Jones MLC, New South Wales, Legislative Council, Hansard, 15 December 1995, p 5102.
64. Liz Dovey, ANCA, personal communication.
65. Nominations by the Humane Society International for listings in the ESP Act.
66. Section 91(3), TSC Act.
67. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
68. Section 17(1), TSC Act.
69. Cogger, Cameron, Sadler and Eggler, "Action Plan for Australian Reptiles, " Endangered Species Program Project No 124 (Australian Nature Conservation Agency), p 156.
70. Sivertsen, "Habitat loss-its nature and effects (including case studies from New South Wales)" in Bradstock, Auld, Keith, Kingsford, Lunney, Sivertsen (eds), Conserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, July 1995), p 30.
71. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
72. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
73. S Phillips, "Conserving the herpetofauna of Queensland-a look at the Nature Conservation Act 1992" in Lunney and Ayers (eds), Herpetology in Australia-A diverse discipline (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, 1993), p 380.
74. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
75. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
76. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
77. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
78. Shine, Webb, Fitzgerald and Sumner, "An ecological survey of the Broad-headed Snake-Hoplocephalus bungaroides (Serpentes: Elapidae), " Final Report to Endangered Species Unit, ANCA and Threatened Species Unit, NSW NPWS (May 1995).
79. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
80. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
81. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
82. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
83. Regulation 9(1)(h), National Parks and Wildlife Regulation, No 394 of 1995, pursuant to s 155(2)(i), NPW Act.
84. Personal communication, John Philicamo, DLWC, Blacktown office, licensing division.
85. Garry Daly, personal communication.
86. Jonathan Webb, personal communication.
87. Central Queensland Speleological Society v Central Queensland Cement Pty Ltd (No 1) [1989] 2 Qd R 512.
88. J McDonald and R Buckley, "The Taking Offence and Lawful Activity Defence under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld): When is Habitat Disturbance a Taking?" (1993) EPLJ
89. Hawkesbury LEP, cl 35.
90. Blue Mountains LEP, cl 16.
91. Jonathan Howard, Acting Bushland Management Officer, Ku-ring-gai Council, "Ku-ring-gai Municipal Council's Experiences in Threatened Species Protection" in G Mather (ed), Conserving Threatened Species: The Local Government Role (NTSN, 1993), p 31.
92. Personal communication, Ken Murray.
93. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
94. Daly and Murphy, Fauna Audit, Select lands: Lower Shoal haven Catchment Shoalhaven City (March 1996), pp 14-15, 25-26, 48.
95. Garry Daly, personal communication.
96. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
97. Section 26(el), EP&A Act, inserted by para [81, Sched 5, TSC Act.
98. Section 26(a), EP&A Act.
99. Clause 2, SEPP 46.
100. Clause 8(d), SEPP 46.
101. Clause 2(2)(c).
102. Clause 2(2)(d).
103. Clause 2(2)(f).
104. Clause 2(2)(h).
105. Schedule 1.
106. Clause 6(1).
107. Clause 6(3).
108. Clause 4(3).
109. Clause 6(4).
110. Clause 7(2).
111. The Hon J F Ryan, New South Wales, Legislative Council, Hansard, 15 December 1995, p 5110.
112. Part 5, Div 2, TSC Act and comments of Graham Wilson, Threatened Species Unit, Head Office NPWS, NSW Young Lawyers Threatened Species seminar, Taronga Zoo (19 May 1996).
113. Section 36, ESP Act, adopted by s 74(2), TSC Act.
114. Section 77, TSC Act, "Contents of threat abatement plans. "
115. Section 75, TSC Act.
116. Section 78(1), TSC Act.
117. Section 78(2), TSC Act.
118. Section 79(1), TSC Act.
119. Section 80, TSC Act.
120. Section 81, TSC Act.
121. Section 82, TSC Act.
122. Section 83, TSC Act.
123. Section 84, TSC Act.
124. A draft TAP has been prepared for the threat of fox predation (personal communication, Graeme Lansdowne, Endangered Species Unit, ANCA); a workshop has been held regarding the threat of feral cat predaüon ("Feral Cats-A National Approach: Towards a Threat Abatement Plan"; proceedings of a workshop held by ANCA on 29-30 March 1994) and a strategy document prepared for the Tasmanian government on bycatch in longline fishing is being used to set the agenda for forums to discuss a TAP (personal communication, Jason Ferris, consultant, Wildlife and Marine Management Unit, ANCA).
125. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
126. Section 75(2), TSC Act.
127. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
128. Section 86(1), TSC Act.
129. Section 86(1), TSC Act.
130. Section 86(2), TSC Act.
131. Schedule 5, para [19], TSC Act.
132. Section 19(1), FFG Act.
133. Felicity Fans, National Threatened Species Network (NTSN) Victoria, personal communication.
134. Undated document, provided by Rosemary Ackroyd, Flora and Fauna Guarantee (FFG) Unit, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria.
135. Section 19(2), FFG Act.
136. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
137. Section 23, FFG Act.
138. Section 25, FFG Act.
139. Personal communication, David Meagher, FFG Unit, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria.
140. "Action Statement No 44, " "Predation of Native Wildlife by the Introduced Red Fox, Vulnes vulnes", FFG Unit, Department of Conservation and Environment, Victoria (February 1993).
141. "Action Statement No 32, " "The Use of Lead Shot in Cartridges for Hunting Waterfowl', FFG Unit, Department of Conservation and Environment, Victoria (June 1992).
142. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
143. Personal communication, Rosemary Ackroyd, FFG Unit, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria
144. Personal communication, David Meagher, FFG Unit, Department of Conservation and Natural Resources, Victoria.
145. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
146. Personal communication, Jason Ferris, consultant, ANCA.
147. Pemberton, Brothers and Gales, "A Strategy for Co-operative mechanisms for the Conservation of Albatrosses", Draft, for ANCA Endangered Species Program, Project No 425 (1994).
148. Personal communication, Jason Ferris.
149. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
150. Section 121, TSC Act.
151. Section 126, TSC Act.
152. Section 123(2), TSC Act.
153. Section 86(2), TSC Act.
154. Section 69b, NPW Act.
155. Sections 69u, 691:, NPW Act.
156. Section 69c(3), NPW Act.
157. Section 69c(l)(c2), NPW Act, inserted by para [38[, Sched 4, TSC Act.
158. The Hon J Ryan, the Hon D Moppctt and Reverend the Hon Fred Nile spoke in favour of compensation; the Hon Jeff Shaw and the Hon Richard Jones opposed compensation, New South Wales, Legislative Council, Hansard, 15 December 1995, pp 5104-5106.
159. D Farrier, "Policy instruments for conserving biodiversity on private land" in Bradstock, Auld, Keith, Kingsford, Lunney, Sivertsen (eds), Conserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, July 1995), p 352.
160. Principle 15, Rio Declaration on Environment and Development, 3-14 June 1992.
161. IGAE, cl 3.5.1, 1992.
162. It has been argued that because the Convention on Biological Diversity does not contain a federal clause, the Commonwealth could have implemented the Convention fully through Commonwealth legislation, under the external affairs power.
163. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
164. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
165. Section 3, TSC Act.
166. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
167. NSW Government, Towards an integrated Land Use, Planning and Natural Resources approvals policy for New South Wales (May 1996).
168. R Buckley, "How well does the El A process protect biodiversity?" in Bradstock, Auld, Keith, Kingsford, Lunney, Sivertsen (eds), Conserving Biodiversity: Threats and Solutions (Surrey Beatty & Sons Pty Ltd, July 1995), p 368.
169. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
170. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
171. Associated Picture Houses Ltd v Wednesbury Corp [1848] 1 KB 223.
172. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
173. J Prest, "Licensed to Kill: Endangered Fauna Licensing under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW) between 1991-5" (ACEL, ANU).
174. (1993) 81 LG ERA 270, per Stein J.
175. Minister for Aboriginal Affairs v Peko Wallsend Ltd (1986)
176. CLR 24.
177. (1993) 81 LGERA 270 at 282.
178. (1994) 84 LGERA 397.
179. (1995) 86 LGERA 143.
180. Nicholls v Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife Service (1994) 84 LGERA 397 at 418, per Talbot J.
181. Greenpeace vRedbank Power Co(1995) 86 LGERA 143 at 154, per Pearlman J.
182. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
183. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
184. Section 112k(f), EP&A Act, inserted by para [26], Sched 5, TSC Act.
185. Section 77c(g), EP&A Act, inserted by para [14], Sched 5, TSC Act.
186. Section 112D(g), EP&A Act, inserted by para [26], Sched 5, TSC Act.
187. Section 97(1)(e), TSC Act.
188. Anonymous witness, personal communication.
189. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
190. Personal communication, Jonathan Webb, PhD student, The ecology of the Broad-headed snake (University of Sydney).
191. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
192. N Hermes, Australia's Endangered Wildlife (1990), p 175.
193. See B Elling, "Research on SEA in Denmark" in S Morel, R Verheem and N Lee (eds), EIA Methodology and Research: Third EU Workshop on EIA, Delphi 1994 (European Commission, 1994), p 61.
194. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.
195. Allan. New South Wales, Legislative Assembly, Hansard
196. December 1995, p 4875.
197. Houseof Lords' test enunciated in Newbury DC v Secretary of State for the Environment [1981] AC 578. In NSW, see, eg, Greenpeace v Redbank Power Co (1995) 86 LGERA
198. at 156, per Pearlman J.
199. See R Costanza and L Cornwell, "The 4P Approach to Dealing with Scientific Uncertainty" (1992) 14 Environment 12.