Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 - section 269A - Adoption of State Plans as Recovery Plans (22/12/2006)

EXPLANATORY STATEMENT

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Instrument under section 269A(7)

(Issued under the Authority of the Minister for the Environment and Heritage)

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (the Act) places certain obligations on the Commonwealth to protect and conserve threatened species and ecological communities, and to ensure recovery plans are in force under the Act.

The purpose of this instrument is to ensure the following recovery plans prepared by the Victorian government (or agency) is in force in accordance with s269A of the Act:

Prepared by Victoria recommended for Adoption by the Minister:

1.       Acacia caerulescens (Limestone Blue Wattle)
2.       Babingtonia crenulata (Fern-leaf Baeckea)
3.       Boronia galbraithiae (Aniseed Boronia)
4.       Callistemon kenmorrisonii (Betka Bottlebrush)
5.       Carex paupera (Dwarf Sedge)
6.       Cassinia rugata (Wrinkled Cassinia)
7.       Daviesia laevis (Grampians Bitter-pea)
8.       Deyeuxia pungens (Narrow-leaf Bent-grass)
9.       Epilobium brunnescens subsp. beaugleholei (Bog Willow-herb)
10.   Eucalyptus alligatrix subsp. limaensis (Lima Stringybark)
11.   Eucalyptus cadens (Warby Range Swamp-gum)
12.   Eucalyptus crenulata (Buxton Gum)
13.   Eucalyptus strzeleckii (Strzelecki Gum)
14.   Euphrasia collina subsp. muelleri (Purple Eyebright)
15.   Euphrasia crassiuscula subsp. glandulifera (Thick Eyebright)
16.   Euphrasia eichleri (Bogong Eyebright)
17.   Grevillea bedggoodiana (Enfield Grevillea)
18.   Grevillea celata (Colquhoun Grevillea)
19.   Grevillea floripendula (Ben Major Grevillea)
20.   Grevillea infecunda (Anglesea Grevillea)
21.   Grevillea montis-cole subsp. brevistyla (Langi Ghiran Grevillea)
22.   Hibbertia humifusa subsp. debilis (Dergholm Guinea-flower)
23.   Hibbertia humifusa subsp. erigens (Euroa Guinea-flower)
24.   Kelleria laxa (Kelleria)
25.   Leptorhynchos gatesii (Wrinkled Buttons) (Leiocarpa gatesii)
26.   Pratia gelida (Snow Pratia) (Lobelia gelida)
27.   Myriophyllum porcatum (Ridged Water-milfoil)
28.   Nematolepis frondosa (Leafy Nematolepis)
29.   Nematolepis squamea subsp. coriacea (Harsh Nematolepis)
30.   Nematolepis wilsonii (Shiny Nematolepis)
31.   Olearia astroloba (Marble Daisy-bush)
32.   Pimelea pagophila (Grampians Rice-flower)
33.   Pimelea spinescens subsp. spinescens (Spiny Rice-flower)
34.   Poa sallacustris (Salt-lake Tussock-grass)
35.   Pomaderris subplicata (Concave Pomaderris)
36.   Prostanthera galbraithiae (Wellington Mint-bush)
37.   Pultenaea williamsoniana (Williamson's Bush Pea)
38.   Spyridium sp. Little Desert (Forked Spyridium)
39.   Trichanthodium baracchianum (Dwarf Yellow Heads)
40.   Westringia cremnophila (Snowy River Westringia)

The adopted plans have been assessed and comply with section 270 of the Act and regulation 7.11 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000.

Before the Minister may adopt a recovery plan under subsection 269A(7) of the Act, subsection 277(1) of the Act requires that the Minister is satisfied that an appropriate level of consultation has been undertaken in making the plan, and the plan meets the requirements of section 270 of the Act.  In addition, subsection 277(2) requires that the Minister obtain and consider advice from the Scientific Committee on the content of the plan.

The adopted plans provide for the research and management actions necessary to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, the listed threatened species so that their chances of long-term survival in nature are maximised.  The adopted plans were placed on public exhibition, as required under paragraph 277(1)(a) of the Act, and comments were invited from the public.  All comments were taken into account in finalising the adopted plans.

The information in the adopted plans enabled the Threatened Species Scientific Committee to recommend the adoption of these plans as required under section 274 of the Act.

The adopted plans are available from the Australian Government Department of the Environment and Heritage www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/threatened/recovery/index.html or from the Community Information Unit, Department of the Environment and Heritage, GPO Box 787, Canberra ACT 2601 or by phoning on 1800 803 772.  Further information about the Department can be found at www.deh.gov.au

The instrument adopting the Recovery Plans is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.

For the purposes of subsection 12(2) of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003, the rights and liabilities of a person other than the Commonwealth have not been adversely affected by the retrospective commencement of the Plans.