EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Instrument under section 184(1)
(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 recognise, and where possible, abate key threatening processes listed on the list of threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening processes under the Act.
The purpose of this instrument is to amend the list of threatened species under the Act in accordance with s184 by
- deleting Poephila cincta cincta (Black-throated Finch (Southern)) from the list of vulnerable species; and
- adding Poephila cincta cincta (Black-throated Finch (Southern)) to the list of endangered species; and
- adding Amytornis barbatus barbatus (Grey Grasswren (Bulloo)) to the list of vulnerable species
as recommended by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee (the Committee), having regard to the definition of endangered in s179(4) of the Act and vulnerable in s179(5) of the Act.
The Committee’s recommendations are as follows:
- Poephila cincta cincta (Black-throated Finch (Southern))
The evidence presented in the nomination and submitted by relevant experts enabled the Committee to judge that Poephila cincta cincta is eligible for listing as endangered under the Act. The species met the criteria in the Act and EPBC Regulations (Part 7, Division 7.1 and 7.2). In particular, one of the criteria for listing as endangered has been met. This is:
Criterion 1: It has undergone, is suspected to have undergone or is likely to undergo in the immediate future a very severe, severe or substantial reduction in numbers.
On this basis, the Committee recommends that the species be listed as endangered under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
On the basis of the advice of the Committee, I am satisfied that Poephila cincta cincta is eligible to be included in the endangered category.
In deciding to include this species in the list, I did not consider any matter that does not relate to the survival of this species.
2. Amytornis barbatus barbatus (Grey Grasswren (Bulloo))
The evidence presented in the nomination and submitted by experts enabled the Committee to judge that Amytornis barbatus barbatus (Grey Grasswren (Bulloo)) is eligible for listing as vulnerable under the Act. The species met the criteria in the Act and EPBC Regulations (Part 7, Division 7.1 and 7.2). In particular, one of the criteria for listing as vulnerable has been met. This is:
Criterion 2: Its geographic distribution is precarious for the survival of the species and is very restricted, restricted or limited.
On this basis, the Committee recommends that the species be listed as vulnerable under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
On the basis of the advice of the Committee, I am satisfied that Amytornis barbatus barbatus is eligible to be included in the vulnerable category.
In deciding to include this species in the list, I did not consider any matter that does not relate to the survival of this species.
This instrument is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislative Instruments Act 2003.
The instrument commenced on the day after it was registered on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.