Alex,
Thanks for forwarding this. I am going to respond because I feel strongly that Greg Hunt seems to misunderstand.
The fact that he stood against certain developments is far from the point. Birdwatchers are a broad demographic and don’t necessarily object to everything. Some may even support the marina development. People don’t want politicians who are lobbyists.
The point is, how does Greg justify calling Orange-bellied Parrot an ‘imaginary’ parrot on national television when his own liberal government brought in the very legislation (EPBC Act) that creates recovery plans for these species? If a recovery plan exists and recently historic habitat is present, does this not represent a place for potential recovery? How can Greg Hunt say that OBP which is not extinct (yet) is an ‘imaginary’ parrot?
That is one issue. There are others … as clearly set out in my article. It would help a great deal if our politicians understood why it is important to identify critical habitat using indicators such as OBP.
These are complex problems that require complex solutions and OBP is only one part of the legislative framework. Greg Hunt appears to believe that the protected species aspects are an insignificant part. If our politicians believe this, then where does it end? The majority of Australian avifauna and mammals are heading for extinction, so is Greg suggesting that because they have not been seen ‘for a while’ in a given place, we should just assume they will never recover?
In my opinion, this means Greg Hunt doesn’t understand his own legislation very well. He may understand how he wants it to work but he may not understand some of the key principles under which the legislation has been developed by his own government. After all, we would not have any Federal EPBC Act if his government didn’t believe in the importance of international law* Does Greg’s position suggest that it was convenient for the Howard government to exercise this power based on constitutional right but inconvenient to his current shadow portfolio, to have to implement such international agreements?
Given that Greg Hunt is the Shadow Environment Minister, his position would have to be tenable to represent us in international environmental affairs in future.
Regards,
Simon.
*Note, the EPBC Act was only possible due to external affairs provisions of the Australian constitution.
> From: rand0053@uni.flinders.edu.au > To: simonmustoe@hotmail.com > Subject: RE: [Birding-Aus] Politicians, media and developers beat-up Orange-bellied Parrots > Date: Sun, 12 Feb 2012 03:37:36 +0000 > > Hi Simon, > > I sent an email to Greg Hunt after reading the Bird-O article and he replied this morning. I don’t know enough about the area to fight back. Is what he says valid do you think? > > Hi Alex, > > > Many thanks for the message. > > > The points are appreciated but people come from all different positions. > > > I agree on fact based arguments. > > > That is precisely why I have stood for protection of numerous areas. > > > However, in an existing industrial zone which has not seen the bird in question for 25 years, that is precisely why I am concerned with facts. > > > In crib point, pt Nepean and Phillip Island where there have been legitimate issues I have clearly stood against development. > > > It is actually about the facts as you say and in this case a 25 year fact base is pretty powerful. > > > Cheers, > > > Greg > > Sent from my iPad > > On 11/02/2012, at 8:01 PM, “alex randell and chris hall”
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Bird-o says this season has been disaster for OBPs with their population dropping 40%. But the OBP people seem to be saying there has been no change in the number of Melaleuca adults from last year.
Bird-o says 21 OBPs left in wild, the OBP people seems to be saying 40-ish – at least 31 at Melaleuca plus maybe some elsewhere.
Bird-o sprays journalists for inaccuracy and use of secondary sources but seems itself to ignore what the OBP people are saying.
Looking at estimated OBP survival rates I think you would expect only ~15 adults to have made it back to Melaleuca this year, so 21 looks like a good result. And if you assume some of the 21 juveniles captured last year would have made it back as adults, there might have been a decent % increase in Melaleuca adults except for the captive breeding intake. On the ABC Mark Holdsworth talks about the drought hurting OBPs – so maybe this reflects wetter La Nina conditions. Of course the number of OBPs leaving Melaleuca this year is the next big question.
Also as an aside I think you might have Saltmarsh Sparrow range confused – only the occasional wintering bird makes it to Louisiana.
Incidentally the media pieces didn’t look that bad to me. Sid Maher’s piece had an unsympathetic slant but much better than some of the rabid anti-science found in the Australian. Ten News isn’t Four Corners, but they showed a few interviews and many viewers would have found the young researcher from Healesville more convincing than Greg Hunt’s abysmal sound bite.
Andrew
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Andrew,
Point taken. You are absolutely right, no-one can ever be absolutely certain of the population of any bird. Not entirely sure how much the difference between 21 & 35 exaggerated the plight though – can do you really think that’s an excuse for what the media and politicians are doing? Perhaps I am missing something.
Regards,
Simon.
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Simon Mustoe Tel: +61 (0) 405220830 | Skype simonmustoe | Email simonmustoe@ecology-solutions.com.au
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Bird-o could lead by example here, it still says:
“In the week when researchers announce the world population of Orange-bellied Parrots (OBPs) has dropped from just 35 to 21 birds”
As I pointed out in a previous email, this isn’t true the researchers say the Melaaleuca population has been stable for 3 seasons and there are 21 adults at Melaleuca now, the same as last season.
Last season the OBP people captured 21 Melaleuca juveniles for the captive breeding program. They think 2 juveniles were taken by predators and only 4 Melaleuca juveniles were left to migrate north.
So 21 coming back seems reasonably good news and without the intake to the captive breeding program, surely there would have been a small increase in OBP adults at Melaleuca this year.
As far as global population goes, the OBP people seem to say there are currently 30ish OBPs (adults+juveniles) at Melaleuca plus hopefully a few more elsewhere.
I’m happy to be corrected here but that my reading of the various bits and pieces from the OBP people.
Even if there are 50 OBPs in the wild, they are obviously in desperate trouble with extinction in the wild possible in a few years. There is no need to exaggerate their plight.
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Hi,
This is a slightly better response than the last but it still doesn’t help anyone understand the situation. Let’s reflect on another significant Commonwealth issue regarding a near-extinct parrot that is happening right now.
Greg Hunt says the reason why the decision is strange is that “there has been no activity for over a quarter of a century and an operating harbour has been in place for the last 10 years”
This week, conditional approval was given to Fortescue Mining to operate in an area where there has been the only recent sighting of Night Parrot. The original confirmed report from the site is now years old and consultants have since had no success refinding birds (http://bird-o.com/2011/05/09/a-shot-in-the-dark-night-parrot-evidence-at-a-proposed-mine-site/). So because time has passed, does this now mean the habitat is insignificant?
Greg Hunt seems to be suggesting that this might be a reason to ignore the existence of habitat and protect it – but hasn’t explained why he believes 25 years is relevant. I would like to know from him, and those who regulate environmental protection in Australia:
Q. How many years after an extant (not imaginary) species occurs in an area, do we assume it no longer exists and for the purpose of that species’ survival, render the habitat disposable?
I am also confused by Greg Hunt’s statement that this has been “an operating harbour in place for the last 10 years”. What is this implying? Is it suggesting that an operating harbour cannot be habitat for a rare bird? I may be assuming too much but if this is what Greg is implying, why do people think that just because a bird is rare, it can’t occur as part of the human landscape? After all, for decades, Orange-bellied Parrots have largely over-wintered in Melbourne’s largest active sewage treatment plant. A few years ago, they were even seen “just outside Geelong Grammar school” (http://bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au/birding-aus/2003-05/msg00377.html).
There are too many misconceptions and untruths being told about Orange-bellied Parrots and too many opinion-leaders in the media and politics prepared to beat up OBPs so they can appear authoritative. In this case, Greg Hunt has over-stepped the mark. I don’t doubt that he takes these things seriously but he has demonstrated a certain lack of understanding and allowed himself to become a mouth-piece for others who would rather be allowed to develop anywhere, with minimal or no environmental requirements.
This is not about OBP, this is about Australia’s ability to create ENVIRONMENTAL OUTCOMES for development that allow economic progress whilst also preserving important ecological function (which ultimately protects species … and not the other way around).
Greg Hunt has some explaining to do because these responses of his have not yet proved that he cares about the future of this and other Australian wildlife.
Regards,
Simon.
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Simon Mustoe Tel: +61 (0) 405220830 | Skype simonmustoe | Email simonmustoe@ecology-solutions.com.au
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Hi All,
See below a response Greg Hunt sent to me regarding comments made about the OBP.
Cheers,
Nathan
“Hi Nathan,****
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I respect your views.****
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My concern is to protect against real and current environmental threats. Where however the law is used for something speculative and with no fact base it genuinely undermines confidence in the process.****
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My goal is to offer genuine protection, but where there has been no activity for over a quarter of a century and an operating harbour has been in place for the last 10 years the ruling has no connection to reality.****
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In that sense it was perhaps the strangest EPBC ruling I have ever seen.****
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So I have been genuinely concerned about whale and dolphin populations, existing bird populations and of course turtle and dugong protection.****
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It is just that this case I think genuinely undermines the law given that it has no connection to any actual animal population.****
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I hope that this helps,****
** **
greg
Hi Greg,
I would just like to point out that i am disapointed in your short sighted view of the proposed marina development at Western Port in Victoria.
To imply that because an OBP hadn’t been seen at a site for 25 years being a reason to dismiss it all together is short sighted. Furthermore to make comments such as “imaginary parrot” does nothing positive for peoples understanding of the issues at hand.
Regards,
Nathan Waugh
“****
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