Articles by Brisbane Ecologist, Melody Stoneham, regarding legislative protection of threatened species in Australia.
Following the assent of the Nature Conservation (Protected Plants) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2013 on the 29 October 2013, the new requirement for permits for clearing of threatened plants and the processes for assessment under the Nature Conservation Act 1992 have been clarified. The new process is discussed in this article.
Recently the Queensland Government made a decision to change the way that the State will deal with threatened plant management. These changes are due to commence in 2014 (subject to the Nature Conservation (Protected Plants) and other Legislation Amendment Bill 2013 being passed by parliament) and will mean that there are fewer permits and fewer instances in which permits are required to take, harvest or trade protected plants. This article will provide an overview of the review process undertaken by the Queensland Government in making this decision and the outcomes for the Protected Plants Framework.