The National Irrigators’ Council today welcomed a return of common sense and common decency with the disallowance of two sneaky critically endangered listings.
NIC CEO, Tom Chesson said the decision to list as ‘critically endangered’ the ‘River Murray and associated wetlands, floodplains and groundwater systems, from the junction of the Darling River to the sea’ and the ‘Wetlands and inner floodplains of the Macquarie Marshes’ was not warranted on environmental, social or economic grounds.
“We welcome and thank the Coalition for disallowing these listings and in particular National’s Member Mark Coulton and the Liberal Member Tony Pasin who moved the disallowance motions.
“Communities who were directly affected by these listings had not been consulted.”
Mr Chesson said it was imperative that communities have a say in their future. It was always unacceptable that a big multi – national animals rights organisation had more say that locals.
“Locals have much to offer in terms of local knowledge, passion and good old fashioned common – sense. Without support from local communities and landholders, environmental policies dictated by centralised bureaucracies and dreamed up by a big multinational US based animal rights lobby group will not work and will only breed resentment.
“We hope that today’s disallowance sends a strong message that locals want to be in charge of our own destiny and our local communities should never be taken for granted.”
Mr Chesson said the environment is not going to be worse off as a result of the disallowance.
“There are thousands of pages of federal, state and local government codes, rules and regulations; assorted legislative instruments; international treaties and other assorted acts of parliament, which cover environmental approvals and natural resource management right across the Murray Darling Basin, including the $12 billion Basin Plan, ” he said.
“Unfortunately too many politicians, bureaucrats and big environmental lobby groups mistake increasing green – tape and regulations for good environmental outcomes,” he said.
Mr Chesson said we note that the Labor Party did not seek a vote on the disallowance and thank them for this.
Media Contact : Tom Chesson 0418 415597