MEDIA RELEASE

22 June 2004

Budget Abandons Nature Conservation

Protection of the environment is rapidly falling off the Carr Government agenda with NSW Budget initiatives on the environment looking increasingly like that of a Coalition Government.

"Government is still pressing ahead with its National Party inspired plan to sell-off over 1 million hectares of Crown leasehold land managed by Department of Lands. Most of these leases protect critical remnants of native vegetation," said Andrew Cox, National Parks Association of NSW Executive Officer.

"If the plan isn't halted, Carr Government's environmental reputation would sink to rock-bottom."

"As pressures on the environment grow, the budget of the Department of Environment and Conservation (DEC) has been reduced by $30 million."

"Spending on national park management is effectively frozen and over 300 staff will be cut from all areas. Public programs for community education and public information are being wound back. The National Parks Visitor Centre in the Rocks and the National Parks library at Hurstville are to be closed."

"If the Government wants to invest in our health, it needs to invest in our environment."

"The challenges are huge, with more funds needed for land acquisition, threatened species management and weed and feral animal control programs."

"Last week the Auditor-General released a performance audit into DEC highlighting the lack of national park plans of management, the need for an increasing emphasis on research and poor monitoring of its activities."

"We can't expect more plans of management while DEC planning staff are being retrenched. Two thirds of parks are without plans, some after more than 30 years!"

Contact: Andrew Cox (02) 9299 0000; 0438 588 040

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