Dear editor,
The Investigations Unit at the Australian Conservation Foundation has noticed huge amounts of clearing in the Cobar peneplain in the last few years, including at Jillian Prince’s property in Lachlan Downs (as reported in The Cobar Weekly on 18 March).
We called Jillian after we spotted clearing of more than 5,000 acres of bush and could see some big old trees were felled.
We were worried about the impact on the endangered pink cockatoo.
Clearing large areas of bush with big old eucalypts and cypress pines, especially near water, can significantly impact the pink cockatoo.
The pink cockatoo has been protected under national environmental law (the EPBC Act) since March 2023.
Clearing that significantly impacts the pink cockatoo is illegal without approval from the federal government.
It is illegal even if the farmer has permits from the Local Land Service (LLS) and local council.
When we call farmers in NSW about clearing like Jillian’s, most of the time they say: “I have never heard of the EPBC Act”, “the LLS told me it would be alright” and “I thought the state approval was enough.”
How can we expect well-meaning farmers to do the right thing when the LLS and NSW Farmers are giving them a bum steer?
Misunderstanding how the law applies will not protect farmers from federal compliance action, like orders to remediate.
The current state of play is a lose-lose for everyone, including the pink cockatoos.
This is why last week we were in Canberra pushing the federal government to do more to proactively educate farmers, farming peak bodies and state government agencies on national environmental law.
My advice to Cobar farmers: be careful who you get your advice from.
Before you clear, pick up the phone and talk directly to the federal Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water.
Annica Schoo, Lead Environmental Investigator, Australian Conservation Foundation
