These two Amendment Regulations (LLS Amendment (Critically Endangered Ecological Communities) Regulation 2019 & LLS Amendment (Allowable Activities) Regulation 2019) make changes to the Framework that was established by Part 5A of the LLS Act. EDO NSW has ongoing concerns regarding the implementation of the Framework and its ability to ensure the proper management of natural resources consistent with the principles of ecologically sustainable development.
In our view, the Allowable Activities Regulation will further weaken already lax land clearing laws, contribute further to substantial increases in land clearing rates, and put native vegetation and wildlife at risk.
We recommend that the Allowable Activities Regulation be disallowed.
With respect to the CEEC Regulation, we submit that this needs to be considered in the broader context of the recent listing of Monaro Tableland Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland in the South Eastern Highlands Bioregion and Werriwa Tablelands Cool Temperate Grassy Woodland in the South Eastern Highlands and South East Corner Bioregions as critically endangered ecological communities in NSW, and also changes made by the Land Management (Native Vegetation) Code Amendment (Monaro and Werriwa Grassy Woodland Critically Endangered Ecological Communities) 2019.
