Hills Shire Council: native wildlife protection motion rejected

A bold plan to minimise the impact development creep in Sydney’s lucrative Hills Shire has on native wildlife was rejected following fierce debate at the local council meeting.

Hills Shire Council chambers

Updated

A council has voted to reject a push for standards which protect native wildlife from the impact of development creep in Sydney’s leafy and highly sought after Hills Shire district.

At Tuesday’s Hills Shire Council meeting, Greens councillor Mila Kasby and Labor’s Ryan Tracey proposed that council lobby the state government to adopt standardised and enforceable fauna management plans for development sites.

They also called for the fauna management standards to be based on current animal welfare laws, in consultation with councils, national parks and wildlife rescue organisations.

Speaking at the meeting, Cr Kasby said the motion would allow council to lobby for standards to ensure native wildlife on development sites were given the best possible chance of survival.

“I’m a vet – my colleagues and I face the tragedy of injured fauna that come in, as a direct impact of land clearing,” Cr Kasby said.

“It’s an uphill battle trying to save injured wildlife and get them back to a state where they can survive if released – many are euthanised.

Cr Kasby spoke in support of the motion at the council meeting.

“It’s much better and more humane to have plans in place to prevent them from injury in the first place, it’s what we call a fence at the top of a cliff instead of an ambulance at the bottom.

“The motion is not asking to change the system … but let‘s push for standards to be set managing wildlife on these sites so that everyone is doing the right thing.”

Greens councillor Mila Kasby.

Labor councillor Ryan Tracey.

The Hills Shire’s Deputy Mayor Mark Hodges said while he was not against having standards, the motion was given to council on short notice and there already was a biodiversity act to protect fauna.

Cr Hodges also referred to a similar motion passed by Hornsby Shire Council which would instead put the issue up for a vote at the Local Government NSW (LGNSW) conference.

“It is the role of LGNSW to lobby on behalf of all councils,” Cr Hodges said.

In a statement, Hills Shire Mayor Dr Peter Gangemi said the council has reduced energy footprint through initiatives such as the 17 solar panel systems installed on council-owned buildings, upgrading more than 50 per cent of the Hills’ street light network and giving out four free plants to residents each year from the Bidjiwong Community Nursery.

“In addition to this, we recently installed an electric vehicle charging station at Waves Fitness and Aquatic Centre and we are in the process of installing more at our administration building in Norwest for public and staff use – a project I personally advocated for,” Mayor Gangemi said.

“I am proud that The Hills Shire Council has such a strong record in the environmental sector.

“I am a strong supporter of fauna management, and the need for relevant applicants to conduct Fauna Management Plans. I would like to hear from a range of industry groups and experienced consultants on how practices in this space can be improved.”

The motion was rejected along party lines, with the Labor and Green minority voting for it and all Liberal councillors voting against it.

After the vote, a woman in the audience said “shame on you” as she left council chambers.

Earlier – Council’s bold push to protect native wildlife

A bold plan to minimise the impact that the development creep has on native wildlife will be debated at Tuesday’s Hills Shire Council meeting.

Following Mirvac’s controversial razing of trees at the former IBM site in West Pennant Hills, Greens councillor Mila Kasby and Labor’s Ryan Tracey are concerned about the harm development could have on wildlife by accelerating habitat loss.

In their motion, the councillors note native vegetation clearing and permanent habitat loss are some of the greatest pressures threatened species currently face.

“In New South Wales, there are laws to protect native fauna. However, despite these laws, there are currently no consistent or enforceable standards for the preparation of fauna management plans for development sites,” council documents state.

“The main potential for impacts on animals is the removal or fragmentation of habitat through land disturbance, including clearing of vegetation.

“A standardised FMP will be of benefit as it would include consistent procedures for the management of fauna prior to, during and post-vegetation clearing and construction activities.”

The motion from Cr Kasby and Cr Tracey will be discussed at tonight’s council meeting.