OZschwitz: A useless green bank

Subject: OZschwitz: A useless green bank Fri Jan 08, 2010 6:26 pm

THE state's vaunted BioBanking Scheme is yet to generate a single ''biodiversity credit'', more than three years after it began.

The scheme - designed to allow developers to build in environmentally sensitive areas in exchange for preserving similar areas elsewhere - has cost $3.6 million and employs the equivalent of five full-time staff and 34 trained biobank assessors.

But so far no landholder interested in the scheme has generated a credit, according to data obtained by the NSW Opposition.

''No ecosystem credits have been generated to date,'' the former environment minister John Robertson said in response to questions on notice from the Liberal MP Michael Richardson.

''Thirty-five landholders have registered expressions of interest to create sites under the BioBanking Scheme. These landholders are in various stages of negotiations with either potential purchasers or the Department of Environment, Climate Change and Water.''

Mr Robertson said trades were expected in coming months.

Despite the scheme's slow start in NSW, a recent review of environmental protection commissioned by the federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett, recommended a national biobanking scheme.

The review by Allan Hawke, which was published just before Christmas, said laws should be amended to ''facilitate and promote the use of biobanking as part of project approvals'' and ''facilitate the operation of a national biobanking scheme''.

The NSW scheme began in 2006 with a two-year trial. The Environment Department says it would cut red tape and protect endangered species in some areas. Farmers could earn extra income by preserving parcels of land to generate ''species credits'' or ''ecosystem credits''.

But environment groups and some developers criticised the scheme for changing development constraints.

Mr Richardson said it was costing millions of dollars for no benefit. ''If the Government had honoured its 2006 commitment to set up a parliamentary committee to oversee a trial, biobanking would have been up and running by now,'' he said.

''Instead the Government has spent $3.6 million for five staff to shuffle paper around desks and exchange emails for three years.''

He said the BioBanking Trust Fund, intended to hold money for the purchase of BioBanking sites, fell 17.6 per cent last year.

The property industry initially supported the proposal, saying it would do more to protect threatened species than existing laws and free up land for housing around Sydney and Newcastle.

But many developers were cautious, and the Property Council of Australia withdrew its support for a time because of concerns that developers would be forced to take part. It was placated by the removal of a clause that had given power to the environment minister to compel companies to do so.

Green groups described the scheme as a ''pay to kill'' policy that would allow sensitive areas to be bulldozed.

LNK

OZschwitz: A useless green bank

OZschwitz: A useless green bank

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