The Australian Government has demonstrated its continued commitment to the environment with the announcement today of $36 million over four years to conserve Australia's biodiversity hotspots.
I congratulate Senator Meg Lees for proposing this environmental conservation program to me and for playing an active role in the development of the proposal.
The three-year hotspots programme, commencing in 2004-05, will protect and conserve Australia's biodiversity hotspots - areas which are rich in animal and plant species and where habitats are under immediate threat.
Through land acquisition for conservation and national biodiversity stewardship this programme will apply a range of innovative incentives for conservation on private land to conserve and protect native vegetation and endangered species.
South Australia's Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges will be the first 'hotspot' to benefit from the programme.
The Eastern Mount Lofty Ranges supports the largest remnants of woodland vegetation communities in South Australia and is a vital refuge for many species of birds.
$1.5 million is committed through this programme to conserve remaining vegetation and protect nationally listed birds, such as the critically endangered South Australian population of the Glossy Black Cockatoo.
Today's announcement builds on the Government's existing support for biodiversity hotspots. Last year the Government delivered on its election commitment in A Better Environment by announcing it had identified 15 domestic biodiversity hotspot regions and that action to conserve those hotspot regions would be supported through the Natural Heritage Trust. The $36 million committed today provides additional resources to protect Australia's biodiversity hotspots.
This domestic initiative complements the $10 million Regional Natural Heritage Programme which aims to help protect internationally recognised hotspots in the South East Asia and Pacific regions.
The programme also complements the $3 billion Natural Heritage Trust and the $1.4 billion National Action Plan for Salinity and Water Quality programmes and will draw on the regional processes already in place and the views and expertise of regional groups.
My Government is committed to biodiversity conservation and these programmes reaffirm our domestic and international leadership in driving and investing in real gains for the environment.