A National Dugong & Turtle Protection Plan is on the agenda in Parliament this week.
Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch and Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage Greg Hunt launched a push to establish a National Dugong & Turtle Protection Plan in Parliament last night.
The duo called for bipartisan support to save the majestic creatures from unnecessary slaughter.
Mr Hunt and Mr Entsch were also backed by fellow Coalition Members who joined the chorus calling on the Government to act before the marine creatures become extinct.
“It is estimated that over 2,000 of these beautiful creatures (dugongs) are being killed each year in Queensland waters alone. They are already starting to face extinction,
“In Mauritius, in Taiwan, in many of the straits of Indonesia and in many other parts of the world, the dugong has already suffered local extinction. It is going to happen in this area unless something is done at the national level, because the threats and the challenges to these magnificent species mean that we may have another Tasmanian Tiger on our hands,” Warren Entsch said in the House of Representatives Chamber during the Adjournment Debate.
Shadow Minister for Environment Greg Hunt also pushed for the need to work with traditional owners to get the best result.
“Today in parliament I want to launch the push for a National Dugong and Turtle Protection Plan. I want to deal with three elements in this. The first is the threat. We heard on 7 October in Abu Dhabi at the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals that the dugong is facing extinction globally within the next 40 years,
“The threat and challenge around the world is that these magnificent, iconic species will not be available and will not be part of the world to be inherited by our grandchildren,” Mr Hunt said.
Both Greg Hunt and Warren Entsch thanked local campaigner Colin Riddell and local Traditional Owner James Epong for backing the protection plan, along with Wildlife Warrior Bob Irwin and Broadcaster Derryn Hinch.
