SA budget cuts will cause species extinction

The Wilderness Society (SA Branch) Inc
Media Release
31 August 2006

	State Budget Action, Parliament House - August 2006. TJ Sutton

The Wilderness Society is shocked with suggestions that the SA State Government is about to slash the Environment Portfolio's funding when the Budget is handed down in September.

SA Campaign Coordinator, Peter Owen said "Current levels of funding for the delivery of critical land and sea biodiversity conservation programs are inadequate. Any further cuts to the Environment Budget will render such programs dysfunctional, resulting in habitat destruction and species extinction."

"South Australia has a tragic extinction record with about 63% of its mammals and 22% of its plants listed as threatened and on the edge of their existence. To put it bluntly, we are now on the brink of broad-scale ecological collapse".

"The Government's State Strategic Plan commits it to a sustainability objective, which includes "No Species Loss". A significant increase to the Environment Portfolio's budget is required to have any chance of delivering this objective".

"The 2006 Budget will be a true test of the Rann Government's commitment to the State Strategic Plan and the environment" said Mr Owen.