Black cockatoo rescue renews fears for wildlife at Perth road project
|
Version 0 of 1. An endangered black cockatoo has been rescued from the side of a road near the construction site for the controversial Perth freight link project. Days after Western Australia’s environment minister, Albert Jacob, said he would defy state senators’ recommendation to suspend works pending an environmental all-clear, the black cockatoo was spotted in a distressed state by a woman driving to work. “I saw a mound of black feathers in the middle of the road and I swerved to miss it it,” Mandy Wilson said. “I pulled over and saw other cars were just driving over it. But as I ran up to it I realised it was alive, flapping on its stomach. “It was amazing to be up close with such a beautiful bird, but the circumstances are devastating.” The Senate’s environment and communications references committee on Monday tabled a report that said works should immediately cease until Jacob could confirm environmental conditions were being met on the part of the project known as Roe 8, which runs through the Beeliar Wetlands. Jacob refused. The discovery of the bird on North Lake Road follows reports that the project’s construction and fauna management plans were not being complied with; that endangered bandicoots were being killed by bulldozers; and that clearing of native vegetation was occurring outside of designated clearing areas. Wilson said that it was a “travesty” that Jacob did not intend to order a stop works so that potential dangers to other animals could be assessed. “These things need to be made public, the animals and bird life are losing their lives due to this project and land-clearing in breach of conditions placed on the project.” The bird was taken to Perth Zoo for treatment. Wilson said she had been told that the bird was still alive and would be put under anaesthetic so a proper assessment could be carried out by zoo staff. Guardian Australia asked the Zoo if it had seen an increase in endangered animals being brought in for treatment since land clearing for the road extension began, but was yet to receive a response. With the Western Australian election less than two days away, a political expert from Murdoch University, Ian Cook, said he did not think the alleged environmental breaches and concerns about wildlife associated with the Roe 8 extension were key issues for voters throughout Perth. “I think while the environmental issues to do with this part of the project are important to the local community, this issue is really a larger story in terms of the Liberal party and the premier Colin Barnett wanting to be seen as delivering on projects and getting things done,” Cook said. “I think there’s a sense that infrastructure needs to be provided. The Liberals have run this campaign of talking about the deficit, saying ‘yes we spent a lot on infrastructure projects but we need to do that to make economic progress’. Voters more broadly seem more concerned about the location of the infrastructure rather than any environmental damage being done from building it.” The latest of many protests against the Roe 8 extension will be held along the Sterling highway on Thursday evening. Western Australian Greens senator Scott Ludlam said recent polls indicated the way the project was being carried out was one of the top concerns for voters. He said the government had shown a “gross dereliction of its duty” in saying there was no justification for stopping project works. Jacob told Guardian Australia earlier this week that the highway extension was being constructed in accordance with the conditions of the environmental approval and management plans and that Environmental Protection Authority auditors were on site each day to monitor compliance. “All allegations have been examined, with no incidences of non-compliance found to date,” he said. |