by Mat Churchill

A National Dugong and Turtle Protection Plan is on the agenda in Parliament this week with Federal Member for Leichhardt Warren Entsch and Shadow Minister for Climate Action, Environment and Heritage Greg Hunt launching the bid.


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 called 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," Mr Entsch said.

“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,” he said.

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.

Mr Entsch's environmental credentials are being bought into question by The Wilderness Society who say that at the same time he purports to protect a species, many more are under threat from his support of the Cape Alumina mine near the Wenlock River.

"Mr Entsch has been pushing for the Cape Alumina mine, which threatens many species including the critically endangered Spear-tooth Shark and Freshwater Sawfish due to the plan by Cape Alumina to dredge Port Musgrave," Wild Rivers campaigner Glenn Walker said.

"The Palm Cockatoo habitat and the endangered Red Goshawk habitat is threatened by clearing of forest by Cape Alumina mine."

Mr Entsch says sustainability has to come first. "If there's an impact on sustainability then we won't do it.

"I have no issue with absolute protection of a species, but it's about sustainable utilisation," he said.