Pastoral Land Management and Conservation (Use of Pastoral Land) Amendment Bill – Second Reading speech

Thursday 14 September 2023 – Thursday 28 September 2023 

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (17:28): I rise to speak on the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation (Use of Pastoral Land) Amendment Bill 2023. My electorate of Gibson has an interesting pastoral history, and this bill will allow carbon to be returned to our land and conservation to continue alongside pastoralism. 

Oaklands Estate in my electorate was part of an extensive pastoral property founded by Samuel Kearne in 1844. Here we now have the beautiful Oaklands Wetland and reserve, where my dog Freya likes to go for a walk; Oaklands Estate Reserve, where I like to parkrun on most Saturdays; and the Warradale Army Barracks. These barracks were formerly the estate farm and were acquired as the site of an Army camp during both world wars. They were acquired for their present use in 1945. 

The current reserve contains remnant plantings from the original homestead, and there are very significant native river red gums. It is still possible to see where the Kaurna people stripped bark from some trees in the reserve and the Army barracks to make coolamons, basin-shaped wooden dishes. There are also the vines nearby, operated by Patritti Wines, who have their winery and cellar door in my electorate. These wines are a reminder that for over a century the main industry of our area was wine and table grape production. 

This bill confirms that conservation and carbon farming are permissible on pastoral leases. A pastoral lease allows the occupation and use of Crown land for grazing or raising livestock, known as pastoralism. There are 323 pastoral leases that cover of 40 per cent of South Australia. I seek leave to continue my remarks. 

Leave granted; debate adjourned. 

S.E. ANDREWS (Gibson) (16:37): I rise to continue my remarks. This bill confirms the Pastoral Board's ability to approve a range of uses of pastoral leases, including for conservation and carbon farming, which have been in place on the ground for over 30 years. We want to make sure this can continue, as we are about enhancing practices and improving flexibility for our farmers. 

This bill will enable the ongoing efforts by lessees, Aboriginal people and regional communities to manage pastoral lands in a variety of ways. These changes confirm that significant environmental benefit offsets and heritage agreements under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 can be implemented on pastoral leases. These tools provide leaseholders with opportunities to receive funding for conservation activities on their lease. 

Clause 3 of this bill introduces a definition for carbon farming, that is, land management activities that avoid or reduce carbon in the atmosphere or sequester carbon in the landscape as defined in the regulations. This bill also formally recognises previous Pastoral Board decisions, approving the use of some or all of the pastoral lease for non-pastoral uses. The Pastoral Board's powers in relation to the management of pastoral lands will not change. Current leases will not change. All leaseholders will still need to actively manage their leases and remain subject to Pastoral Act obligations. 

Clause 3 also introduces a definition for conservation purposes, which is conservation of biodiversity, ecosystems or native vegetation, including by way of heritage agreements or environmental benefits under the Native Vegetation Act 1991 or other ancillary conservation uses. These definitions achieve our mission to ensure that current practice can continue and be enhanced by this bill. Pastoralists and conservationists have worked together side by side across the rangelands for more than 30 years, and this bill confirms they will be able to continue this. 

Twenty-one pastoral leases are already wholly used for conservation with the approval of the Pastoral Board, and five leases are being used for carbon farming. This work is critical, as the Ecological Society of Australia informs us that since European colonisation 100 Australian species have been listed as extinct and further that nearly 1,800 species are listed as threatened with extinction. This is in addition to the biodiversity and ecosystems that have been changed or lost as a result of climate change. 

The bill also amends the Pastoral Land Management and Conservation Act 1989 to insert the requirement that: 

(3) The Minister must consult with the following bodies on any regulations proposed to be made for the purposes of the definition of carbon farming in subsection (1) before those regulations are made: 

(a) the Board; 

(b) the Conservation Council of South Australia Inc.; 

(c) First Nations of South Australia Aboriginal Corporation; 

(d) Primary Producers SA Incorporated; 

(e) Livestock SA Incorporated. 

This consultation is important, and it is crucial that it is undertaken with these groups to ensure that the perspectives of everyone who cares about land are being considered, starting with our First Nations people, who walked the land long before any agriculture was undertaken; the Pastoral Board with their diverse expertise; Primary Producers SA and Livestock SA, representing those who work the land; and the Conservation Council, representing those who protect, restore and conserve the land. 

Clause 4 of the bill amends the act to allow pastoral land to be used for conservation purposes and to allow pastoral land that is being used for pastoral or conservation purposes to also be used for other appropriate purposes, such as carbon farming. This clause, along with clause 6, provides farmers with the flexibility to use their land for pastoral, conservation or other purposes. This protects families who may have farmed the land for generations. 

These changes will not impact on native title rights or agreements. The government recognises the importance of Aboriginal peoples' spiritual, social, cultural and economic connections to country. I thank everyone who has participated in consultations regarding this bill. Further discussions occurred with pastoralists coordinated by Livestock SA and several conservation organisations coordinated by the Nature Conservation Society of SA. 

I would like to conclude my remarks by stating that the main point of this legislation formalises what has been occurring in South Australia for over 30 years. We can trust our pastoralists and conservationists to continue doing great work as they both care deeply about their work and our state. I commend the bill to the house.