Key environmental, government and community stakeholders from across the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains attended a roundtable alongside the Chair of The Wildlife and Threatened Species Bushfire Recovery Expert Panel today.
It is the first ministerial roundtable to be held outside of Canberra since the establishment of the Expert Panel on 13 January 2020.
The ministerial roundtable, which was held at the Western Sydney University's Hawkesbury Institute for the Environment, was convened by the Minister for the Environment, the Hon Sussan Ley MP.
Dr Sally Box, Chair of the Expert Panel was present at the meeting, as was the Member for Macquarie, Susan Templeman MP, and the Member for Hawkesbury, Robyn Preston MP.
Minister Ley said the purpose of the roundtable was to receive local feedback about future funding interventions as part of the Morrison Government's $50 million Wildlife and Habitat Recovery Package.
"The Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains communities have faced terrible challenges in these fires and today is about all parties coming together to discuss the ways forward."
"There is a long road ahead but throughout the Expert Panel meetings which have included state representatives, and the series of Ministerial roundtables to date there has been an enormous willingness to work together," Ms Ley said.
Minister Ley outlined the work underway in ensuring that Heritage areas such as the Blue Mountains National Park are helped to recover with the input of scientists, indigenous experts, landcare managers and local communities.
The roundtable was a locally-led discussion, and the feedback taken from this roundtable will help inform future actions and recommendations made by the Expert Panel.
Background
In response to the bushfires, Minister for the Environment, the Hon Sussan Ley MP, asked the Threatened Species Commissioner, Dr Sally Box, to convene an Expert Panel to assist in prioritising recovery actions for native species and ecological communities.
The Expert Panel will inform the further delivery of the Australian Government's response to the fire events, including priority emergency actions to support impacted animals, plants, and ecosystems, as well as medium, and long term responses required to support the recovery of Australia's environment.
