Court call on parrot

Herald Sun, Page: 15
Friday, 28 April 2006

A JUDGE will decide if Canberra must rethink a ban imposed on a South Gippsland wind farm over the orange-bellied parrot. The State Government will lodge an appeal in the Federal Court next week, which could force Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell to reconsider. State Planning Minister Rob Hulls said Senator Campbell had made a biased decision by blocking the 52-turbine Bald Hills wind farm. ''The orange-bellied parrot was a really a pretext for what was clearly a political decision, '' Mr Hulls said.

The report says there have been few sightings of the orange-bellied parrot in the area in recent years. A win for the State Government would mean Senator Campbell would have to make a decision again. The State Government argues that Senator Campbell made the decision to bolster the Coalition's position in McMillan, the local federal electorate. Senator Campbell yesterday stood by his decision and said the State Government's action was a stunt.