Growling grass frog causes political argument in Aussie
Victorian Planning Minister Justin Madden wanted to build a 70 kilometre water pipeway from the Goulburn Valley into Melbourne. To help this process along he decided not to ask for an Environmental Effects Statement on the pipeline last December.
This seemed like it would be bad news for several endangered species including a striped legless lizard, the growling grass frog, the spotted tail quoll and a matted flax lily who currently live in the path of the proposed pipe.
But then Federal Environment Minister Peter Garrett stepped in and demanded that he now have the final say on whether the pipe gets built or not. So the growling frogs get a possible reprieve.
Meanwhile, further up north on the Gold Coast things are not looking to hopeful for frogs. Developers there want to build a multi-million-dollar development at Bokarina, right on top of the habitat for the vulnerable Wallum Froglet and the Freycinet’s frog.
Jill Chamberlain, of the Wildlife Preservation Society told the Sunshine Coast Daily:
“Once development goes in, they’re gone.
“Even if the developers could keep it as a wetland, eventually it will silt up and the pesticides from people’s gardens will kill the frogs anyway.”
And the ongoing ‘frog versus development’ debate continues…
Photo Credit of Growling Grass Frog: Brenda Anderson from Flickr
