The Victorian State Government has launched a ‘covert plan’ to reintroduce cattle grazing in the state’s Alpine National Park according to an article published by The Age.

 

The Victorian State Government is looking for ways to circumvent the Federal Government’s laws that prohibit grazing in the park.

 

The Federal Government has responded by employing a select group from the Department of Sustainability and Environment’s (DSE) biodiversity research arm, the Arthur Rylah Institute, to search the area for the existence of rare and endangered species that would derail Victoria’s plans to reintroduce cattle grazing in the area.

 

The DSE has also hired auditing firm Deloitte to search for email leaks in Parks Victoria.

 

Despite the previous State Government banning the practice of alpine grazing, Premier Ted Baillieu promised a trial to reintroduce the practice during the state’s election last November. The move has caused considerable friction between federal and state governments, with Federal Environment Minister Tony Burke warning that the move would break the Commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biiodiversity Conservation Acti after linking the trial to Japan’s whaling program.

 

Mr Burke accused the Victorian State Government of an ‘extraordinary’ lack of scientific research into the design of the proposals.