06:35And now Melissa Price has announced the government has filled the five vacancies on its threatened species scientific committee, which makes assessments on threatened species protection. Guardian Australia reported on the weekend the committee was set to meet with the five former members observing in the event replacements hadn’t been appointed. Professor Helene Marsh has been reappointed chair of the committee, and professors Dave Kendal and David Keith have been reappointed as committee members. “I have strengthened the committee’s ability to provide advice that draws on Indigenous knowledge and helps land managers to care for their country by appointing Ms Cissy Gore-Birch, a Jaru/Kija woman from Western Australia, and Dr Richard Harper from the School of Veterinary and Life Sciences at Murdoch University,” Price said. “During my time as assistant minister and now as minister for the environment, I have worked closely with the committee on 63 listing decisions relating to threatened species and ecological communities, including the addition of 42 threatened species and two ecological communities, the transfer of eight species between listing categories, and delisting of eight species.”

Source: The Guardian February 17, 2019 21:06 UTC