We have argued earnestly for protection of our inestimably valuable biodiversity to the very people who are charged with protecting it.

Meanwhile, the Department of Sustainability and Environment, under the direction of Brumby’s Labor Government, cut funding for tried and true biodiversity positions in this region.

The north-west biodiversity region will lose two-and-a-half full-time positions from such valuable programs as Land for Wildlife in this coming financial year.

The money appears to be going into fire, not rapid response firefighting units, but prescribed burning programs.

This appears to be brazen hypocrisy. Talk about keeping the populace fiddling while Rome burns! We would be interested to know if this is happening state wide.

Are positions being cut in Land for Wildlife and Endangered Species Protection across the state at the very time we are supposed to be working as a community to devise a better biodiversity outcome for Victoria? Or, are biodiversity resources only being run down in the north-west? Minister Justin Madden did not seem to know when he was asked in Parliament recently by the Greens’ Greg Barber.

Perhaps our ministers, Jacinta Allen or Bob Cameron, could enlighten us.

WENDY RADFORD,

Convenor, Bendigo Greens