Save Lee Point

Tell Minister Watt: You can’t offset Lee Point/Binybara!

The Albanese Government will allow Defence Housing Australia to continue its bulldozing at Lee Point/Binybara so long as it says it will 'recreate' the habitat of two threatened species – the black-footed tree-rat and the Gouldian finch – somewhere else.

They call this “offsetting”. But let's call it what it is: a pay to destroy scheme.

Help us save Lee Point/Binybara, once and for all. Sign ECNT’s NEW petition calling on Minister Watt to reject these offsets!

<p><span data-contrast="auto">Dear Minister Watt, Minister Keogh, Minister Gallagher and Minister McCarthy, </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">I am writing to you urgently regarding my serious and grave concerns about the environmental offsets for Defence Housing Australia’s (DHA) controversial Lee Point development. </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">DHA’s black-footed tree</span><span data-contrast="auto">-</span><span data-contrast="auto">rat (BFTR</span><span data-contrast="auto">)</span><span data-contrast="auto"> Offset Plan – approved in 2025 – is flawed. It’s lacking in important details, such as the quality score of the habitat DHA plans to destroy, what impact this will have on the species and how DHA plans to assess the quality of the offset habitat it purchases.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Furthermore, DHA recently applied to purchase a block of Crown Land alongside the development for the BFTR offset. The community do not accept this block meets the ‘additionality’ rules required for offsets, nor will it provide an overall conservation benefit for the species. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">You cannot offset intact, high-quality habitat with small linear strips of vegetation wedged in suburbia. Our precious black-footed tree-rats need wide, connected bushland to survive. Squeeze them into a thin corridor backed up against backyards and they will fall prey to cats. These long narrow strips are also full of weeds, and, due to DHA’s poor management, have been scorched each dry season in hot fires.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">The Gouldian Finch Strategy and Offset Plan is yet to be released, but how can you bulldoze the habitat of this endangered, rainbow-coloured bird and pretend that loss never happened because you ‘found’ habitat somewhere else? </span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">We are calling on you to reject the offsets because they cannot genuinely meet the requirements of federal environmental law and deliver a real, additional and lasting benefit to these threatened species. </span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Stop trying to find ways to offset the destruction of Lee Point/Binybara. </span></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><strong><span data-contrast="auto">Instead, </span></strong><strong><em><span data-contrast="auto">protect it. </span></em></strong><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Lee Point/Binybara is simply too precious to develop. Its irreplaceable cultural values and beautiful nature and wildlife should be protected forever.</span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Reject the offsets, stop the bulldozers, heal and protect Lee Point/Binybara. </span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>
<p><span data-contrast="auto">Sincerely, </span><span data-ccp-props="{"> </span></p>

I would like to BCC myself