10 Feb 2012

Marina project held up by rare parrot

9:32 am on 10 February 2012

A $A50 million marina project in Victoria, Australia, is endangered by a rare parrot that has not been seen for years.

The Environment Department is assessing whether the development in Western Port can go ahead, because of concerns for the orange-bellied parrot.

Federal opposition environment spokesman Greg Hunt says the bird has not been seen in the area since the 1980s.

''There is no parrot, there hasn't been a parrot for five years, for 10 years, for 15, for 20, or even for a quarter of a century,'' he said.

The ABC reports the proposal must be assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act before it can proceed.

But Yaringa boat harbour developer Stefan Borzecki says the process is taking too long.

''We are waiting for instructions from Canberra to tell us how we can prove that the orange-bellied parrot is or is not here,'' he said.