The Australian Democrats today warned that the hills face zone is under serious threat, despite a Supreme Court ruling last Friday that banned olives, vineyards and other forms of horticulture.

The Supreme Court ruling only applies to applications made before the Minister’s amendment approved vineyards in the hills face zone in June.

"The fact of the matter is that the Minister’s amendment to the development plan made it weaker than its predecessor," Australian Democrats leader, Mike Elliott, said today.

"The Minister should have made all horticulture non-complying through her amendment, which would have protected the hills face zone while the development plan was under public consultation.

"Instead the Minister’s amendment allows vineyards in the hills face zone, so in real terms we are worse off.

"The Supreme Court ruling said not only olives, but vineyards and other forms of horticulture were non complying under the previous development plan. However, this ruling does not apply to the Minister’s new development plan.

"The Minister was warned that this was the danger of her amendment, but she proceeded anyway claiming a victory in protecting the hills face zone from olive orchards.

"The Supreme Court ruling has shown her supposed victory to be very hollow indeed. Not only were olives banned before the minister’s intervention but all horticulture including vineyards were also non-complying."