environment is unique and
priceless: from the Great
Barrier Reef to Tasmania's
of unique plants and animals that
call Australia home. The world
recognises Australia's universal
value through our many world
heritage sites, and as Australians
we know that our country is special.
Yet our primary national environment
law, the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act, is
failing us. Australia's environment
is under greater threat today than
ever before. Climate change, habitat
destruction, pollution, invasive
species and disease, as well as a
rapidly expanding resources sector,
are all putting our valuable natural
environment at risk.
national environmental laws as is
so desperately needed, the Federal
Government is in cahoots with the
Opposition and big business to ram
through reforms that will weaken
them. In the name of supporting
business, the Federal Government
is considering stepping back from
its environmental responsibilities by
handing these powers to the states.
environmental wins have been when
a federal government stepped in.
Without strong national leadership,
Australia would have seen oil
rigs throughout the Great Barrier
Reef; the Franklin River dammed;
the Daintree tropical rainforest
destroyed and cattle grazing in the
fragile ecosystems of the Snowy
Mountains. Today, our national
and species are fighting for
survival. Nothing but strong national
protection is good enough.
don't for a moment be fooled that
the Coalition are going to be better.
Tony Abbott has clearly stated that
if he becomes Prime Minister he will
hand national environment protection
to his state cronies, and roll in local
Council approvals to boot. In the
recent swing to conservative state
governments, we've seen a return
of cowboy practices shooting,
logging and tourism developments
in national parks, fast tracking of
approvals process for destructive
developments, slashing of
environment departments and axing
funding for critical environment
programs.