Protect the laws that protect the places and wildlife we love

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Environmental laws safeguard our way of life. They protect our land and wildlife, and ensure that our air and water are not polluted by destructive development. I am deeply concerned that under pressure from industry, federal and state governments have recently announced an aggressive plan to wind back critical environmental protection laws that protect our land, water and wildlife.

History has shown us that the Federal government has a critical role in protecting matters of national environmental significance, which it must not abdicate. Short-sighted development proposals supported by the States, have threatened Australia’s natural heritage several times in the past. The federal government has had to step in to prevent irreversible harm to our iconic landscapes and wildlife.

A healthy environment is essential to the Australian way of life. Due to unrestrained development our environmental assets are in a state of decline, we need stronger environmental laws not weaker ones. I call on you to reject the proposals laid out in the Council of Australian Governments (COAG) agenda that would fast-track the transfer of federal approval powers to state governments, wind back the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act and allow States and Territories to fast-track major development projects.

Sincerely,

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Tell Prime Minister Gillard to protect the laws that protect the places and wildlife we love!

Under pressure from big business and the mining industry, governments are moving forward with an aggressive plan to wind back our environmental protection laws. In the guise of cutting ‘green tape’, government and industry propose to hand important federal approval powers to the states, and fast track approvals for large developments. This will remove federal protection for our most special places and wildlife, and accelerate mining and other destructive development in our forests, woodlands and rural landscapes.

History has shown us that the Federal government has a critical role in protecting matters of national environmental significance. Short-sighted development proposals have threatened Australia’s natural heritage several times in the past and the federal government has stepped in to prevent irreversible harm. Without federal intervention, the Franklin River would be dammed, there would be oil rigs on the Great Barrier Reef and pristine Shoalwater Bay would be home to a large coal port.

The momentum to protect our natural heritage is building. It is essential that the Prime Minister hears community support for the laws that protect the places we love.

The most recent national State of the Environment report shows the country is going backwards in biodiversity conversation, climate change impacts, the health of our watersheds and the protection of our public forests and woodlands. Now, more than ever, we need the federal government to uphold and strengthen environmental laws to safeguard Australia’s natural heritage for future generations.

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