🗣️ Tell Senators: Stop Morrison's nature-wrecking bill!
The Morrison Government's bill watering down our environment protections has passed the House of Representatives.
Our environment laws are already abysmal. Gutting them further would make it easier to bulldoze habitats, build coal mines and could seal the fate of iconic threatened species like the koala.
Even more disturbingly, these proposed changes have come before an independent review into our environment laws has even been released.
The Senate is our last line of defence and our best chance to stop the changes. If all of us flood the inboxes of our Coalition Senators, we can create enough internal pressure to get these changes thrown out -- at least for now.
Can you urgently demand that Liberal and National Senators oppose rushing through changes to our environment laws?
Our environment laws are already abysmal. Gutting them further would make it easier to bulldoze habitats, build coal mines and could seal the fate of iconic threatened species like the koala.
Even more disturbingly, these proposed changes have come before an independent review into our environment laws has even been released.
The Senate is our last line of defence and our best chance to stop the changes. If all of us flood the inboxes of our Coalition Senators, we can create enough internal pressure to get these changes thrown out -- at least for now.
Can you urgently demand that Liberal and National Senators oppose rushing through changes to our environment laws?
To ensure your email is most effective try and include these points -
Introduce yourself: Tell them a bit about yourself! Which area do you live in? What do you do?
Tell Senators why this issue matters to you: What does the environment mean to you? How does it contribute to your life? How important is it to you that environmental protection laws are strengthened and not rushed through?
Demand your Senators take action: It is very important your message has an ask. Make it clear that you believe the Senator should block the proposed changes, and instead stand up for stronger protections.
Introduce yourself: Tell them a bit about yourself! Which area do you live in? What do you do?
Tell Senators why this issue matters to you: What does the environment mean to you? How does it contribute to your life? How important is it to you that environmental protection laws are strengthened and not rushed through?
Demand your Senators take action: It is very important your message has an ask. Make it clear that you believe the Senator should block the proposed changes, and instead stand up for stronger protections.
The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC) is currently undergoing its 10-year statutory review into how effectively it has been operating and whether it requires any changes. The review was initially created due to environment laws being too weak to provide adequate protection for Australian wildlife, leading to an extraordinarily high extinction rate. Too many development projects were being approved and having adverse consequences on particular species and ecosystems. Submissions to the review have recently closed, and the first draft of the report will be handed down in June, 2020. The final draft will be released in October, 2020, with initial report due mid-late June 2020.
The Government recently announced it would look into changing the EPBC before the final report is released. Brendan Sydes, the Chief Executive of Environmental Justice Australia, raised concerns about what these potential changes might mean, stating "we really need to have a focus on the objectives the act is attempting to achieve, rather than streamlining and processes."2 It is important the proper review process is followed so that any changes are in line with the recommendations in the final report – or we risk our environmental laws being weakened.
References:
[1] The EPBC Act Review 2020, Environmental Defenders Office
[2] 'Coalition is aiming to change Australia's environment laws before review is finished', The Guardian, 23 April 2020
The Government recently announced it would look into changing the EPBC before the final report is released. Brendan Sydes, the Chief Executive of Environmental Justice Australia, raised concerns about what these potential changes might mean, stating "we really need to have a focus on the objectives the act is attempting to achieve, rather than streamlining and processes."2 It is important the proper review process is followed so that any changes are in line with the recommendations in the final report – or we risk our environmental laws being weakened.
References:
[1] The EPBC Act Review 2020, Environmental Defenders Office
[2] 'Coalition is aiming to change Australia's environment laws before review is finished', The Guardian, 23 April 2020
The EPBC does not adequately protect Australia's endangered species. Australia currently has a high rate of extinction, including the highest rate of mammal extinction in the world. More than 50 animal and 60 plant species have gone extinct in the past 200 years, and the EPBC has not done enough to address it.
Source: 'Coalition is aiming to change Australia's environment laws before review is finished', The Guardian, 23 April 2020
Source: 'Coalition is aiming to change Australia's environment laws before review is finished', The Guardian, 23 April 2020
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