Australia’s new minister faces difficult challenges fixing laws, creating an EPA and curbing an extinction crisis
There was surprise last week when
An official review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act by Graeme Samuel, the former consumer watchdog chief, found the laws were failing and the environment was in unsustainable decline. The auditor general has twice come to similar conclusions.
It will be measured alongside the findings of the five-yearly state of the environment report, a major assessment of nature across the country. The Coalition sat on the report before the election, refusing to release it despite having received it in December. Releasing it should be one of Plibersek’s first actions as minister.The recent listing of the koala as endangered is a high-profile example of the combined impact of forest destruction and bushfires on Australia’s native wildlife.
Scientists and environment groups estimate between $1.5bn and $2bn a year, a relatively small commitment in terms of the overall budget, could help endangered wildlife recover. For some of the most imperilled animals, the extra conservation work required wouldApproval of coal and gas mines will almost certainly receive renewed attention in this term of parliament.