The Liberal government’s environmental performance was pretty shabby, but how is Labor now shaping up?
I’ve detailed the tragic plight of koalas in previous Tawny Frogmouth issues – read here. The former NSW Liberal government refused to curb the loss of habitat due to logging, over-development and bushfires. Before the last state election Labor promised to establish a “Great Koala National Park” in the Coffs Harbour hinterland, if elected. But guess what? The government-owned Forestry Corporation is now clear-felling much of the area earmarked for protection. Lend Lease’s massive housing project near Campbelltown, which will imperil Sydney’s last healthy koala colony, is going full steam ahead too.
When Anthony Albanese became the nation’s “head honcho”, he appointed Tanya Plibersek as the new Environment Minister. Surely this “darling of the left” would act as a champion for Australia’s natural heritage? Let’s have a quick look at what’s happened since she assumed the role on 1 June 2022.
Almost her first act was to approve a contentious route for the Bunbury ring road in Western Australia, which meant bulldozing endangered Black Cockatoo habitat. This was just days after she lamented that more than 7.7million hectares of threatened species habitat across Australia had been cleared between 2000 and 2017.
Logging of Tasmania’s old growth trees, meanwhile, goes on unabated. The majestic Tarkine rainforest in Tassie’s northwest, with its recognised world heritage values, is also under siege. Currently the minister is refusing to prohibit construction of a Chinese lead mine’s tailings dump here, which would be 70 times bigger than the MCG.
In Western Australia, the government has given approval for Woodside’s giant Scarborough gas proposal. This would allow underwater seismic blasting in an area of endangered whale habitat. According to Woodside’s own estimates the project will produce 900 million tonnes of carbon.
Labor is also backing massively polluting gas fracking projects in the Northern Territory’s “Beetaloo Basin” and is even providing $1.5billion to build a Liquified Natural Gas export facility in Darwin Harbor. Just down the road at Lee Point in Darwin, Ms Plibersek approved plans by the “Defence Housing Australia” to build 800 homes on bushland habitat of the endangered Gouldian Finch – one of the nation’s most iconic birds.
Talking of our avian friends, Toondah Harbour, near Brisbane, is an internationally recognised wetland and vital feeding ground for migratory shorebirds. The government has yet to rule out plans to build shops and high rises here. And let’s not forget Labor’s ongoing support for Santos to construct 850 gas wells in the beautiful Pilliga Forest of NSW – a recognised biodiversity hotspot. Drilling here would threaten the Great Artesian Basin.
The one good thing former PM Scott Morrison did was to reject the controversial PEP-11 gas drilling proposal (off-shore from Manly). He even made himself Resources Minister to do it! The Albanese government has allowed the proposal to be revived.
There are now at least 114 new fossil fuel projects in the planning stage nationwide and the government has approved ten new areas for oil and gas exploration off the coasts of WA, the NT, and Victoria. The International Energy Agency has warned that no more coal or gas projects are possible if warming is going to be kept to 1.5 degrees.
Our government may be ignoring the global fires, floods and extinctions but you know things are serious when Hollywood takes a stand. Apparently, Vin Diesel is set to change his name to Vin Solar.
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Despite Labor’s rhetoric to increase climate ambition and protection for nature, its policies, spending and action continue to destroy nature and increase carbon pollution. Since being elected, the government has approved four new coal projects, another 104 are on the slate. We continue to be one of the world’s largest fossil fuel exporter in the world. The government’s rhetorical shift has so far NOT resulted in ANY change in Australia’s attitude to shift from exploitation to conservation. This article summarizes a number of failings, so don’t be fooled by Labor. Thanks for writing about this!
Great article, Mal! Needless to say it has been beyond disappointing to see Labor governments both at Federal and State level letting the environment down repeatedly. It’s a shame that we’re not seeing the rapid progress and change we desperately need in this climate and extinction crisis era.