Thank you!
With you by our side, a radically better world is possible.
The law is a powerful tool and together, over the past year we've made an incredible impact.
Together we've held governments accountable, made industries act responsibly, and fought together with communities at the frontlines.
As a proudly a not-for-profit, community-funded legal organisation, we simply couldn't do it without you – the EJA community, our courageous clients, the people who power our campaigns, our donors and members.
For over 30 years, we've delivered justice for nature and communities.
Here's what we accomplished together, in 2023.
You brought an end to (most) native forest logging in Victoria
After decades of hard work, in May 2023 the Victorian government announced it will end all native forest logging in the state by 2024.
This was only possible thanks to the EJA community, environmental lawyers and the campaigning of countless citizen scientists, community groups, forest activists and Traditional Owners.
Our forests will keep standing.
Our threatened wildlife are safe.
We can visit today – and take our children tomorrow.
You stood up for our living wonders
EJA laywers representing a courageous volunteer group, the Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ), took our federal Environment Minister and two big coal companies to court to protect our living wonders from climate harm.
These are the first court challenges to a coal or gas decision made by Australia’s current Environment Minister.
In October 2023, a single Federal Court judge dismissed the Living Wonders climate cases.
EJA lawyers have since appealed the decision to the full bench of the Federal Court.
On 12 February 2024, EJA lawyers will be back in court to challenge the Environment Minister’s refusal to protect our environment from new coal mining, which will fuel climate change and devastate Australia's living wonders.
Strategic litigation like this has the potential to shape history.
Together we exposed Engie's plan to turn Hazelwood into a toxic pit-lake
When Hazelwood coal mine closed in 2017, it left behind a massive toxic pit that's bigger than Melbourne's CBD.
Six years on, the federal government accepted our calls on behalf of Environment Victoria and Friends of Latrobe Water for federal scrutiny of Engie’s plans to flood the Hazelwood coal mine.
This is a huge win for the community and environment, and for every person who took the time to make a public comment – thank you!
Engie's plan to flood the mine will take more water than in Sydney Harbour and could release dangerous coal ash pollution into our waterways.
This decision makes it clear the impacts of mining don’t end when the digging stops.
You protected precious NT savanna from bulldozers
Sweeping across more than a million kilometres from Cape York to the Kimberley are spectacular savanna woodlands.
But our savanna is in crisis. Like the Great Barrier Reef, it's a vital ecosystem that's literally collapsing before our eyes.
Faced with looming litigation, Clean Agriculture and International Tourism backed down from its plans to bulldoze almost 1000 hectares of vital savanna at Auvergne Station to grow water guzzling cotton crops.
It means this battle was won before reaching the courts, and we discontinued our clients' litigation.
Together we paused the bulldozers at Lee Point
Acting on behalf of Larrakia Danggalaba Traditional Custodian Tibby Quall, EJA lawyers argued that this development by Defence Housing Australia in Darwin would desecrate tangible and intangible Aboriginal cultural heritage.
In July last year, Traditional Owners won a temporary reprieve on the land clearing until 31 March 2024.
This follows the Environment Centre of Northern Territory's long-running campaign to save Lee Point, which is home to rainbow coloured Gouldian finches, endangered Black-footed Tree Rats, vulnerable northern brushtail possible and migratory shorebirds.
Traditional Owners and Environment groups are not giving up, and are calling on the Environment Minister to vary, suspend or revoke the development permit and protect Lee Point.
You challenged Vales Point's licence to pollute
In a massive win for community health, together we compelled the EPA to change its unlawful decision to allow Delta Electricity to emit toxic pollution above the legal limit.
We all have a right to clean air to breathe, fresh water to drink and a safe, healthy environment.
Yet for a decade, the NSW EPA gave Vales Point Power Station a legal loophole to allow it to pump higher levels of toxic pollution into the air we breathe.
After a legal challenge launched by EJA lawyers, widespread community outrage, and putting the EPA on notice Delta has two choices – clean up its act or plan for early closure.
You defended critical habitat and wildlife from logging after the bushfires
The catastrophic summer bushfires of 2019-2020 destroyed vast swathes of Victoria native forest and millions of animals, including threatened wildlife.
Despite the devastation, VicForests continued to log unburnt forests home to threatened wildlife.
In January 2020, representing Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH), a community group of citizen scientists, EJA lawyers launched a Supreme Court case against state-owned logging agency, VicForests, to protect critical habitat after the bushfires.
After four long years, we have settled this case – which is a great result for our client and a huge win for threatened animals like Greater Gliders, Sooty Owls, Powerful Owls, and Smoky Mice.
You keep us bold, impactful and independent
In early 2023, Environmental Justice Australia decided not to accept an offer of federal government funding – because our independence and ability to be bold and fearless is too important.
We were curious and even a little bit excited when at the last federal election, Labor promised to restore Community Legal Centre funding.
However this funding would have been the most restrictive government grant we have ever received.
These restrictions did not support the kind of work that we know is critical for a public interest organisation like us.
Over the past decade, thanks to the generous support of people like you, we’ve worked hard to become the bold, impactful and independent organisation we are today.
You did this, and so much more
Explore more of our game-changing legal work.
We've got big plans for this year
Landmark court cases
Let's set game-changing precedents and disrupt the systems that are fuelling destruction and injustice.
Strategic legal interventions
Together we can run powerful legal campaigns to investigate, expose and demand action and accountability.
Advocate for better laws
It's time to fix flaws in our legal system, push for better policies and improve the way our laws and made and enforced.
Help people have a say
With your support, we can empower communities to access information, challenge decisions and participate in the legal system.
Thank you – from all of us at EJA
We are so proud of the momentum we’ve built and everything we’ve accomplished thanks to the generous support and commitment of people like you.
Thanks again for making all this possible.
We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of the lands on which we live and work. We pay respect to their Elders past and present, and pay tribute to the vital role First Nations peoples play in caring for Country across Australia.
© 2023 Environmental Justice Australia. ABN: 74 052 124 375 | Endorsed as a Deductible Gift Recipient. Donations of $2 or more to EJA are tax deductible in Australia. Authorised by Nicola Rivers and Elizabeth McKinnon, EJA, Level 3, 60 Leicester St, Carlton, Vic, 3053.
