Pledge 10 minutes and take part in the final sprint for better nature laws.
In the two-and-a-half years since the government first announced its commitment to fixing Australia’s broken environment laws, we have fought for nature every step of the way. We have written letters, signed petitions, and made submissions to push for strong laws that end deforestation and halt extinctions.
Pledge 10 minutes this week to call on your Senator to stand up for nature in this month's Senate debate, specifically for:
- An EPA with integrity and access to justice.
- An end to exemptions and loopholes for deforestation.
- Protection of critical habitat for threatened species.
- Amendments to tackle climate change.
Remember to be patient and kind – the people who manage politicians' phone lines are often part-time office workers. They are here to help you and will summarise your message for the relevant Senator – but they may not have as much background on the topic as you would expect.
- Introduce yourself and why you’re calling:
For example:
Good morning, my name is Kate Smith, I am calling to chat through how your office plans to engage with the nature law debate that’s likely to occur in the Senate next week.
- Make it clear why this reform is important to you:
For example:
I wanted to personally voice my concerns for these reforms. I feel very connected to the nature of Victoria, particularly the forests and beaches. It’s important to me that these places are properly protected for future generations.
- Remind them why these laws are important:
For example:
The Albanese Government’s draft new law has good potential. But it does not yet adequately address the most glaring flaws in the existing system.
- Tell them what you want to see in the new laws:
For example:
I would be grateful if you could please pass on my feedback to Senator Ciccone to stand up for nature by advocating for:
- An EPA with integrity and access to justice – for example, an EPA led by an independent board and clear purposes, and community access to civil penalty orders in Court when big business break the rules.
- An end to exemptions and loopholes for deforestation – We need to repeal the exemption for native forest logging, and to reign in rampant land-clearing we need a new provision that compels assessment of planned deforestation greater than 20ha in threatened species habitat. This will ensure all deforestation is assessed for its harm to threatened species.
- Protection of critical habitat for threatened species –Unacceptable impacts on our environment, like destruction of habitat critical to the survival of species heading toward extinction, need to be clearly defined and ruled out.
- Amendments to tackle climate change – Australia’s environment laws should clearly mandate scrutiny of the true climate risk of proposed projects – especially all new coal and gas projects, and provide the power to reject them due to their likely climate impacts.
- Listen to their response and feel free to send them to www.envirojustice.org.au/ for further information.
- Say goodbye – and give yourself a pat on the back!
For example:
Thank you very much for your time. I look forward to watching Senator Ciccone during the debate next week.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Once in a generation opportunity to get this right.
Our national nature laws are broken and full of holes. Extinctions are sky rocketing, deforestation is rampant, and our laws are failing to properly address the climate crisis.
Earlier this year, the Albanese Government announced it would fragment and delay its full suite of proposed reforms, opting instead to introduce them in stages.
The government’s bills were voted through the lower house on 4 July, without any of the amendments proposed by independent MPs that would have addressed their glaring shortcomings, like removing the exemption from our national nature laws for native forest logging, and compelling lawless land-clearing in the north to undergo impact assessment and obtain federal approval.
The bills were then referred to a Senate committee for inquiry, and debate has been postponed until the committee has handed down their report.
Next week, the Senate will receive the inquiry report into new nature laws and will likely begin debating the bills that represent the first stage of new nature laws in Australia.
This debate will be the final sprint in years of advocating for bold new nature laws, and likely our last opportunity to shape these laws in this electoral cycle.
