Thank you for your relentless dedication to environmental justice.
Together we've made an incredible impact.
We know that much of this work would not be possible without the dedication and generosity of people like you — the EJA community, our courageous clients, people who power our campaigns and write submissions, our donors and members.
Here's a snapshot of what we've achieved in the past 6 months, as a direct result of your support.
Together, we're creating lasting, large-scale impact
In a world where the challenges are vast, knowing you are with us is humbling — a beacon of hope when times are tough.
PROTECTING NATURE
We celebrated the end of native forest logging in Victoria and VicForests
It's been a long time coming. (Most) native forest logging has ended in Victoria and VicForests ceased to exist – signalling a fresh start for nature.
We are only here thanks to you and the decades of campaigning by community groups, citizen scientists, and Traditional Owners to protect our vital native forests.
Thank you for believing in our brilliant forest litigators here at EJA and in a world where we can stand up for our environment – and win.
CLIMATE justice
You stood up for our Living Wonders
Your unwavering support has taken the Living Wonders climate cases all the way to the High Court.
Our client, the Environment Council of Central Queensland (ECoCeQ) is challenging the Australian Environment Minister’s refusal to scrutinise new coal and gas projects for their climate harm.
If the High Court grants our clients' leave to appeal, the outcome stands to impact all pending fossil fuel projects currently awaiting approval on the Minister’s desk.
FIRST NATIONS justice & protecting nature
You supported Traditional Owners to protect Country at Lee Point
You helped keep most of the extraordinary savanna woodlands at Lee Point standing after bulldozers rolled in to make way for a multi-million-dollar housing development by Defence Housing Australia (DHA).
The destruction followed after the Environment Minister refused an application by Larrakia Danggalaba Traditional Owner Tibby Quall to declare Lee Point a significant Aboriginal area.
A week later, DHA paused land clearing pending a review into allegations of illegal land clearing at Lee Point.
Now, Mr Quall is seeking Court Discovery of all documents that were considered by the Minister when making the decision to refuse his application.
And the savanna is still standing.
IMPROVING THE LAW
You kept pushing for effective, fair, robust new national environment laws
Australia urgently needs environment laws that actually protect the environment.
Good laws can protect and regenerate our forests. They can keep our rivers clean and flowing, our bushland teeming with life. They can bring threatened plants and animals back from the brink of extinction, and help stabilise our climate.
That's why it's so incredible to see thousands of committed people diligently writing submission after submission, coming to webinars to get up to speed on detailed legislative amendments and pushing for urgent reform.
We're not there yet - but our elected representatives are feeling the pressure!
ending pollution
Thanks to you, AGL is installing best-practice pollution controls
Thanks to you, AGL finally agreed to install best-practice pollution controls for its planned coal ash dumps at Loy Yang.
It comes after the EPA received countless submissions from community members last year, raising concerns about health impacts, contamination and leakage, and the capacity of the dump far exceeding what’s needed for coal mining in Victoria.
AGL also included answers to a number of important questions raised by the community, including about the enormous size of the ash dumps, community health impacts, and options for re-using coal ash, rather than leaving it dumped in open, giant pits.
FIRST NATIONS justice
You helped save sacred dingoes
It’s hard to believe, but in some places in Victoria, feral deer have more protection under the law than native dingoes (wilkerr).
Demonised as pests, dingoes have been hunted, trapped and poisoned to near extinction. Yet the dingo is deeply sacred to Australia’s First Nations.
However, dingoes do not receive the same protections as other natives – despite their importance.
Thanks to your support and following advocacy from EJA, First Nations groups and animal welfare organisations, the Victorian Government announced the Dingo Unprotection order concluded in northwest Victoria from 14 March 2024.
PROTECTING NATURE
You defended Greater Gliders, Sooty Owls, Powerful Owls, and Smoky mice
After 4 years of court injunctions and complex and powerful evidence from experts and citizen scientists at the Wildlife of the Central Highlands (WOTCH), threatened animals can keep calling their extraordinary habitat home.
This is testament to the relentless dedication of our clients and formidable forest litigators working tirelessly over the years.
And it’s thanks to the generosity and determination of people like you – who stood with us during this long battle.
FIRST NATIONS justice
You helped Traditional Owners stop damming at the Rubicon River
For many generations, the clear waters of the Rubicon River have flowed through the hills that flank the region around the Cathedral Ranges, also known as Nanadhong, in Victoria’s High Country.
On behalf of the Taungurung Land and Waters Council (TLaWC), EJA lawyers successfully challenged a license to dam and divert the much-loved river for private use.
The Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) found Goulburn Murray Water's decision to grant the license to construct works was unlawful.
The fight to protect the river might not be over yet.
But your support makes it possible for EJA lawyers to represent First Nations communities pro bono – and stand with Aboriginal people using law to seek justice and legal rights to care for Country and Culture.
You did this and so much more
Explore more of the game-changing legal work you make possible.
We pushed for a Human Rights Act that includes a right to a safe, clean, healthy, and sustainable environment.
We called out Engie's half-baked plan for rehabiltating Hazelwood mine in the Latrobe Valley.
We protected the Murray River from projects that would change the way the river flows and disturb threatened wildlife.
We saved critical Ramsar wetlands from a massive proposed development at Toondah Harbour.
We defended ghost bats at risk of extinction from deforestation in the Northern Territory.
We supported local communities to stand up to pollution and create change.
We called for stronger protections against coal ash pollution in the Latrobe Valley.
We paddled out with thousands of board riders in Torquay to oppose the world’s largest seismic blasting plan.
From Lee Point to Lutruwita/Tasmania, we stood up for ancient forests — protecting them from destruction.
We questioned how a fracking company received $30 million through a scheme that's meant to exclude fossil fuel exploration.
We've got big plans for this year
Landmark court cases
Let's set game-changing precedents and change 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.
Make a difference
The challenges we face are vast. The time to push for large-scale system change is now.
