Media Releases
Tuesday, 29th August 2006
Ian Campbell’s obsession with the orange-bellied parrot cannot cover up the Howard Government’s failure to save Australia’s unique plant and animal species.
Australia has an extinction crisis, and spending $3m on one parrot species comes just one day after the Prime Minister said he was “sceptical” about climate change predictions.
Australia has more endangered species than any other continent, with 54 animal species and 61 flower species already extinct and hundreds more critically endangered.
The number of terrestrial bird and animal species listed as extinct, endangered or vulnerable rose by 41% from 1995 to 2005.
Climate change will worsen this extinction crisis, threatening our unique plant and animal species from the Great Barrier Reef to the biodiversity of southwest Australia.
The respected international biodiversity expert, Professor Norman Myers, has warned the world is facing the largest mass extinction in 65 million years. Professor Myers told the National Press Club in March 2006 that Australia’s conservation efforts would be “brought to nought” unless we tackled climate change.
That’s bad news for the orange-bellied parrot.
The Flat Earth Industry Minister doesn’t think humans are changing the earth’s climate, the out of touch Prime Minister is sceptical of the “more gloomy predictions” of climate change, and the procrastinating Environment Minister thinks we should take action, but not yet.
The humiliation of the Environment Minister arising from his political decision to stop the $220 million Bald Hills wind farm project, is just given more focus by his passionate defence of the orange bellied parrot while other endangered species disappear. Someone should tell the Minister, “when you’re in a hole, stop digging”.
Our children and grandchildren will look back harshly at the wasted Howard years, with its failure to tackle climate change and save our precious biodiversity.
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Electorate Office
334a Marrickville Rd
Marrickville NSW 2204
Phone: 02 9564 3588
Parliament House Office
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600
Phone: 02 6277 7700
Phone: (02) 9564 3588
Fax: (02) 9564 1734
Email: A.Albanese.MP@aph.gov.au
We acknowledge the traditional custodians of the land on which our offices stand and we pay our respects to Elders past, present and emerging. We acknowledge the sorrow of the Stolen Generations and the impacts of colonisation on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples. We also recognise the resilience, strength and pride of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.
Authorised by Anthony Albanese. 334a Marrickville Rd, Marrickville NSW 2204.