New Federal Environment Minister, Tanya Plibersek, yesterday pledged to conserve 30% of Australia’s land and 30% of its sea areas by 2030 in line with the UN Convention on Biological Diversity, and explore the creation of new national parks and marine protected areas.

If Labor is at all serious about turning words into action, it will act immediately to protect Cleveland’s internationally-significant Ramsar wetland in the Moreton Bay Marine Park from high-rise development.

This could be done today and protect blue carbon reserves and save the critically-endangered Eastern Curlew and nearby endangered koalas from extinction.

The State of the Environment Report shows Australia has lost more mammals than any other continent. Between 2000 and 2017, there were 7.7 million hectares of land cleared across Australia and 93 per cent of the vegetation was felled without federal approvals for threatened species habitats. 

Since 2016, 202 animal and plant species have been listed as threatened matters of national environmental significance, following 175 being added to the list between 2011 to 2016.

We also need stronger national environmental laws with an independent enforcement agency to reverse this decline and save our natural assets. 

Let’s hope Labor pass the ‘Toondah test’. C’mon Plibersek, save the bay.