Major party launches show our National Leaders are Missing-In-Action on the environment

Media Release - 16 August 2010

CLICK TO ENLARGE. How the parties compare against our priority conservation policies.

The Wilderness Society has released its assessment of the political parties’ national leadership on the environment, and declared both Julia Gillard and Tony Abbott ‘missing in action’.

“The Prime Minister’s policy launch today was dismal for anyone expecting national leadership on environmental issues, including climate change. This follows the Opposition Leader’s equally abysmal showing on the environment at the Coalition’s launch last week”, said Mr Anthony Esposito, spokesperson for the Wilderness Society.

Ms Gillard referred to climate change only once in her speech today, and did not refer at all to other crucial environmental issues of national concern.

“Protecting our natural world is critical if we are to successfully fight climate change. Even simple solutions like protecting our native forests, which are huge ‘carbon banks’, have been ignored by both major political parties”, said Mr Esposito

“Our environment is in desperate need of clear, positive policies to protect our native forests, our unique natural ecosystems and marine environments, and iconic places like the Kimberley and Cape York. We need national leaders who won’t go missing in action when it comes to these and other important National Environment Policies”, said Mr Esposito.

“Our environment is our future, and the party that offers the best policies and leadership will stand to gain considerable support across the community. The Wilderness Society will be asking our members and supporters to stand up for the environment this election”.

With just four days to go, Labor and the Coalition have both scored low points for failing to show leadership on key issues, with Labor marginally ahead on commitments. The Greens have scored much higher with generally strong showing on environmental policies.

The Wilderness Society is politically non-aligned. We have provided our priority policy issues to the three major parties and assessed their conservation policies as a way of informing our 50,000 members and the broader public of the choices before them.

View more information of the Wilderness Society's Environmental Policy priorities here