Australia has one of the highest rates of flora and fauna extinctions in the world.
Since the Albanese Labor government came to office, 275 species have been newly listed as threatened bringing the total number to over 2,000.
Shadow Minister for the Environment, Angie Bell is alarmed by the increasing numbers of native flora and fauna being added to the threatened species list under Labor.
TOM CONNELL:
Sunday marks Threatened Species Day, raising awareness about Australia’s unique flora and fauna. 59 species have moved into a higher threat category since May 2022. When Labor took office, the government seemed to overhaul environmental laws before the end of the year. The Shadow Environment Minister, Angie Bell, joins me live now. Interesting to note, this day falls on the same day the Tasmanian tiger became extinct, the most famous of the extinct animals in Australia. But a lot of the other species at threat get a lot less attention.
SALLY SARA:
As the federal government prepares to announce its 2035 emissions target, the Business Council of Australia has released its own economic modelling on the cost of cutting emissions.
I rise on the matter of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill 2025. The bill adjusts the EPBC Act, specifically in relation to our Commonwealth national parks, including the iconic and deeply loved Kakadu National Park, the alluring Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park and the beautiful Booderee National Park.
Walking on Australian beaches year-round is a luxury we enjoy in our great country. But for South Australians, this luxury has not existed for months. Beaches are closed, and they’ve been told to stay more than 300 metres away due to the harmful algal bloom that’s ravaging the coastline.
I am an Australian and I’m proud to be an Australian and I’m proud of our Australian flag. Do those opposite feel as proud of our nation as we do on this side of the House; are they as proud of our national flag as we are?
I recently had the great privilege of joining my community for the annual Kokoda Day and Vietnam Veterans’ Day commemorations. This year marked the 83rd Kokoda Day commemoration and, as I do each year, I joined the Rotary Club of Broadwater Southport and the Surfers Paradise RSL Sub-Branch for their service.
ANGIE BELL:
What we have seen to date is three years of failure to reform the EPBC Act under a Labor Albanese government. We have seen three years of failure and delay with a foot on the brake when it comes to reforming the EPBC Act. And now, what we’re hearing is that the government is on a fast train to reforming the EPBC Act. What I will say about that is that this government has had plenty of time to decide on an update to the EPBC Act and reform it, and it has failed categorically.
WILL GOODINGS:
We’ll revisit that shortly. But before we do, at four to seven, let’s talk Algal Bloom. Angie Bell’s the Federal Shadow Environment Minister and joins us on FIVEAA Breakfast. Angie Bell, good morning to you.
Last Friday, we heard an extraordinary admission from those opposite in relation to South Australia’s algal bloom crisis. The member for Adelaide and its beaches said that he accepted criticism that this has been a bit slow, and that the best time to have done this would have been some weeks ago, maybe even a few months ago. So why didn’t they act sooner?