ECOSYSTEM CHALLENGE A HARD ONE

THE report on Australia’s environment, released by Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek on Tuesday, paints a grim picture for many endangered species that call our great nation home.

She said the latest five-yearly scientific assessment of Australia’s ecological systems told a confronting and sometimes depressing story.

But, she said, people “deserve to know the truth”.

Unfortunately that truth has been hidden from Australians by a Coalition government desperate to hang on to power at the recent federal election.

In a sad act, the former environment minister Sussan Ley decided not to release the report before the election.

She knew the contents of the massive 2000 page document way back in December 2021, but ignored calls to release it.

Now we all know why.

The report documented widespread and rapid decline in some ecosystems, with climate change, invasive species, habitat loss, pollution and mining pushing them to the brink.

The decision not to release the information in a timely manner is a black mark on the legacy of the Morrison government.

Secrecy never works well in any government, let alone secrecy that hides important information that every Australian deserves to be made aware of.

And it is this politicising of the environment that has to stop. Every group at the moment seems to have some barrow to push on the issue.

Activists, political parties, businesses and community groups are pushing many and differing agendas when it comes to the environment. With all sides pushing the boundaries of science, everyday people find it hard to wade through what is fact and what is fiction in the debate.

That’s why this report was so important.

Ms Plibersek said now was the time for the government to act but some of the damage would take “years to turn around”.

“If we continue on the trajectory we are on, the precious places, landscapes, animals and plants that we think of when we think of home, may not be here for our kids and grandkids,” she said.

It's a big job Labor politicians have in front of them – on so many issues.

With a massive economic deficit to pull back, how do they juggle the need to grow the economy while at the same time looking after the environment?

There is a way Australians can have it all but it will mean hard decisions and disappointment on both sides of the political spectrum.