The Election is finally here. So is our simple, cut-through overview of where different candidates stack up on Climate and Nature.
The Good
The Greens and a bunch of community independents* backed by the funding group Climate 200 have put forward strong policies on climate and nature. This includes ending native forest logging, strengthening our broken national nature laws, expanding marine sanctuaries, significantly increasing nature spending, stopping new coal and gas mines, and massively boosting renewable energy, including direct support to households to install solar and batteries.
The OK
Labor has put forward some ok policies. They’ve promised to expand ocean sanctuaries, and modestly increase nature spending. They’ve also promised to try again to overhaul our national nature laws but have offered no detail on how this will be different to the failed attempt to do so last term. Labor plans to significantly boost renewable energy including a big rebate for people to install household batteries to soak up and use excess solar power. They have rejected nuclear reactors. But they have fallen far short on rejecting new coal and gas mines, the biggest drivers of global heating.
The Ugly
The Coalition (Liberals and Nationals) are downright terrible on climate and nature. They would build dangerous and risky nuclear reactors across Australia, prolonging the use of dirty coal and gas in the meantime. They would fastrack toxic gas developments including Woodside’s Burrup Hub, scrap car pollution standards, and weaken industry carbon pollution rules. The Coalition opposes strengthening national nature laws and wants to boost native forest logging by creating special logging zones. Honestly, it’s one of the worst climate and nature platforms I’ve seen put forward by the Coalition in two decades.
That’s it!
Happy voting. Share this guide with your friends and family, and check out our Election Hub for other ways to get involved.
And if you’re really keen, send us a selfie of you holding up a sign saying “I’m voting for…” and we’ll post it on our social channels this weekend!
*If you do have an independent running in your electorate, make sure you check out their website for their specific policies before voting as they can differ.
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