On the 19th of July 2022, the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek, released the State of the Environment report. It showed that for many years Australia has been failing to protect and restore the essential habitats of our threatened and endangered species.

At the election, Australians voted for the environment.

The Albanese Labor Government takes this responsibility seriously.

Labor is committed protecting, restoring and managing Australia’s unique biodiversity, including threatened birds and their habitat.

Our national environmental laws are not working as they should. The Labor Government is committed to reforming these laws, to build trust, integrity and efficiency into the system. We will present a full response to the Samuel review of our environmental laws by the end of this year. Next year we will introduce new, stronger environmental laws.

The Government has also committed $224.5 million for the Saving Native Species Program, which will help to protect our threatened species, including threatened birds. We will restore habitat for birds and manage invasive species, feral pests and animals, including cats, which are currently pushing more than 120 animal species toward extinction.

And we have pledged a national goal of protecting thirty percent of our land and thirty percent of our oceans by 2030.

A healthy environment sits at the heart of our national legacy. The new Labor Government understands this. After a wasted decade – after a decade going backwards – we won’t waste another minute.