Why Australia Needs Urgent Environmental Law Reform

Professor Patrick O’Connor, recently published an opinion piece in Inner East Review and Bendigo Advertiser highlighting the imperfections of successive Australian governments to enact effective environmental protection laws. O’Connor points out, Australia’s economy is far more than mining, our agriculture, fisheries, tourism, and even our public health depend on a thriving environment.

The Cost of Environmental Decline:

• Agriculture ($88 billion sector) relies on healthy soils, pollinators, and clean water.
• Marine ecosystems support $3.5 billion in fisheries and aquaculture.
• Extreme weather events, fueled by climate change, cost Australia $4.5 billion annually in damages.
• Urban tree cover could reduce heat-related hospital admissions, saving $19.3 million per 100,000 people.
• Nature-based tourism contributes $40 billion annually to the economy.

Despite these economic stakes, Australia’s Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, the country’s main environmental law, has been deemed ineffective by multiple independent reviews. Without urgent reform, biodiversity loss and ecosystem collapse will continue, leading to irreversible damage.

A Call for Action

O’Connor argues that the most cost-effective step the government can take is to establish stronger environmental laws while balancing responsible development. Additionally, conservation funding must increase from a mere 0.1% of the federal budget to at least 1%, a small investment that could yield immense long-term benefits.

Protecting nature is not just about conservation, it’s about securing Australia’s economy and future prosperity. Read the full article to learn why this issue demands immediate attention.

Inner East Review

Bendigo Advertiser