Draft of Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2018 - 2030
This submission has been prepared by the Australian Environmental and Planning Law Committee of the Law Council’s Legal Practice Section.
The Committee welcomes the opportunity to respond to the National Biodiversity Strategy Secretariat in relation to Australia’s strategy for nature 2018-2030: Australia’s biodiversity conversation strategy and action inventory published by the Department of the Environment and Energy.
The 2016 Commonwealth State of the Environment report concluded that “Australia’s biodiversity is under increased threat and has, overall, continued to decline.”
The Law Council is concerned that the current range of laws and policies designed to address biodiversity loss, conservation and protection have not been adequate to prevent significant detrimental impacts on Australia’s biodiversity. It supports initiatives to make improvements in that area.
The Committee has reviewed the Draft Strategy. It has also had the benefit of considering a comprehensive submission in response to the Draft Strategy prepared by the National Environmental Law Association (NELA).
The Committee supports the vision stated in the Draft Strategy that:
Australia’s nature, now and into the future, is healthy and resilient to threats, and valued both in its own right and for its essential contribution to our health, wellbeing, prosperity and quality of life.
You can read the full submission below.