A public statement from Australian artists, musicians and athletes on the horrifying rate of nature destruction in Australia.
We love this country. It is like nowhere else. Our unique wildlife, towering forests, free flowing rivers and rugged landscapes are at the heart of our shared story and what makes Australia beautiful. But our country is at a crossroads. An extinction crisis is unfolding around us. It is risking everything we love.
Australia is destroying the forests, wetlands and reefs we love and depend on at a dangerous rate. We’re a world leader in deforestation and loss. Since colonisation, we’ve caused the extinction of 34 Australian mammals. And iconic wildlife, like the koala and the gang-gang cockatoo, are at risk because we keep knocking down the trees they need to breed and feed in.
Our national environment laws exist to stop the extinction crisis, but they have not been strong enough. They are now under review. It’s never been more important for strong ambition and leadership to reform our nature protection laws and begin to reverse nature destruction.
As a nation we’re dependent on nature. Our health, our national identity, our economic systems, our children’s futures – are all at stake now. With urgency, we need bold and courageous action to protect everything we love. We must save our big backyard.
Athletes and sportspeople: Cathy Freeman, Craig Foster, Jordan Roughead, Lizzie Hedding, Matthew Richardson, Layne Beachley.
Artists, actors and authors: Midnight Oil, Missy Higgins, Nick Cave, Tim Winton, Alex the Astronaut, Budjerah, Drapht, Marcia Hines, Pete Murray, Kirk Pengilly, Milan Ring, Aaron Pedersen, Claudia Karvan, David Wenham, Osher Günsberg, Benjamin Law, Aaron Chen, Dan Ilic, Tessa de Josselin, Cameron Daddo, Osher Günsberg.
