Nature Law Open Letter Resources

Simply put: the national laws designed to protect nature are failing our beautiful iconic species. The Albanese Government has promised to fix this and strengthen nature laws, so they actually protect nature. It’s time to deliver. But we need to keep the pressure up to make sure it gets done. 

Nature is our country’s wealth. Without healthy forests, rivers, reefs and wildlife, our tourism, livelihoods and communities crumble. Yet more than 7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been bulldozed, the Black Summer bushfires killed or displaced nearly 3 billion animals, and this year Ningaloo and the Great Barrier Reef have suffered their worst coral bleaching on record.  

Australia is in an extinction crisis — the highest mammal extinction rate in the world — and the destruction is accelerating. The homes of beloved Aussies like the Greater Glider and Maugean Skate are being torn down, bulldozed, and polluted, with impunity.  

We all live under the same roof. Protecting our natural home means protecting the people who make Australia what it is. Strong nature laws make prosperity possible and protect our jobs that depend on a healthy, thriving nature — delivering clean air, tourism, stronger communities, and a safe climate for our kids.  

No more excuses. The government promised to fix our broken laws. Now it must deliver, before it’s too late.

You can start by asking people in your personal network to sign the open letter. First, tell them why you care about nature protection, why we need strong nature laws NOW, and why this open letter will create change by putting pressure on our elected representatives. Ask them directly if they will add their name to stand up for nature protection. 

Next, we want to show the government that a diverse group of people care about nature protection and getting strong nature laws. Ideally, we want to represent a cross section of your community, from local business owners, to faith groups, sporting clubs, environmental organisations and more!  

Sit down and make a list or word map – who from these groups or organisations in your community could you ask to sign on? 

Here is a Word document version of the open letter to add logos from any of these community groups or businesses, along with a list of individual signatures.

Once you have found people to sign the open letter and added logos from other local groups or businesses (optional), choose a time to visit your MP’s office. Anytime during weekday business hours is fine, and your MP doesn’t need to be there for you to drop it off. If you want to speak with them and get a photo, it’s a good idea to call ahead to see when they’re likely to be in.  

If your MP is not in the office, you’ll speak to a staff member instead who can pass on the document and your message. Don’t forget to take a photo outside their office with the open letter anyway and send it to us – we will be sharing this community movement widely to increase your impact!

When you drop off the open letter at your MP’s office, it’s the perfect time to ask for a meeting with your MP. Ask to speak directly with their diary manager and try to lock in a date. 

To request a meeting, you can also email or phone – or try all three approaches. If you email you will need to follow up with a phone call. MPs are busy and need to respond to urgent issues and their diaries change a lot. Don’t be put off if your meeting gets cancelled, shortened or rescheduled at late notice – be polite but persistent!

Politicians receive a lot of emails and letters. But when a local voter takes the time to personally call or visit face-to-face, they’re much more likely to listen. It’s a critical part of democracy that the people we elect to represent us do just that. MPs need to hear from ordinary Australians, not just industry lobbyists. They represent you and should want to hear your views – not just take your vote.  

You don’t need to be an expert - the fact that you care about the issue is enough. The most important thing to share is your personal story - who you are, why you care, and how you represent others in the community who feel the same way. 

Think about bringing a delegation from your community to the meeting: 2-5 people who represent a cross section of your community, from local business owners, to faith groups, sporting clubs and environmental organisations. 

It’s helpful to organise a briefing with your delegation – reach out to your Community Organiser if you’d like help with this (if you have one), or email community@acf.org.au.  

There is a Sample agenda supplied in this guide to help you prepare.

If you did a drop-off of the open letter, make sure you share any photos with us via community@acf.org.au or your Community Organiser. We will share these with the community more widely to increase pressure on our MPs to act. 

You could also share photos and a short message on your own social media, and tag your MP with a brief message. 

If you had a meeting with your MP, send them a follow up email summarising what you covered and what they promised to do. If they posted a photo on their social media, jump in with a comment thanking them for their time and again politely urging action! 

Our open letter is designed to be delivered in person by many people in the community – the more the merrier over the next month! So keep encouraging people in your networks to print out their own, get some more signatures and drop it in. 

If you have delivered the open letter and want to speak with your MP, why not ask them for a constituent meeting? Please see above for instructions on how to reach out and how to prepare for your meeting.