It's a shocking fact - Australia is a world leader in mammal extinctions.
The Albanese government has promised ‘no new extinctions’, but with reform of the ineffective national nature law stalled, the Australian Conservation Foundation has consulted a range of ecologists and biologists and identified 10 species that are among the most imperilled in the country.
The release of this new research coincides with a March for Nature in Sydney today where hundreds of people are taking to the streets to send a message to the Albanese government: No Nature, No Future.
Among the 10 species identified as at serious risk of extinction are Tasmania’s Maugean skate, the Swift parrot, the Regent honeyeater, a small wallaby called the Top End Nabarlek, the Baw Baw frog, Victoria’s grassland earless dragon, the Central rock-rat, the Kangaroo Island assassin spider and two plants, the Tunbridge leek-orchid and the Coffs Harbour fontainea.
“Without the full reform of Australia’s unfit-for-purpose nature law and no sign of an independent agency to enforce the law, these 10 highly imperilled plants and animals are staring down the barrel of extinction,” said ACF nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers.
“Some are threatened by particular industries. For example, Tasmania’s Maugean skate is under direct threat from intensive salmon farming in its home of Macquarie Harbour.
“The survival of the swift parrot is dependent on the species having suitable nesting and food trees, but commercial logging is destroying its essential breeding trees.
“In virtually every case, destruction of the species’ habitat is the defining problem.
“With the stage set for the Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney, decision makers have a choice. Will they stop the destruction of nature and invest in its repair?
“Or will Australia continue with the status quo of bulldozing the bush and playing extinction roulette with our threatened species?
"Hundreds of people will be marching in Sydney today to demand the Albanese government thoroughly overhaul Australia’s nature protection laws and establish a fully independent national regulator to enforce them.
“Every day and every decision matters for our wildlife. Further delays to nature law reform risk more extinctions.”
Read the report: Extinction roulette. Photos of species and expert quotes here.
Media are invited to attend the March for Nature.
Time: 11am
Location: Speakers Corner, The Domain ending at Mrs Macquarie's Chair in the Botanic Gardens
Visuals: Striking native species puppets and hundreds of people with placards for nature.
The march has been granted NSW Police approval.
B-roll and interviews will be distributed before 4pm.
Contact details:
Freya Cole 0477 638 774
Josh Meadows 0439 342 992
