WWF CONGRATULATES PRIME MINISTER MORRISON & HIS TEAM

With ministers responsible for protecting Nature sworn in today, the World Wide Fund for Nature-Australia (WWF-Australia) congratulated Prime Minister Scott Morrison and his team on their election victory.

“We welcome the opportunity to work with Prime Minister Morrison and his new Environment Minister Sussan Ley,” said WWF-Australia CEO Dermot O’Gorman.

“The climate emergency and wildlife extinction crisis are still high on the agenda of all Australians,” he said.

Mr O’Gorman said WWF also looks forward to working with other key ministers including Energy and Emissions Reduction Minister Angus Taylor, Indigenous Australians Minister Ken Wyatt, Waste Reduction and Environmental Management Assistant Minister Trevor Evans, Foreign Affairs Minister Marise Payne, and International Development and the Pacific Minister Alex Hawke.

Mr O’Gorman is writing to relevant ministers urging them in their first 100 days to commit to:

1. Swift and appropriate action to address Australia’s contribution to global warming.
2. Banning all single-use plastic bags and microbeads by 2021 and investing in innovative sustainable alternatives, and commit to phasing out the top 10 worst single-use plastics by 2025.
3. 2,000 Indigenous ranger positions by 2022 and gender equity for all new positions.
4. Environmental law reform to ensure adequate protection of our environment, and an independent environment protection body that will provide greater oversight on environmental decision-making.
5. 100% of Australia’s threatened species having time-bound, fully-costed species recovery plans by 2022.

“WWF’s supporters have told us that Australia’s beautiful wildlife, habitats and climate are worth standing up for and protecting."

“We need a new deal for people and Nature,” Mr O’Gorman said.