Western Australia Election 2013: Secure our natural way of life

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WA Election 2013

What will the next WA Government do to secure our natural way of life?

Western Australia has some of the most important and iconic wildlife in Australia. It also has some of the most spectacular and recognised landscapes on the planet.

But WA's 1950's wildlife law can't save our threatened species or their habitat. Only a fraction of the Kimberley's stunning landscapes and marine areas are protected. Natural bushland around Perth and across Southwest Australia is disappearing at a worrying pace. Meanwhile, our renewable energy sources remain largely untapped.

By securing our environment's future, the next government can also secure our natural way of life and make sure Western Australia’s amazing wildlife and natural places will still be here for our children.

Based on information provided by WA's major parties, here is how their policies currently rate in terms of WWF's priorities to secure our environment's future.

Check it out and then share it with your friends, family and networks.

⊕ Commit to stronger legislation to protect and manage biodiversity

Deliver a new Biodiversity Conservation Act in the next term of government to protect wildlife and their habitat
Ensure it has increased penalties, shapes planning decisions, is science-based, well-funded and overseen by an independent body.

⊕ Increase marine protection including a Great Kimberley
Marine Park

Large-scale marine parks, funding and joint management for the Kimberley.
Highly protected Kimberley marine parks and management plans for Pilbara and South Coast.

⊕ Develop a protection plan for
the entire Kimberley region

A sustainable economic vision that rejects industrialisation and supports cultural heritage and conservation.
Environmental protection plan for the region with increased funding for Indigenous rangers in land and sea management.

⊕ A sustainable vision for Southwest Australia

A plan for non-intrusive, low impact development that protects biodiversity.
A Threatened Species Rescue Package with increased protected areas and nature reserves.

⊕ Begin the transition to
renewable energy

Prevent new or expanded coal-fired power stations and provide incentives to encourage energy efficiency and renewable energy.
Support key federal initiatives to reduce carbon emissions such as a carbon price and a RET.

Methodology

A policy survey was sent to the major parties contesting the 2013 WA state election. The survey contained 28 questions and was designed to help WWF assess the degree to which the above five policy areas are aligned to each party's policy platform. CLICK HERE TO SEE OUR METHODOLOGY.

WWF's policy priorities

Click here to read in detail WWF's policy priorities for the 2013 WA election.

You can help! Send a letter to the leaders of WA's four main political parties. Ask them to tell you how they plan to secure our natural way of life.

Your Details:

*Subject line:
*Your email address:
*Your first name:
*Your family name:
*Your postcode:

The upcoming state election offers a choice of which candidates and parties will stand up and protect our natural way of life in Western Australia.  I write to seek your advice as to how your political party will do this.

Our natural way of life in WA is not secure. Biodiversity and natural resource assets are under increasing threat as WA undergoes unprecedented development and copes with the demands of rapid population growth. Without decisive action, the price may be irreversible impacts on the state’s biodiversity and wild places, places of cultural significance, agricultural productivity, and tourism icons such as the Margaret River region, Kimberley coast and Broome.

I ask you to consider and commit to the following measures to strengthen biodiversity protection in WA, and respond to me prior to the March 9 state election:

1.	Commit to enacting contemporary biodiversity conservation legislation to be drafted in consultation with key stakeholders including conservation groups in the first year and finalised by the middle of the next term. 
2.	Agree the legislation will be science-based with threatened species listing status determined by a well-resourced Expert Advisory Panel. 
3.	Allocate $2M per year to map Critical Habitat for threatened species, populations and ecological communities with priority given to the Southwest Australia Ecoregion (SWAE) and the Kimberley over the next term.
4.	Include severe penalties (based on a penalty unit system) for the unlawful interference, damage and destruction of threatened species and ecological communities, as well as unlawful actions that cause the loss of and damage to Critical Habitat. These penalties should exist with limited exemptions and be backed up with strong and well-resourced enforcement.
5.	Ensure the new legislation protects habitat for threatened species and ecological communities, and listing a threatened species or ecological community has consequences for planning, development approval and clearing approval processes.
6.	Require the legislation to be supported by strong and clear accountability and transparency mechanisms that ensure full public scrutiny of all applications and assessment, as well as with the listing processes for threatened species and ecological communities.
7.	Establish a body to independently monitor and report on the effectiveness of the legislation on an annual basis.  

Thank you for your consideration.

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WWF IS A SCIENCE-BASED CONSERVATION ORGANISATION AND IS POLITICALLY NON-PARTISAN.
AUTHORISED BY D. O'GORMAN, HERDSMAN LAKE, FLYNN STREET, WEMBLEY, WA 6014.

Header image: Everlastings Western Australia (c) Katherine Howard Honey possum (c) Henry Cook

Don't live in Western Australia? Click here to see what else you can do to help us to save endangered wildlife, habitats and communities around the world.

Did you know?

Carnaby cockatoo

The maximum penalty for killing a protected native animal in Western Australia is only $10,000... The maximum penalty in Queensland for killing an endangered animal is around $300,000 or up to two years in prison.

More than 20,000 humpback whales migrate to the Kimberley's near-pristine waters from Antarctica each year to calve. But only 5 per cent of the Kimberley marine environment is safeguarded.

Perth is at the heart of the Southwest Australia Ecoregion which is internationally revered for its biodiversity and is as rich and important as that of the Galapagos or the Amazon rainforest.

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