On Wednesday in Adelaide, the Australian Greens will release an alternative environmental spending blueprint. With party leader Adam Bandt and former leader Bob Brown at the helm, this will be an especially significant effort. Their plan is titled Plan to Green Australia. It sets a course for ambitious commitments to halt and reverse biodiversity loss, support wildlife conservation efforts, and adopt stronger environmental protection policies. The Greens continue to be the only party that is making a major push for the future ecological of Australia by pushing for much higher federal funding.
New policy launch puts spotlight on commitment to green infrastructure. It promises to invest no less than one percent of the federal budget on these critical initiatives. This change is anticipated to lead to $17 billion additional investment during the next four-year cycle. This would more than double the administration’s proposed environmental budget of $13.3 billion. Bandt added that this multi-billion dollar investment is evidence of the party’s commitment to acting on Australia’s most urgent environmental crises.
Funding Sources and Tax Reforms
In order to pay for these radically ambitious proposals, the Greens intend to raise taxes on big businesses and billionaires. This hostile, regressive tax reform is expected to bring in approximately $514 billion worth of new revenue over the next ten years. The proposed changes aim not only to bolster environmental spending but to ensure that wealthy entities contribute their fair share towards national priorities.
Sarah Hanson-Young, a leading figure within the party, called it the key funding measure proposed.
“Whether it’s our clean air, our clean water, our tourism dollar [or] looking after nature, investing in our environment is a boon — not just for the economy, not just for jobs but for the health of the community.” – Sarah Hanson-Young
Their party’s funding strategy complements their overarching mission to protect and defend Australia’s natural resources and environment, and pursue a sustainable future.
Biodiversity Restoration Initiatives
The most exciting part of the plan is a serious commitment to commit to restoring biodiversity. The Greens propose making a dedicated $20 billion ten-year investment to achieve exactly that. We intend to leverage these funds to make cash land purchases in areas with the highest levels of biodiversity. Only then can we truly protect and expand these vital sink-producing ecosystems.
To manage this initiative effectively, the Greens aim to establish a Protected Areas Fund with an allocation of $5 billion. This fund will be key to ensuring Great Australian Bight is given world heritage listing. It will go a long way to boosting initiatives to protect Australia’s rare and beautiful landscapes and wildlife.
Along with these funding commitments, the Greens plan to overhaul Australia’s environmental legislation. These key reforms involve ceasing native forest logging and putting a stop to the clearing of habitats vital to the koala’s persistence. Australians are waking up to the reality that our wildlife and natural environment needs much greater protections. These legislative developments are a recognition of that increasing awareness.
“This election, if you care about nature, if you want to stop the koalas from going extinct, putting Greens in the balance of power is the only way.” – Sarah Hanson-Young
Legislative Reforms and Environmental Protections
The Greens are now in a position to hold four of the 19 Lower House crossbench seats. Yet they occupy 11 of 17 Senate seats. Their position allows them to exert influence over environmental policies, potentially shaping Australia’s approach to ecological conservation in coming years.
Currently, the Greens hold four out of 19 seats on the Lower House crossbench and 11 seats in the Senate. Their position allows them to exert influence over environmental policies, potentially shaping Australia’s approach to ecological conservation in coming years.
