A national poll conducted by UComms on 14 May found:
- 74.9% of respondents believe mining corporations, the logging industry and property developers should not be able to interfere with our environmental protection laws.
- 77.2% of respondents think the government should wait until the official review has been completed before making any changes to the EPBC laws
- 69.8% of respondents believe animal populations must be allowed to recover before projects like mining go ahead given the impacts of the recent bushfires
Just this week we’ve seen the fossil fuel industry publicly lobbying the government to fast-track changes that would butcher our environmental protection laws, and questions raised about why the National COVID Commission is stacked with lobbyists.
GetUp’s National Director Paul Oosting said:
“It’s time for the government to rule out any changes that put the interests of mining companies and property developers over and above that of communities and wildlife.
“We're still reeling from a devastating summer of bushfires and under the cover of COVID-19 the government wants to trash our environmental laws
“This polling is a resounding message to Minister Ley: people want strong environmental protection laws. Rushing through any changes isn’t just undemocratic, it’s overwhelmingly unpopular
“Everyday people are fed up with the pressure from mining magnates, developers and logging companies trying to exploit the coronavirus crisis to push their self-interested, environmentally destructive agenda.
“Bowing to pressure from the fossil fuel lobby to rush through changes under the cover of COVID-19 isn’t just undemocratic, it’s overwhelmingly unpopular.
“Our existing laws are already so weak that Australia has one of the highest rates of mammal extinction in the world.
“We need these laws strengthened to properly protect our communities and our wildlife, not weakened to pander to the interests of the powerful fossil fuel lobby.”
Full polling available on request.