Wilderness Society rejects Liberal And Labour

Wilderness Society rejects Liberal And Labour

SYDNEY — The Wilderness Society has called for voters concerned about the environment, and native forests in particular, to vote for the Democrats, Greens and progressive independents in the Senate.

At a February 19 press conference Wilderness Society director Karenne Jurd also called for urgent reform of the electoral system to bring proportional representation to the House of Representatives.

Jurd said that both the ALP and the Coalition have policies that "will devolve power back to the states and facilitate the fast-tracking of major resource developments". The Coalition would also abolish the Department of the Environment and establish a Department of Sustainable Development. There was, however, only "minimal policy differentiation" between the parties.

By voting as recommended in the Senate, said Jurd, "friends of the environment" can exercise a "balance of power" and exert leverage on some legislation. But the Wilderness Society would not endorse any party in the House of Representatives because any vote ends up being a vote for one of the major parties.

From GLW issue 89