MEDIA RELEASE                     

20 February 2018

Next Election Battleground: Parties face off over Nature & Climate

A powerful collection of community groups has brought together party leaders today to find out where they stand on clean energy, nature protection and climate action.

 "All parties would be foolish to ignore the clear preference from most South Australians to live in a place that works well with nature and our climate, and not against it,” said Craig Wilkins from Conservation SA.

“So far, we’ve heard very little this election from the parties about the environment. The 33 groups behind this forum have a collective membership of over 120,000 South Australians.  Any politician who ignores that power does so at their peril,” he said.

“South Australians are proud we lead the country in renewable energy. We’re looking for a strong commitment from all parties to powering our state with 100% renewable energy and protecting our state from risky and unnecessary new fossil fuel projects,” Dan Spencer, Solar Citizens.

“South Australia is currently supporting potentially massive expansions to the climate damaging fossil fuel industry in the states south/east, north and offshore in the Great Australian Bight. This could lead to hundreds, if not thousands of times more carbon pollution than SA's current emissions. We must stop the expansion of the fossil fuel industry to have any chance of providing our children with a liveable climate,” Peter Owen, Director, The Wilderness Society South Australia.

“With the future of the Murray Darling Basin Plan now hanging in the balance, which party is going to stand up for the Murray and the communities and wildlife which rely on a healthy river system?” Suzanne Harter, Australian Conservation Foundation.

“A healthy, diverse natural environment underpins much of South Australia’s economy and is critical for public health and wellbeing. Unfortunately, public investment in nature conservation continues to fall significantly. That’s why so many nature groups have joined forces to ask our political parties to take this issue seriously, collectively representing over a hundred thousand South Australians who care about nature,” Natasha Davis, Trees for Life.

The sold-out Forum is today at the Science Exchange (55 Exchange Place, Adelaide). 

11am – Media conference  
11.30am - Debate featuring Jay Weatherill, Steven Marshall, Nick Xenophon & Mark Parnell 

Forum organised by Conservation SA, Solar Citizens, Australian Conservation Foundation and The Wilderness Society

Contact & further comment: Craig Wilkins, 0417 879 439