Push for Federal Government to Enhance Wildlife Protection
Ken Henry is leading efforts urging the federal government to increase its commitment to safeguarding animals as biodiversity in Australia continues to decline.
Labor faces pressure to implement stringent national regulations aimed at protecting threatened species vulnerable to disasters such as bushfires and floods. Henry, a former Treasury secretary, is among advocates warning that the threats to wildlife may soon become irreversible.
Months after a significant revision of environmental legislation was passed in parliament, a coalition of animal protection and advocacy groups is calling on the Albanese government to standardize rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation procedures. They also seek funding support for organizations dedicated to protecting species, including endangered koalas, in the upcoming May federal budget.
Henry, who was previously criticized for taking five weeks’ leave in 2008 to care for his ill wife, now chairs Wildlife Recovery Australia.
He is championing a coordinated national approach to wildlife protection, aiming to address the current fragmented efforts across states and territories as part of a broader strategy to reverse the decline in Australia’s biodiversity.
Under the proposed plan, some rescue services currently performed by volunteers would receive government funding.
Alongside organizations such as RSPCA Queensland, Henry advocates for budget allocations to cover services including veterinary care and long-term rehabilitation for animals, much of which presently relies on volunteer labor.
He told Australia that the recent overhaul of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act has increased awareness, but animals affected by natural disasters require enhanced protection.
Last financial year, volunteers responded to over 320,000 calls for assistance involving sick, injured, or orphaned wildlife. Nearly 130,000 rescue operations were conducted, and veterinarians assessed 51,000 injured animals.
The rising demand is driven by climate change and habitat destruction.
“There’s a huge gap at both federal and state level,” Henry said.
“As a consequence of these pressures, more and more animals are getting in harm’s way. When they get in harm’s way, governments take very little interest. So it is left to volunteers to pick up the pieces and get those animals back into the wild.”
Currently, responsibility for injured animals largely falls on community members.
Henry noted that practicing veterinarians in states such as New South Wales are legally required to treat injured wildlife without compensation.
“We need to have a good hard look at what’s going on here. We need a national approach.”
He emphasized that governments have an opportunity to collaborate and demonstrate leadership, especially given increased public awareness due to the climate crisis and recent events like floods and bushfires.
Recent Legislative Changes and New Environmental Agency
In November, Labor secured a major reform of the EPBC Act.
Inspired by businessman Graeme Samuel’s 2020 review, the amendments aim to enhance nature protection through new environmental standards and expedited project assessments. The reforms also establish a new environmental protection agency and will subject native forest logging to national environment standards within 18 months.
This week, Environment Minister Murray Watt officially opened the new agency, which is scheduled to commence operations in July.
Calls for National Leadership and Funding
Lisa Palma, chief executive of Wildlife Victoria, highlighted the importance of national leadership in protecting species such as koalas.
“Wildlife is a national asset, yet the responsibility to care for injured animals falls almost entirely on underfunded charities and volunteers,” she said.
Dean Huxley, representing the Western Australian animal rescue group WA Wildlife, stated that the volunteer workforce has reached a critical point.
“Government investment is not a luxury item any more, it is essential. Without it there is a real risk that injured wildlife will soon have nowhere to go and that is something the community would not accept if it were widely understood.”
The federal budget is scheduled for release on 12 May.
