Labor will save Australia's iconic bushland

The Albanese Labor Government will save another 30 million hectares of bushland - an area bigger than New Zealand - which will protect more of Australia’s iconic natural beauty for future generations.

Labor’s landmark Saving Australia’s Bushland Program will bring 30 per cent of Australian land under protection for the first time. When the Government came to office three years ago, only 22 per cent of the nation’s land was under protection.

Since 2022, the Albanese Government has protected an extra 100 million hectares of Australia’s land and ocean - an area the size of Germany, Italy and Norway combined.

Labor’s Saving Australia’s Bushland Program will invest $250 million over the next five years to boost conservation. The new investment will help deliver Labor’s commitment to protect 30 per cent of land and 30 per cent of seas by 2030.

The new investment will:

- Kickstart the Nature Repair Market by investing in conservation projects by private landowners while improving links between the nature repair and carbon markets.

- Allow partnerships with philanthropic organisations, state and local governments to protect high conservation value areas to add to the National Reserve System.

- Provide vital safe havens for endangered species.

- Better protect degraded government land (for example defence property and other crown lands) by doing things like getting rid of feral pigs and weeds.

- Support the establishment of new Indigenous Protected Areas.

Only Labor can be trusted to conserve Australia’s precious natural assets.

Labor Governments saved the Franklin River from being dammed, protected the Daintree and Kakadu, put Tasmania’s unique forests and grasslands into World Heritage under Bob Hawke, and expanded the World Heritage Area again in 2012 and 2013.

Peter Dutton and the Coalition have consistently voted against taking serious climate action and have not made a single commitment in three years to improve or conserve Australia’s natural assets.

Increasing the number of protected areas will not only preserve landscapes, it will protect native plants and animals. Protecting land includes actively managing landscapes by taking steps to eradicate invasive weeds and feral animals and create safe havens for native species.

This program will not stop Australians enjoying the great outdoors including through recreational fishing, camping or picnics.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, Tanya Plibersek:

“Australians love spending time outdoors in the bush or at the beach - it’s part of our way of life and we want to make sure it’s part of our children and grandchildren’s lives too. With threats like invasive pests and climate change we know we need to protect more of our environment to make sure we can keep enjoying the great outdoors.

“After a decade of environmental vandalism by the Liberals and Nationals, Labor has made record investments to undo the damage done. We’ve doubled funding for our neglected national parks, invested a record $1.2 billion to protect and restore the Great Barrier Reef, established more Indigenous Protected Areas, and funded world-leading environmental science – from the Great Barrier Reef to Antarctica.

“We’re also investing more than half a billion dollars to save our native plants and animals from extinction. But you can’t protect our iconic threatened species like the koala and the greater bilby without protecting where they live – that’s why this commitment is so important.

“The choice at the election couldn’t be clearer. Labor, who will protect nature, fund essential science, invest in threatened species, and act on climate change. Or Peter Dutton and the climate deniers and wreckers of the Liberal and National Parties who haven’t made a single commitment that would help improve nature.

“Only Labor will ensure our iconic native species and precious places are protected for our kids and grandkids.”

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