Australia's new environment minister, 𝘔𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘦𝘳 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘳𝘢𝘺 𝘞𝘢𝘵𝘵, along with the re-elected Labor government have 𝗷𝘂𝘀𝘁 𝗮𝗽𝗽𝗿𝗼𝘃𝗲𝗱 𝗮𝗻 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 for Australia's largest (and most polluting) gas project -- 𝗪𝗼𝗼𝗱𝘀𝗶𝗱𝗲'𝘀 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵 𝗪𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝗦𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗳. The life of this oil and gas project has now been extended to 2070.

"The approval of an 𝗲𝘅𝘁𝗲𝗻𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗡𝗼𝗿𝘁𝗵𝘄𝗲𝘀𝘁 𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗳 𝘄𝗼𝘂𝗹𝗱 𝗯𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗹𝘆, 𝗼𝗻𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝘄𝗼𝗿𝘀𝘁 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝘀𝗶𝗼𝗻𝘀 𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝗺𝗮𝗱𝗲 by an environmental minister in Australia's history, 𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘴 𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘥𝘰𝘻𝘦𝘯 𝘯𝘦𝘸 𝘤𝘰𝘢𝘭 𝘧𝘪𝘳𝘦𝘥 𝘱𝘰𝘸𝘦𝘳 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴" Greg Jericho, chief economist, the Australia Institute.

The Great Barrier Reef is arguably Australia’s most famous natural wonder. This Unesco World Heritage listed ecosystem spans 2,300 kilometers of the Northeastern coast of Australia and is the largest coral reef system in the world. Home to over 1,600 species of fish, 6 of the 7 species of marine turtles, 450 variety of hard corals, 1,000 species of soft corals, 30 species of whales and dolphins, a thriving population of dugongs, and 133 species of sharks and rays, it is one of the most biodiverse and complex ecosystems in the world. 

Drawing approximately 2.9 million tourists every year this ecological jewel is also a significant source of income for Australia’s tourism industry.

In late last year I was invited to take part in an incredible citizen science initiative to survey the health of the Great Barrier Reef. We were to be the first major survey post the last bleaching event in March of 2024, so none of us knew what we were going to find.

There is something sublime and almost otherworldly about standing amongst a grove of moss laden giants, soaring towards the sky. These Eucalyptus Regnans know nothing of Australia’s tall poppy syndrome.  They reach for the skies with all their splendour and might, standing tall and strong, offering shelter and nourishment to all who seek it…

For those in Lismore, flood insurance isn’t a thing. They aren’t even eligible for it because they live in a flood zone. And they live in a flood zone because it is more affordable than non-flood zones in this region, a region that was in a crippling housing crisis before the floods even came. Without any other viable options provided to them, many have no choice but to rebuild their lives where they lost them. And yet here we are less than a month later, with the rains pounded down yet again, and Lismore being evacuated.