Ensuring Australia’s Birds are Heard by the 48th Parliament

As the ALP swoops on victory this evening, BirdLife Australia congratulates them on securing government and looks forward to working constructively with Anthony Albanese and the new parliament to ensure Australia’s birds are heard.

The Australian Government must ensure no more time is lost in addressing the urgent challenges facing nature, our communities and the birdlife we all treasure.

164 Australian birds are now at risk of extinction- more than any other animal group in the country.

Nearly half of our birds are found nowhere else on Earth.

Birds like the Swift Parrot and the Regent Honeyeater – which only number in their hundreds – are on the brink of being lost forever.

Our birds are declining due to habitat destruction, invasive predators and climate change, and they now face the looming threat of H5 Bird Flu that has devastated wildlife across the globe.

Australia must commit to protecting, restoring and coexisting with our unique natural environment if we are to thrive in the future.

BirdLife Australia and our hundreds of thousands of supporters nationally expect the new Government to:

• Empower communities to restore habitat by supporting BirdLife Australia’s Birds on Farms and Urban Birds programs, delivering both economic and environmental benefits
• Expand community science that boosts mental and physical health by investing in nature-engagement programs such as BirdLife Australia’s Aussie Bird Count
• Streamline regional planning, the energy transition and a Future Made in Australia using world-leading data tools to make decisions that are better for birds and nature
• Invest in a national Bird Tourism Strategy that grows the $2.6 Billion contribution that bird tourism generates annually, especially in regional and rural Australia
• Accelerate preparedness to safeguard against the devastating impact to wildlife and agriculture of the H5 Bird Flu threat
• Fix Australia’s broken nature laws and provide an urgent rescue package for Australia’s most threatened birds

We are ready to work with the Government and the new parliament on practical, science-based solutions, ensuring birds are thriving in resilient ecosystems that support healthy communities and sustainable business.

BirdLife Australia Media Enquiries: Please contact James Johnson on 0423 659 324 or at media@birdlife.org.au