The Wilderness Society Australia

Where is the Great Koala National Park? The NSW Labor government made a promise before it was elected in 2023 to create the Great Koala National Park. More than a year and half has passed and the park is yet to become a reality. The area proposed to form the park is critical—it’s home to around 20% of NSW’s endangered koala population and more essential than ever after the Black Summer Bushfires devastated nearly two-thirds of NSW’s native forests. This makes the proposed Park area a significant stronghold for koala's in the state. Sadly, new research shows that logging intensity within the proposed park area is four times greater than in the surrounding forest. The longer the park is delayed, the more NSW koalas are at risk. Read more 👇 https://lnkd.in/gcNhpg9v #GreatKoalaNationalPark #NSW #forests #environment

Until Coles Group cleans up its act, it is complicit in Australia’s deforestation crisis. But it appears the supermarket giant isn't even checking if the products on its shelves come from forest destruction, leaving customers in the dark about whether they are buying groceries sourced from deforestation. Yesterday at their AGM, alongside Greenpeace Australia Pacific and Australian Conservation Foundation, we reminded Coles that they have a responsibility to their customers to ensure shoppers don’t have to worry about their groceries coming at the expense of native wildlife and their forest habitat. Coles must commit to going deforestation-free—for people, nature and climate. #deforestation #supermarkts #environment

Great to be part of a formidable - and fun! - presence inside and outside the Coles Group AGM in Naarm / Melbourne today, alongside colleagues from Greenpeace Australia Pacific and Australian Conservation Foundation Coles has a deforestation problem. A lack of transparency, and of proper monitoring, means that consumers are in the dark about Australian deforestation, and the groceries on Coles' shelves. Customers should not have to worry about whether everyday groceries are made from the destruction of Australia's forests -- but they do. Coles has a responsibility to shoppers: to make sure groceries are not costing the homes of koalas, quolls, or swift parrots. Yet everyday, more and more forests and bushland is destroyed to make some beef, timber, packaging and aluminium products. Meanwhile, Coles has still not committed to clean up its supply chains of Australian deforestation. The positive is: Coles can act on this. By aligning with international best practice, and using verifiable definitions, Coles can make credible policy commitments, and take robust action. Thanks to wonderful The Wilderness Society Australia Society supporters, there were also 1/ roaming bicycle billboards circling the AGM showing video footage of Australian deforestation, 2/ all around the country volunteers have held actions outside Coles' stores, and 3/ there are comments a plenty on the Coles' Instagram -- add yours to the hundreds of other comments already at the link in the comments below. For people, for nature, and for climate, Coles must go deforestation-free. Kelly O'Shanassy David Ritter

We were at the Coles AGM today to call on the supermarket to go deforestation-free. Right now, it seems Coles Group isn’t checking if some products that end up in its stores like beef, timber pallets and paper packaging, are tied to forest destruction. Until Coles takes deforestation off its shelves, it is complicit in Australia’s deforestation crisis. We made sure that Coles heard the message loud and clear today: it’s time to go deforestation-free! A passionate crowd chanted as shareholders entered the AGM, calling for Coles to take deforestation off the shelves. Roaming bicycle billboards displaying footage of deforestation for beef pasture did the rounds outside the AGM venue. Thanks to our supporters for funding these billboards! Amelia Young (The Wilderness Society Australia National Campaigns Director), spoke about Coles’ deforestation problem to the media alongside Kelly O'Shanassy (CEO, Australian Conservation Foundation) and David Ritter (CEO, Greenpeace Australia Pacific). And once inside the AGM, Adèle Chasson, Meels and I questioned the supermarket’s executive on what action Coles is taking to address deforestation in its supply chains. We weren't the only ones—many others also questioned the supermarket on what steps it’s taking to go deforestation-free and help protect nature. While Coles referred to some work in progress, the company still isn’t meeting its deforestation problem with the urgency or robustness required to properly fix it.

"Yet, over the course of the summit, delegates increasingly noted the preponderance of ‘talk, about talking about, the need to take action…’ Something that may read like mental gymnastics, but at its heart is a demonstration that the baseline of recognition of the biodiversity crisis has shifted—and in the right direction. Now is the time for action."—Amelia Young Last month, our National Campaigns Director Amelia Young, attended the Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney. Read her second reflection on the urgent next steps needed to protect biodiversity and create lasting impact. #GlobalNaturePositiveSummit #naturepositive #biodiversity #environment

Last week, Wilderness Society campaigners Hannah Schuch and Adele Chasson were at the Woolworths Annual General Meeting (AGM). At the AGM, Woolworths couldn't assure the public and its shareholders that there isn't nature destruction in its supply chains. Whether it's sourcing salmon from Maugean skate habitat, to buying beef, timber and pulp that comes from deforestation of Australia's unique forests and bushland. It's clear that Woolworths needs to—and can!—do more to protect Australia's nature. Woolworths Supermarkets has promised to take groceries made from deforestation off its shelves. But words won’t stop the bulldozers. We asked Woolworths what concrete steps it is taking to clean up its supply chains—but we didn’t get a clear plan in response. You can email the Woolworths and Coles CEOs today so that they hear it loud and clear: their customers are counting on them to go deforestation-free. 👉 Take action: https://lnkd.in/gW3se4mu #supermarkets #deforestation #corporateresponsibility #supplychains #australia #environment

A recent study reveals that the majority of Australians expect Coles and Woolworths to sell products free from forest destruction. Discover the key findings and find out how together, we can urge the major supermarkets to go deforestation-free: https://lnkd.in/gVYDycKp Coles Group Woolworths Supermarkets #supermarkets #deforestation #corporateresponsibility

Australia’s deforestation crisis is rampant. Hundreds of thousands of hectares of unique forests and bushland are destroyed every year to make everyday products—from steaks to packaging. When buying Australian beef or timber, consumers around the world would be horrified to know these products could come with a side of koala habitat destruction. These consumers want to know that the things they buy don't come from deforestation. A delay in the EU's deforestation regulation is a grace period for industry and the Australian government to get their systems in place—not a grace period to carry out more habitat destruction. As AFi Director Jedd Milder states: “The EUDR delay doesn’t change the fundamental importance for companies to eliminate deforestation and related risks of illegality and human rights violations in their supply chains. The extra year should be used to accelerate action towards this goal overall, not only to dot the i’s and cross the t’s for EUDR compliance.” Read more: https://lnkd.in/gdcDYJcp Photograph: Deforestation for beef pasture in Queensland | Paul Hilton #deforestation #EUDR #environment #australia

BREAKING: New polling reveals that 3/4 of West Australians view the establishment of an independent federal EPA as important. These numbers show that pressure is continuing to build on Prime Minister Albanese to strengthen his proposed federal regulator to protect Australia’s unique and world class environment. We urge the PM Anthony Albanese and Labor government to negotiate with the senate crossbench to amend then pass the EPA bill. This will help give species like the numbat and ngoorlark (Carnaby's black cockatoo) a fighting chance to survive. As independent senator David Pocock notes: “This research shows Australians, even in our most resource-dependent state, want to see a regulator that is independent and more ambition from the federal government on climate change and protecting Nature.” https://lnkd.in/gVMh6e4D

Queensland's new Liberal National government has the future of Queensland's unique environment in their hands. The Wilderness Society urges Queensland’s new government to act to protect nature across the state—from the state's high conservation value forests and bushland, to the Channel Country rivers and floodplains in Lake Eyre Basin, and the living cultural landscapes on the Cape. David Crisafulli and the new government will need to show real action over the next four years to protect the nature that Queenslanders love, and make sure Queensland’s environment is in better shape, than when they stepped into office. Read more: https://lnkd.in/g57fDMjD #queensland #environment #WildernessSociety