The State of the Environment 2021 report paints a grim picture of Australia’s biodiversity, including an increase in the number of listed threatened species. Experts have continuously pointed to legislation as a major hurdle to improving conservation. So, with the Australian government recently pledging to reform environmental legislation- could we close the legal loopholes and save our threatened species? In this special edition of Think: Sustainability a panel of experts tells us about the law reforms needed to conserve and protect threatened species.

Featuring:
Dr Ian Cresswell, Co-chair of the 2021 State of the Environment Report
Rachel Walmsley, Head of Policy and Law Reform, Environmental Defenders Office
Dr Leigh Martin, Ecologist and Environmental Sciences Program Director at the University of Technology Sydney.

Producer/Presenter: Marlene Even
Music: Epidemic Sound

#161 - Is Australian Law Protecting Threatened Species?

From waste to wealth, and grids to growth, the show digs into the impact of consumption across all areas of life — it tracks the movements, discoveries and technologies making way for a sustainable future.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Science

As a child, Shannon’s dad told her that her great-grandfather was supposed to be among the first to cross the Sydney Harbour Bridge in the opening ceremony, but was robbed of the honour at the last minute by a white man in a suit. 
When she became a professional researcher, she searched for years and years to verify the story, but couldn’t. However, she did uncover some other parts of her family history. And what she found shocked her.
Guest: Shannon Foster, D'harawal Saltwater Knowledge Keeper and artist
Producer & presenter: Lawrence Bull

Genocide in the suburbs

Traditionally, attempts to save animals in the wild have focused on their population numbers and reproductive success. But new research exploring the mental quality of life experienced by wild animals could revolutionise conservation efforts. 
Featuring:
Dr Andrea Harvey, UTS Chancellor’s Postdoctoral Research Fellow
Morgan Philpott, WIRES Volunteer Koala Carer
Executive producer & post production: Lawrence Bull
Producer & presenter: Wendy Frew

The inner lives of wild animals: Conservation’s new frontier

When we think of the city, “nature” might be the furthest thing from our minds. But we’ve found a hidden army of people bringing our cities back to life.
Featuring:
Dr Judy Friedlander, Founder and Director of PlantingSeeds Projects and Adjunct Fellow at the Institute for Sustainable Futures, University of Technology Sydney
The Mudcrabs and the Mudlarks – Hans Beg, Russel Cail, Jennifer Kent and Jo
Abbie Galvin, NSW Government Architect
Produced by Tom Melville and Laura Corrigan

Rewilding the city

A pharmaceutical company profits from legions of addicted customers; a gambling company knowingly markets to people in debt; a hospital kills its patients.
People who do far less damage are locked up for life, yet corporations act like horror villains and get away with no criminal penalty. 
Why do we let them get away with it? And how do we stop them?

Featuring: Penny Crofts, Professor at the Faculty of Law, University of Technology Sydney

Producer and presenter: Lawrence Bull

Why we let corporations act like monsters

At least forty countries and the European Union now have a price on carbon. Australia tried, and failed in 2012. What do we need to do to make it work this time around?
Featuring: Mona Mashhad Rajabi - Post-doctoral Research Associate, UTS School of Business Centre for Climate Risk and Resilience.
Executive producer and post production: Lawrence Bull
Producer and presenter: Annamarie Reyes

#161 - Is Australian Law Protecting Threatened Species?

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