The Australian Centre for the Rights of Nature has been created by AELA to provide information about the Rights of Nature movement globally, and to work with interested communities in Australia, to explore how changing the legal status of nature can help people protect the ecosystems most precious to them.
Scroll down or visit AELA's dedicated Australian Centre for the Rights of Nature website for the latest information about AELA's Rights of Nature work in Australia and abroad.
Rights of Nature in Australian News
- Diane Evers, a Member of the Western Australian Parliament, has introduced a Bill to recognise the Rights of Nature and Future Generations. This is the first time that legislation aiming to recognise the rights of nature has been introduced in an Australian Parliament. AELA assisted with legal and drafting advice for the legislation and congratulates MP Evers for introducing the Bill. Read the media release on the Australian Centre for the Rights of Nature website.
- Listen to AELA’s convenor, Dr Michelle Maloney, interviewed on ABC Drive (North Queensland) with Adam Stephen, discussing the purpose and push for the recognition of the legal rights of the Great Barrier Reef. Listen to the interview on the ABC website: http://www.abc.net.au/radio/programs/north-qld-drive/drive/10125168 (Interview starts at 2:10 and runs until 15:45)
- On Tuesday 21 August 2018, Senator Marheen Faraqi called for Australia to recognise the Rights of Nature in law, during her maiden speech in the Australian Senate. Visit this webpage to listen to her speech.
- The Guardian Online 'It's only natural: the push to give rivers, mountains and forests legal rights', Jane Gleeson White, 1 April 2018
- ABC Online 'Calls to give legal rights to nature flow to WA's Southwest', by Jacqueline Lynch, 23 March 2018
- The Australian Panel of Experts on Environmental Law (APEEL) have released a set of reports making recommendations about the 'next generation' of environmental laws at the Federal level in Australia. Recommendation 8.4, from "Technical Report No.8", recommends that rights of nature and legal personhood for nature, should be explored by law makers in Australia.
AELA's Rights of the Great Barrier Reef Campaign - sign our signature campaign, read the draft laws and support rights of the reef
Please visit the ACRN website to sign our petition, read draft Rights of Nature laws for the Great Barrier Reef and to join the movement to transform Australia's legal system
RONA18 - Week of events in Brisbane, to celebrate and showcase the Rights of Nature
You're invited to be part of our celebration of the Rights of Nature throughout October 2018
In October 2018, the Australian Earth Laws Alliance (AELA) is hosting "RONA18" - a week of events in Brisbane that explore and promote the Rights of Nature. The week includes a week long National Art Exhibition, and is also connected to regional arts events and responses around Australia during October.
Everyone's invited to join us. For our fabulous 10 page program, please visit the RONA18 page of this website
Australian Peoples' Tribunal for Community and Nature's Rights
On 27 October 2018, AELA is hosting the second Peoples' Tribunal for Community and Nature's Rights at Banco Court in Brisbane. Visit the dedicated webpage for more information.
Permanent Peoples’ Tribunal on Human Rights, Fracking and Climate Change [14-18 May 2018]
In May 2018, Dr. Michelle Maloney and Phoebe Bishop of the Australian Earth Laws Alliance, worked with Lisa Mead, Director of the Earth Law Alliance UK, to lodge a formal submission to the PPT advocating for nature’s rights. The submission included evidence of harm caused to nature by unconventional oil and gas extraction. It also provided information about countries that have already banned fracking. Expert testimony was provided by a range of experts, including Cormac Cullinan, author of Wild Law, Linda Sheehan of the Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation, and Mari Margil of CELDF, provided a defense of the rights of animals and plants; the rights of rivers, waterways and aquifers; the rights of the land and its sub-surface; and the rights of the climate system as a whole.
A summary of the PPT case, including links to the full submission, can be found here:
http://earthlawyers.org/natures-rights-at-ppt/
Rights of Nature for Australian Communities
Communities around Australia are exploring how Rights of Nature laws might help them protect their local ecosystems. Community based projects are currently underway in Margaret River, Perth, the Blue Mountains and in communities connected to the Great Barrier Reef. Updates and model laws will soon be available to share.
For information about the Rights of Nature for Australian communities please read our document: Rights of Nature 2018 - Information for Australian communities. [1.2MB
If you or others in your community have questions about how Rights of Nature laws can work, please get in touch anytime: convenor@earthlaws.org.au
International Networks
AELA is a founding member of the Global Alliance for the Rights of Nature and works closely with Community Environmental Legal Defense Fund's (CELDF) International Center for the Rights of Nature.Read more about Rights of Nature laws around the world.
