There is no such thing as a free lunch
1987 The year Aust began grappling with the idea of sustainable development – a time where populists battled policy wonks. John Kerin said parties were taking a winner-take-all approach without understanding economic, social or environmental consequences.
If the Hawke Government were an environmental policy student in 1985, its report card would start with an A+, followed by a string of D’s. The card would bear the teacher’s comment that ‘this talented student has lost interest and is skipping class’
The Fraser Government came to power on a relatively bland platform of striking a balance between conservation and economic growth. But when I started researching Fraser’s environmental policies, I was more impressed than I expected to be.
Unfortunately, for many things environmental, restoration is not possible. But dialogue about our shared environmental problems, including the need to invest in restoration, remains possible, no matter how unlikely it may appear at present.