Yesterday, I spoke at the 2009 NSW Sustainable Development conference. Here’s an excerpt:

How many State of the Environment Reports will it take before we start acting to ensure healthy ecosystems, fresh water, clean air and a safe climate are guaranteed for future generations? Why are we commissioning State of the Environment Reports if this isn’t what we want to do? From where I sit it appears that governments have an unhealthy obsession with monitoring environmental decline.

and

It’s time for all levels of government and responsible business leaders to tackle the growth and consumption issue head on. Getting sustainable development truly sustainable is the challenge of our lifetimes.

Let’s return to that statement in the 2006 NSW State of the Environment Report: “continued growth is not sustainable over an extended period.” When does the stop or slow button get pushed? Because there’s no doubt that one day it will have to and the sooner it does, the less severely it will need to be.

Download my full speech here

In March I was invited to speak at a rally organised by the local community in the Illawarra region who have been battling to save a beautiful patch of public land with coastal frontage and beach access from overdevelopment. This is public land which the NSW Government is currently deciding whether to hand over to private developers in the form of a 52-year lease to build a tourist development on. Unbelievable. [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pT637bX1ovk]

Contact NSW Planning Minister Kristina Keneally’s office at office@keneally.minister.nsw.gov.au or (02) 9228 5811 if you’d like to register your support for keeping this land for families, surfers and all members of the community and of course the birds and the wildlife – and not for the profit of private developers.