Description - Conservation Council Of WA presents

Extinction, environmental law and the Yeelirrie court case

A landmark WA environmental lawsuit, CCWA & Traditional Owners v WA Environmental Minister 2018 is being held in the Supreme Court of Appeal on the 5 March this year.

The case demonstrates that our current laws have failed to uphold the objectives of protecting the environment and biodiversity. Environmental protection laws must first and foremost protect species and not set a precedent that enables their extinction.

The loss of threatened species reflects systemic failures of the government and its laws to be applied for the protection of species and their habitat. This court case seeks to defend WA's environmental protection laws.

CCWA invites you to the "all creatures great and small" public forum to find out about the Yeelirrie court case. This court case could overturn the environmental approval for a project that would knowingly case the extinction of multiple species unique to the Yeelirrie area, an approval that was inconsistent with the EPA findings and a detailed appeals process. This is dangerous precedent set by the previous government and one we must challenge.
Be part of this important discussion with experts on environmental law and ecology and traditional owners who are working to protect all creatures great and small.

Speakers include;

Prof Carmen Lawrence, CCWA President, Senior Honorary Research Fellow UWA, Former Premier of WA

Declan Doherty, Principal Solicitor at the Environmental Defenders Office who is one of WA's most respected environmental lawyers with a distinguished record to service community and civil society organisations.

Vicky Abdullah is a Traditional Owner from Yeelirrie and one of the women applicants in the court case to protect her country and people.

Dr Hugh Finn, Lecture Curtin Law School, Environmental Law and Policy

Dave Sweeney, Australian Conservation Foundation will MC the evening with his extensive experience and knowledge to weave together these complex themes.

The Environmental Protection Act 1986 was never intended to be used to sanction the extinction of wildlife, get informed and be part of defending the laws that protect the environment and the future.

For more information on the event please contact Kerrie-Ann Garlick, CCWA 0401 909 332 ka.garlick@ccwa.org.au