A free BBQ – and a government that’s gutting our nature laws

During late March, we hosted another of our free community BBQs in Southbank.

Locals came together over bean burritos and conversation to meet Greens candidate Sonya Semmens, share their stories, and talk about the pressures they’re facing – from cost of living to climate change, and protecting the places we love.

It was a moment of connection, care, and community. A reminder that while people are doing what they can to support each other, governments are doing the opposite.

While we were bringing people together, Labor and the Liberals were quietly teaming up in Canberra to tear apart Australia’s environmental protections.

In the middle of federal budget week – buried in headlines and passed in under four hours – Labor rammed through legislation that gutted Australia’s environmental laws.

These changes remove the Environment Minister’s power to intervene when coal and gas projects threaten the climate, biodiversity, and local communities.

It is a gift to fossil fuel companies – and a betrayal of every promise Labor made to strengthen environmental protections.

Australia’s environment laws are now worse than when Labor came to office. This is absolutely shameful.

Species are vanishing. Forests are being cleared. Rivers are drying up. And instead of acting with urgency, Labor is giving the green light to destruction.

But the Greens are fighting back.

We’ve been calling for strong, enforceable environmental laws that actually protect nature – including an environmental regulator with teeth, a climate trigger to stop fossil fuel expansion, and proper rights for communities to challenge harmful projects.

This isn’t just policy. It’s about survival.

Australians care about the environment deeply. They want clean air, healthy rivers, thriving wildlife, and real action on climate. They don’t want fossil fuel executives making decisions behind closed doors.

And they certainly don’t want their government gutting nature laws in the middle of the night.

Labor’s decision won’t go unnoticed. This will be an election issue – and the Greens will stand up for our environment all the way to the ballot box.

Events like our free community BBQs remind us of what real leadership looks like. It’s not backroom deals with lobbyists – it’s showing up in the community, listening, and organising for something better.

Thank you to everyone who joined us, shared your thoughts, and stood with us.

We’ll keep showing up too, in Parliament, on the streets, and in your neighbourhood – to fight for stronger environmental laws, a safe climate, and a future that puts people and the planet first. •