Larissa Waters, Greens senator: black-throated finch
Your vote is powerful. The spotlight from this plucky little bird winning Australian bird of the year could make the difference between its survival and its extinction.
The black-throated finch has already been forced out of 88% of its original range due to land clearing and habitat loss and is now only found in central Queensland, north-west of Clermont.
Critically, the core part of its remnant habitat is in the footprint of Adani’s coalmine. The area earmarked to offset habitat loss is within the footprint of Clive Palmer’s coalmine!
This finch has become a symbol for all that will be lost if we allow the Galilee coal basin to be opened up. We stand to lose so much if we don’t do everything we can to stop climate change but to achieve that we need to leave the coal – and the finches – in the Galilee basin alone.
A vote for this finch is a vote for climate action!
Anthony Albanese, Labor leader: sulphur-crested cockatoo
Could you imagine Australia without the sulphur-crested cockatoo?
Without that big voice? Without that big character?
They seem like a bird with a cheeky sense of humour. They’re happy in each other’s company. And they make plans and work together.
They hang out around the Cooks River, sometimes in their hundreds.
They seem to share food, which is cool, and unlike kookaburras, cockies never try to steal a snag off your plate.
Josh Frydenberg, treasurer: kookaburra
My kids love them!
Tanya Plibersek, Labor MP: tawny frogmouth
They are charming.
Barnaby Joyce, Nationals MP: grey shrike-thrush
There was always a nest of a thrush on top of the door post at the front of our house at Danglemah. It meant spring.
Sussan Ley, environment minister: night parrot
A friend told me the story of the night parrot. They look lovely, I like their beautiful yellow and green colouring.
