The Latest Breaking News from Graeme Samuel

Imagine this fictitious scenario. The federal environment minister announces government approval for a large-scale penguin farm near Alice Springs. It will produce 300,000 penguins each year for the high-end feather market in Europe.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek this week acknowledged the grave state of Australia’s environment and pledged new laws to go before parliament next year.

Exclusive: company acknowledged in documents leaked to the Guardian it had used ‘hyper-aggressive tactics’ in global expansion

Floods, fires and droughts in Australia devastate lives, destroy wildlife and damage property. These disasters also cost billions of dollars through loss of agricultural and economic productivity, environmental vitality and costs to mental health. People are looking for long-term solutions from politicians and researchers.

Minister will release five-yearly report which she says details ‘alarming story’ of native species extinction and cultural heritage loss

Australia’s new minister faces difficult challenges fixing laws, creating an EPA and curbing an extinction crisis

Proposed EPA to collect data on the plight of the country’s wildlife as Labor commits to global biodiversity targets

The animals and plants at risk of extinction finally made it onto the political agenda last week, as Labor and the Greens launched biodiversity policies ahead of the federal election.

Opposition says it will also provide a response to the Samuel review into Australia’s national environmental laws