Does the environment matter in Australian political debates?.
Since the 1970s environmental issues have gained much publicity. They have become prominent in Australian political debates. The political attention on the environment peaked during the late 1980s (Summers, Woodward &Parkin, 2002). As we are faced with growing environmental problems, the focus on the environment has become increasingly important. Over the past decade, however, focus on environmental issues has faded, as governments place their priorities elsewhere. I believe that the environment does matter in Australian political debates; it is not, however, seen as a huge priority. In this essay I will look at why the environment is not given priority by politicians over other issues concerning economic and social agendas. I will do this by assessing the attitude many people have towards the environment and environmental issues, the attitude politicians in particular have towards economic and social issues, and how these attitudes affect Australia's ability to move towards environmental policy.
Although over the past thirty years environmental issues have gained much political attention, the attitudes towards these issues have not shown any great change. In the past, societies have exploited their natural resources and abused their surrounding environment. Australia is no exception (Hutton, 1987). In his article, Hutton describes the past attitudes towards the environment of many European societies. He shows how many saw their relationship with the environment as a "life/death struggle between Man and Nature . Man has won - or is winning- . Many felt that nature was an enemy that needed to be defeated, or the last frontier to be conquered. They wanted to be able to control and dominate nature. This destructive attitude had a huge impact on the environment, especially in Australia, and continues to work against us now, as we feel the consequences of our past actions, and begin to look for ways to reverse the damage.