Caz Heise, independent candidate for Cowper, has today revealed her priorities for protecting the environment if elected to parliament. 

“Nature is essential and amazing - it fuels my passion and inspires me every day to get up and fight for our future,” said Caz.

“The Mid North Coast boasts some of the most beautiful places in the world. Our pristine beaches, mountains, rivers, and forests are home to a vibrant tapestry of plants, animals, and ecosystems, unparalleled anywhere else on the planet."

Caz's commitments include: 

Strengthening Environmental Laws, by

• Fixing the EPBC Act

• Forming a Federal EPA

• Ending sham environmental offsets 

• Recognising that climate change is a threat to nature

• Removing the exemption native forest logging is granted to environmental laws 

“Australia’s environmental laws are outdated, ineffective, and riddled with loopholes that allow destruction to continue unchecked. If we want to protect our forests, rivers, and wildlife for future generations, we need to overhaul these laws with strong, enforceable protections.”  

“If mining, farming, and tourism operators must comply with environmental laws, so should the logging industry.”

Improving enforcement of Australia's environmental laws, by 

• Establishing a strong, independent Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) at the federal level. 

• Improved environmental monitoring and data publication

“Stronger laws mean nothing if they aren’t enforced, and right now, our system lacks both oversight and reliable data to track environmental destruction in real time.”

Pay People to Protect Nature, including 

• Stewardship payments for farmers and landholders 

• More funding for Indigenous Ranger programs.

Statements attributable to Caz Heise

“Protecting the environment isn’t just about stopping destruction - it’s about supporting the people restoring it.We need to invest in those who care for our land, water, and wildlife. 

“We need to recognise the role that farmers and landholders play as environmental custodians, and ensure they aren’t financially penalised for conservation efforts.

“The Indigenous Ranger programs provide real jobs in regional and remote areas while strengthening the connection between people, culture, and nature. They’re one of the most effective conservation programs in Australia and need permanent, expanded funding.

“Nature is being destroyed at a rapid and alarming rate. Our forests are being logged and cleared,  our rivers are destroyed to the extent that Australia is the only developed nation listed as a deforestation hotspot (source).

Successive governments have prioritised corporate profits over environmental protection, directing millions in public subsidies to destructive practices like native forest logging and coal seam gas mining. Nowhere was this clearer than in the Albanese Government’s decision to shelve its promised nature protection laws (The Conversation).

“Our environment is the foundation of our community’s well-being. It supports our agriculture, fuels our local economies, and enriches our lives.

“I will fight to protect nature - because our community and the next generation deserves fresh water, clean air and thriving ecosystems.”