Don Burke, from Channel 9’s Burke’s Backyard, took over from me as Chair of the Australian Environment Foundation (AEF) this afternoon. Don is calling for a whole new approach to environmentalism and a focus on the management of our National Parks.
Have a read of his media release at
http://www.aefweb.info/media775.html.
And you can find out more about Don Burke at
http://www.aefweb.info/staff.php?id=20 .
There has been a bit at this web-log about the AEF, including
Principles underpinning AEF (May 15th 2005)
http://www.jennifermarohasy.com/blog/archives/000607.html
Announcing launch of AEF (9th June, 2005)
http://www.jennifermarohasy.com/blog/archives/000651.html
Piece by Michael Thomson (16th June 2005)
http://www.jennifermarohasy.com/blog/archives/000685.html.
And check out the AEF website at http://www.aefweb.info – including the rest of the team at http://www.aefweb.info/staff.php .
I will still be very active within the organisation. As Chair I had been filling a gap between Barry Cohen leaving and someone else taking over – Don Burke as it turns out.
I remain Director of the Environment Unit at the Institute of Public Affairs and a Fellow of the Centre for Public and International Comparative Law (CPICL) at the University of Queensland.
Jennifer Marohasy BSc PhD is a critical thinker with expertise in the scientific method.
I don’t have TV reception and have never seen Burke’s Backyard, but I do wonder about this need to be led by entertainers.
I gather the AEF management committee believes Don Burke has the greatest capacity to affect metroplitan change in environmental attitude through his public popularity.
I remain hopeful that, at some time, the legitimacy of membership concern will be permitted to influence the formulation of policy.
It seems that Don Burke is to be judged on his occupation – what happened to the fair go?
The fair go was thrown out the window with popularist environmentalism and to such an extent that the AEF was conceived – to counter the impropriety.
As one of the many disenfranchised interests around the country no longer willing to tolerate the dictates, dishonesty and arrogance of popularist environmentalism and its self-proclaimed monopoly on caring for the environment, I have very high hopes for the AEF.
Don Burke’s appointment to its Chairmanship will be judged against the achievement of change that warranted the establishment of the AEF in the first instance. On that basis, I wish him a fair go.
I will admit that I am not too keen on the AEF,primarily because of the strong pro-GM stand.
That is a more pressing concern then the GW debate over the shorter term.
Jen, you never got around to answering my query in regard to your opinion of “David Suzuki” and his stand on environmental issues. Surely you would think that he has worthy credentials??.
I was speaking to a couple of blokes last week that supply a lot of the “organic lamb” into Sydney and they say there only threat is from a possible inability to supply the demand.
Maybe you won’t be so dismissive the next time we meet.
Graham,
Agree GM issues are more immediately relevant than GW issues.
I don’t have a particular opinion on David Suzuki – he seems popularist and a bit inconsistent but I haven’t put the hard yards into keeping up to date with his writings.
As regards organic, there may be a market for organic lamb, I understand there is also a market for lamb at the moment?
I remember reading an article in the Weekend Australian about Don Burke on a flight to the inaugural ‘Eureka Forum’ held in Ballarat in Dec 2004 at which the AEF was founded.
I remember reading his views as to ‘feel good’ recycling rather than productive or positive change for the environment in Australian society.
I thought then, and am convinced now, that Don is the person to take AEF forward and to give it some credibility against some of the more ‘compromised’ environmental organisations operating in Australia and internationally.
Don has been a familar face on Australian TV and a respected personality in Australian society. He may be the person to pierce the vale of the one sided and ideologically driven debate regarding the environment in this country.
I look forward to hearing from and working with Don, and all members of AEF, in the creation of a much needed and essential rational voice on environmental issues.
Hoo Roo!
Personally while not having a good look at the AEF site or it’s goals, my only comment would be is he an achiever and has he had any background success on environmental issues. This is the fair way to judge the appointment. Speaking from a conservative viewpoint I felt his postions on most products, gardening strategies and green issues fairly well researched and not emotive. I don’t think that the so called feral part of the green movement would have been watching him or supporting him. Commercially he was successful for a very long time and even at the conclusion of his show, his ratings were not the reason for cessation but a format change at Nine.
But he is not a climatologist however he is sufficently centralist in a modern Australia to be acceptable as a moderator for any organisation’s strategic interests in an effective green movement that is willing to look at the issues holistically.