Ahead of the WA election on March 8, the Conservation Council of WA has released its election scorecard scoring WA political parties on their environmental policy commitments.
WA Labor, the Liberals, the Nationals, the Greens, the Animal Justice Party and Sustainable Australia Party have been ranked for their responses across nine different policy issues, including legislating emissions reductions, ending forest mining, banning Kimberley fracking, protecting WA’s water resources, and rejecting nuclear power.
The WA Liberal and National parties failed to make commitments across all nine of the key policy areas identified in the scorecard, while WA Labor has only committed to rejecting nuclear power. The Animal Justice Party and Sustainable Australia Party both committed to eight of the nine policy areas, while the WA Greens committed to all nine of the environmental policy priorities.
The scorecard has been distributed to thousands of CCWA’s supporters and member groups, and the full scorecard has been posted on the CCWA website here.
Mia Pepper, the Acting Executive Director of the Conservation Council of WA, said:
“We need people in power who will stand up for our environment for present and future generations. This election is our opportunity to make that happen - and this scorecard shows where the parties stand.
“The WA Liberal and National parties did not score well on environmental policy. The WA Labor platform, which represents Labor membership, has some great policies - but we’re yet to see those manifest in government policy. To get the balance right on nature protection there is a lot of work to do in the next term of government
“Nature needs our vote. In 2025 alone, WA has suffered two cyclones, coral bleaching at Ningaloo, and bushfires. There are live proposals to clear precious jarrah forests and banksia woodlands for mining, which is critical habitat for endangered species. We have just discovered that Perth’s drinking water is under threat from contamination from forest mining. There are also plans to dredge Cockburn Sound to make way for nuclear-powered submarines, and two major gas proposals under assessment - which will lock in 6 billion tonnes of climate pollution until 2070.
“As we head to the polls this weekend, it’s our opportunity to take a strong stand for nature and climate. Together, we can put the environment high on the agenda this election and help ensure the next state government prioritises people and the planet.”