Radio script 19 June 2026

Radio Script_ The Living Engine — Animals, People, and our Changing Planet

2XX - 19 June 2026

Part I: The Animals, People, Planet Philosophy

Good morning, Canberra. We are from the Animal Justice Party ACT, and today we are diving deep into the future of our Territory. We often talk about climate change in terms of solar panels, electric vehicles, and carbon credits. But what if the most powerful tool for a habitable future was already right here, walking, flying, and burrowing among us.

But let's start with a little background on the AJP.

Our party was formed in Canberra in 2009 The Animal Justice Party remains Australia's only political party dedicated to protecting all animals.

The AJP believes there is a need for laws that recognise animals’ needs, capabilities and interests - whether that's farm animals, our native wildlife, introduced species or companion animals/pets.

As a political party, our role is to run in council, state and federal elections and to ensure laws are created and enforced to achieve genuine justice for animals.

We currently have Members of State Parliaments elected in NSW, Victoria and WA.

The ACT already has strong laws nominally protecting animals in the Animal Welfare Act.

(1) The main objects of this Act are to recognise that—

(a) animals are sentient beings that are able to subjectively feel and perceive the world around them; and

(b) animals have intrinsic value and deserve to be treated with compassion and have a quality of life that reflects their intrinsic value; and

Unfortunately, while this law appears to protect animals, in practice it does nothing to stop the slaughter of animals for food, to stop killing for recreation (e.g. fishing), to stop killing introduced animals (e.g. rabbits, mynahs) or stop the culling of native kangaroos - all of which are permitted as exceptions to the law. A law which states that animals are sentient and to be treated with compassionn and yet also permits their killing is contradictory and essentially worthless.

Today's program seeks to explore the Animal Justice Party’s vision for Canberra within the context of the climate crisis. Our vision built on a simple but profound tripod: Animals, People, and Planet.

The AJP argues that the ACT is currently caught in a "Conservation Paradox". While the ACT Government’s latest strategies aim for a "Nature Positive" approach, they are often anchored in an old-fashioned model that treats nature like a museum - trying to freeze it in a pre-colonial state.

But our world has changed. With the ACT already 1.4°C warmer than it was a century ago, the AJP calls for what we call "Radical Adaptation". This means recognising that animals are not just residents of nature; they are the active agents, the "functional engine", that make nature-based solutions actually work.

Part II: Animals as the "Functional Engine"

You might have heard the term "Nature-Based Solutions". Usually, we think of planting trees. But trees alone don't make a forest. To understand how our environment survives a 50-degree heatwave, we have to look at the animals.

Under a Radical Adaptation model, all animals have a right to life because they provide essential services that technology cannot replicate.

Nutrient Recycling: Wildlife is essential for moving nutrients across our landscape. Through foraging and waste, animals facilitate nutrient deposition, which directly boosts the carbon-sequestration capacity of our urban forests.
Seed Dispersal: As the climate changes, ecosystems need to migrate. Many of our plants, both native and naturalised, rely entirely on animal movement to spread their seeds to cooler or more viable areas.
Ecosystem Engineers: Consider the animals that burrow and graze. By interacting with the soil, they restore moisture levels and soil health, which are the literal foundations for keeping our green spaces alive during intense droughts.

The AJP’s stance is clear: if we lose these animal interactions, we face "trophic downgrading". This is a fancy term for a scary reality: when the interactions between predators, prey, and the land collapse, the ecosystem’s ability to store carbon and stay cool collapses with them.

Part III: De-colonising the Landscape

We’re discussing the AJP’s "Radical Adaptation" framework for the ACT. One of the most provocative parts of this vision is the call to "de-colonise" our ecological thinking.

For a long time, conservation has relied on a strict binary: "Native" versus "Invasive". The AJP argues that in a globalised, warming world, this binary is no longer helpful. Modern Australia is a "novel ecosystem". We have introduced over 1,000 species that are now part of the ACT’s biological DNA.

If a non-native tree provides better shade and cooling than a struggling native species during a record-breaking heatwave, the AJP says we should protect it. We should value nature for its function rather than its lineage.

This isn’t just about plants. It’s about the animals, too. "Caring for Country" as it exists today means recognising that the influx of different species is a permanent and potentially beneficial feature of our world. When we expand our urban forests, we shouldn't just be looking for a curated collection of "correct" species; we should be building a multi-species canopy designed for maximal cooling and carbon sequestration.

This includes protecting the "naturalised" animals that have integrated into our local food webs and nutrient cycles. In the AJP’s vision, protection must be extended to all animals, regardless of their species status.

Part IV: The Path to a Habitable City

The AJP has laid out several concrete steps to move the ACT toward a "Climate-Ready" and "Kind" future.

First, we must address the "urban heat island effect". This isn't just an environmental issue; it’s a public health crisis. To combat it, the AJP advocates for:

Protecting Mature Trees: We need to move beyond simple "planting targets" and strictly protect existing mature canopy—whether native or naturalised. These trees provide immediate cooling that new saplings won't provide for decades.
Mandatory Biodiversity Design: "Biodiversity Sensitive Urban Design" shouldn't be a suggestion—it should be a mandatory requirement for all new developments. This means ensuring safe passage and habitat for wildlife through formalised corridors.

Finally, we have to talk about the elephant in the room: animal agriculture. The AJP is calling for a planned transition away from animal agriculture in the Territory.

Why? Because the sector is a primary driver of land clearing, water scarcity, and methane emissions. By ending animal agriculture on ACT leased land, we could free up large areas to be re-wilded into carbon-sinking forests, supported by diverse animal communities. It’s a shift to "plant-based resilience" that would protect our water catchments and help us meet our disaster resilience goals.

Part V: Conclusion — A Vision for 2036

As we wrap up today’s look at the Animal Justice Party’s ecological vision, it’s worth reflecting on the end goal.

A "Nature Positive" Canberra isn't just a city with more trees. It’s a city that recognises the dignity of all its inhabitants. It’s a city where the emergency plan includes protocols to rescue and rehabilitate wildlife during our longer bushfire seasons. It’s a city where green spaces, maintained by healthy animal populations, reduce heat-related deaths and improve our collective mental health.

By shedding our "colonial baggage" and embracing the functional role of all animals, the ACT can lead the way in creating a truly habitable and resilient future.

Thank you for joining me. This has been Edgar Crook and Gill Jewell for the AJP ACT. If you want to know more about the AJP please see our website at: https://www.animaljusticeparty.org

References

*: AJP - Radical Adaptation: De-colonising the ACT’s Ecological Vision (2026–2036)

*: Submission: ACT Climate Change Strategy 2026-35

Animal Welfare Act 1992