Canada and Australia - Comparing Environmental Policies in 16 Countries - page 150

Europe. Three international arrangements played a part. First was the evo-
lution of the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN),
a mixed private-governmental organization that Australia joined in 1974
after its participation at Stockholm. Its interest in protecting endangered
species was a logical match with Australia with its many marsupials. The
second was the World Heritage Convention, which Australia signed in
1974 and became one of the first countries to ratify it. The third was the
Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which
was fathered by the IUCN. At the time, the commonwealth government
rather arbitrarily imposed a ban on exporting kangaroo products, which
angered the states. In fact, most of the kangaroo population is thriving.
As in Europe and North America, interest groups play an important
role in politics. The Australian Conservation Foundation was established
in 1964 with an elite cast. Prince Philip of England had suggested it on
a visit when he noted that no countrywide organization existed. In the
beginning, its focus was more on animals and parks than on air and water
pollution. Early leadership positions went to the governor general, the
chief justice, and even Prince Philip himself. It was weak at the local level.
In the 1970s, Friends of the Earth challenged it with active local branches.
Greenpeace was also ready to take direct, symbolic action. Nevertheless,
the foundation held its position as the leading group, enjoying good
access to government decision makers. It received grants from the com-
monwealth government of up to $150,000 annually, and for a number of
years was the only ecological group so funded. Since its beginning, the
foundation has opposed mining the Great Barrier Reef, promoted national
parks in Tasmania, Queensland, and the Northern Territory, advocated
the moratorium on commercial whaling, and opposed the Franklin Dam.
It supported Australia signing the World Heritage Convention in 1974.
The foundation lobbies parliament, meets with farmers and takes its
message to the corporate board rooms.
The Australian branch of the World Wildlife Fund was established in
1978. It now has nearly 80,000 members and a paid staff of 80. Its head-
quarters is in Sydney, with regional offices in Canberra, Melbourne,
Darwin, Brisbane, and Perth. Besides protecting animals, its priorities
are oceans, rivers, forests, and grasslands. WWF has supported a plan by
the state of Queensland to reduce commercial fishing in the Great Barrier
Reef Park. This involves establishing protected zones, setting quotas, and
buying back commercial licenses. The organization pointed out that tour-
ism for the reef contributed $3.2 billion to the economy, while commercial