State of the environment reporting in Western Australia: law, land and beyond. Issue 4 (2nd October 2018)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Bailey, John; Harris, Trish; Jennings, Philip
• Is Part Of: Australasian journal of environmental management. Volume 25:Issue 4(2018)
• Page Start: 371
• Page End: 384
• Publication Date: 2018-10-02
• Subjects: Transparency -- accountability -- public communication -- legislative reform; Environmental policy -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Australia -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- New Zealand -- Periodicals; Conservation of natural resources -- Australia -- Periodicals; Environmental policy -- Australia -- Periodicals; Environmental protection -- Periodicals; 363.70099
• DOI: 10.1080/14486563.2018.1486238
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1448-6563

Abstract

ABSTRACT: State of the environment (SoE) reporting has been in place in the majority of Australian jurisdictions since the early 1990s. Over the past decade, the process has stalled in Western Australia (WA) and, at present, shows no sign of reappearing. This is all the more serious since the degraded condition of the state's environment calls out for regular review, analysis and action. We place this in a wider framework by (a) considering the significance of SoE reporting as a matter of collective responsibility, (b) mapping out a program of necessary legislative reform for WA and (c) outlining the challenges confronting SoE reporting as an act of public communication. Our thesis throughout is that SoE reporting combines ethical, democratic and environmental dimensions, and that the significance of WA's withdrawal from the process can only be understood in this context.