The Conservation Council is looking for two new staff members to join the organisation. Applications close 9am on 8th July. Please circulate to your lists.

Campaigner – full-time
We are seeking a campaigner with a falri for communications and the experience/capacity to effectively utilise digital platforms. The successful applicant will play a central role in developing, advocating for, and communicating about our campaigns, in collaboration with the Executive Director and other members of the team.

See Campaigner position description and selection criteria

Events and Fundraising Manager – part-time (22.5 hours)
We are seeking an Events and Fundraising Manager who is organised, has great ideas and knows how to grow and nurture relationships with donors and supporters. The successful applicant will work with the Executive Director and play a central role in building the viability of our organisation by ensuring strong relationships with stakeholders and member groups, and co-ordinating and promoting our signature events. 

See Events and Fundraising Manager position description and selection criteria

The Conservation Council has finalised its submission to the ACT Govt on the Draft Cat Plan reiterating our call that cat containment should be put in place across the whole of Canberra by 2025.

More broadly, we support the Government's intention to promote responsible cat ownership, which recognises that people care for the health and wellbeing of their cat, as well as taking responsibility for their cat’s impact on wildlife and the nuisance it may cause other people. 

The Conservation Counci's call to the ACT Government to stop the rollout of gas infrastructure in new suburbs was in the news in June. 

Ironically, despite our ambitions to achieve zero emissions, the ACT is the only jurisdiction that mandates that gas infrastructure is rolled out to every new house, and this needs to change in the Territory Plan. 

Don't forget to read ANU intern Caitlyn Baljak's report, which analyses the electrification versus fuel switch approach to the decarbonisation of the ACT gas network.

Join us in our campaign to phase out gas in the ACT by sharing, informing and engaging with the issue. Email communications@conservationcouncil.org.au or call us on 6229 3202 to get involved.

In June at an ACT Legislative Assembly hearing, the Conservation Council presented our concerns about the boundary of the peninsula on the Molonglo River, which is earmarked for up to 30 homes. 

We argued that bush fire management for the area should sit in the urban footprint, not inside the river reserve itself, where there is an area of high quality Pink til worm lizard Habitat located nearby. In addition, the Coombs "tip" sits in the bend of river, and leaving this area in urban open space would not only help protect the nearby habitats but also provode a wonderful amenity for nearby residents.

It seems they are determined to fill the site with high-end housing, preventing other residents from accessing the space. This is not good enough!

Plastic pollution is a significant problem in the ACT, nationally and globally, and it is high time we take responsibility to address the problem. Single-use plastics are all around us: in our homes, workplaces, waterways, city parks and even our nature reserves.

It is time to give up our love affair with single-use plastics. The ACT Government has identified six possible items for consideration to be phased out, but we think that the proposal could be more ambitious! 

The ACT government's consultations on a discussion paper on managing invasive species close on 10 July.

The Government plans to declare another 380 animals as pests and now requiring licences for another 78 animals. Have your say on managing pests!

The ACT Government is seeking community feedback on its 'Phasing out single-use plastics discussion paper'. This is your opportunity to tell the govt why they need more ambitious targets in their plan.

The ACT Government is seeking community feedback on draft designs for a new nature reserve beside the Molonglo River next to the suburbs of Whitlam and Denman Prospect ('Molonglo Nature Space').

E-scooters have the potential to form part of a suite of active travel options in the ACT. Currently banned from roads and footpaths in the ACT, the ACT Government is investigating changes to the road rules to make e-scooters legal in public areas.

While e-scooter use will reduce emissions and encourage Canberrans to leave their cars at home for short trips, consideration needs to be given to how they are integrated into our footpaths and cycleways, as well as to the safety issues for riders and other path users. If you have experience with e-scooters in other places, or have a view about their role in Canberra, let the Government know your views.