PRIME MINISTER
FOR MEDIA 20 JULY 1989
I am delighted to announce the appointment of Sir Ninian
Stephen as Australia's first Ambassador for the Environment.
Sir Ninian will clearly bring a wealth of knowledge and
experience to this important assignment, which will involve
the following tasks:
to project and promote the Government's international
environmental policies to the international community
and within Australia;
to advise the Government on international environmental
policy matters;
to represent the Government in bilateral, regional and
multilateral environmental negotiations, meetings and
conferences ( eg the United Nations Environment
Programme, relevant Antarctic Treaty system meetings,
ad hoc conferences such as The Hague); and
to assist in liaison between the Government and domestic
and international non-governmental environmental
organisations.
Sir Ninian will report to two ministers Senator Evans and
Senator Richardson and to me.
Many of the world's environmental problems are global in
nature and can only be successfully tackled by concerted
international action.
Examples include the prospect of global warming induced by
the greenhouse effect, the damage done to the ozone layer by
chlorofluorocarbons and halons, acid rain, the loss of
biological diversity, transfrontier pollution and disposal
of wastes and the over-exploitation of the world's ocean
fisheries.
The need to tackle these problems through international
collaboration is now well recognised.
As a result, an increasing number of initiatives are
developing which require Australian participation in the
fullest possible way.
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Some of these initiatives come under the umbrella of the
United Nations, and others arise under different sponsorship
such as within the Commonwealth.
Given the rapidly growing dimension of these problems and of
the international efforts to counter them, Sir Ninian's
appointment will help give Australia a strong and clear
voice in the important international debates on
environmental issues now taking place.
Sir Ninian will be overseas for the next four months, on
previously-arranged assignments. He will take up his duties
immediately in a part-time capacity, and will assume a
full-time role upon his return to Australia.
I' 1 WIt RT HON SIR NTNIAN STEPHEN
G MG. KinlI lM'l: aacret,' a.. ur
Mdboumo, ViC, 3( It(
1 am delighted to accept the offer of appointment as Australia's
mmbassador for the Environment.
The position will, I am sure, be both challenging arid absorbing.
I nope that in it I can be of some service to Australia and at
the same time help, as best I can, in tackling those
environmental problems that are now proving of world-wide
concern. Tne issues they raise are, of course, global and Australia has a
real part to play in facing them. They also happen to be ones
which, even more than most international issues, present
opportunities for really constructive dialogue between nations.
Like so many other Australians, I have long had a personal
interest in them and very much look forward to playing an active
part in advancing Australia's concerns through this new
assignment.
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