Australia being unable to afford greater environmental protection is a government myth that refuses to die | Euan Ritchie

Redirecting massive defence spending and implementing a windfalls gains tax in the 2023 federal budget could go a long way to saving our environmentGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastLike trickle-down economics or goldfish memories only being three seconds long, there's a myth that continues to haunt this nation, and, like a zombie, it refuses to die. This myth, and the damage it inflicts, has been aided and abetted by the Australian government. This deception is propagated and perpetuated for political purposes. What is this myth? The notion that our government simply can't afford to greatly increase spending on environmental protection and recovery.As we approach another federal budget, the government's priorities are writ large. At the same time, we continue to bear witness to - and suffer through - the devastating impacts of a changing and deteriorating climate, collapsing ecosystems and an increasing number of threatened species racing towards extinction.Sign up for Guardian Australia's free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...