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I don't think the average Australian cares, at least not enough for it to influence the way they act/vote. Of course if you ask anyone on the street if they ar

I don't think the average Australian cares, at least not enough for it to influence the way they act/vote. Of course if you ask anyone on the street if they are in favor of protecting the reef they'd say yes, but when they see the price tag they would probably lose interest.

vacri 10y ago
It's not so much about the price tag, but more that there are other issues nearer and dearer to their hearts. A strong majority of Australians want gay marriage laws passed, for example, but the two major parties can dodge the issue because other issues are more important to their voters.
- catmanjan 10y ago
  I agree, but replace hearts with wallets ;)
- Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago
  Contrary to environmental preservation, a gay marriage law costs nothing. So if a strong majority supports it, why don't they enact it to get a free popularity boost?
  - RugnirViking 10y ago
    Because most ministers truly stand for what they believe in to a certain limited extent. Unfortunately, this is what old, rich, often religious men believe, which is a terrible representation of the actual country. This is said generally, as I have no specific experience of the situation in Australia
  - robryan 10y ago
    Current government is held hostage by its far right faction who wants to avoid an open vote on gay marriage. The left would now allow an open vote for it but when they were last in government the tide of public opinion probably hadn't turned far enough yet.
milesrout 10y ago
I think you're wrong. I think that the Great Barrier Reef is something that average Australian really does care about. I think it's one of the few things that is capable of making people go 'oh my god, no, we have to do something'. The thought that I've probably managed to miss my only opportunity in my life to see it is heartbreaking to me, and I'm a Kiwi, not an Australian. It's a national treasure. It's like, to me, the total destruction of the Pink And White Terraces in NZ. I will never, ever see them. Nobody will. And my future kids will never see the Great Barrier Reef.

vacri 10y ago

It's not so much about the price tag, but more that there are other issues nearer and dearer to their hearts. A strong majority of Australians want gay marriage laws passed, for example, but the two major parties can dodge the issue because other issues are more important to their voters.

catmanjan 10y ago
I agree, but replace hearts with wallets ;)
Al-Khwarizmi 10y ago
Contrary to environmental preservation, a gay marriage law costs nothing. So if a strong majority supports it, why don't they enact it to get a free popularity boost?
- RugnirViking 10y ago
  Because most ministers truly stand for what they believe in to a certain limited extent. Unfortunately, this is what old, rich, often religious men believe, which is a terrible representation of the actual country. This is said generally, as I have no specific experience of the situation in Australia
- robryan 10y ago
  Current government is held hostage by its far right faction who wants to avoid an open vote on gay marriage. The left would now allow an open vote for it but when they were last in government the tide of public opinion probably hadn't turned far enough yet.

milesrout 10y ago

I think you're wrong. I think that the Great Barrier Reef is something that average Australian really does care about. I think it's one of the few things that is capable of making people go 'oh my god, no, we have to do something'. The thought that I've probably managed to miss my only opportunity in my life to see it is heartbreaking to me, and I'm a Kiwi, not an Australian. It's a national treasure. It's like, to me, the total destruction of the Pink And White Terraces in NZ. I will never, ever see them. Nobody will. And my future kids will never see the Great Barrier Reef.