Australia’s leading environmentalists for 2025 have been recognised by the Bob Brown Foundation at its annual event in Hobart.
‘Here are remarkable Australians taking action in an age of corporate and government neglect and complicity as global heating, species extinction and heritage destruction worsen,’ said Bob Brown.
‘Our Foundation honours them for their courage, determination and defiance of official complicity in environmental vandalism across Australia,’ he said. ‘This year we honour the late, great environmentalist, mountaineer and historian, Tasmanian John Middendorf, by naming our prize after him.’
‘Our 2025 winner is Raelene Cooper who, with the power of her devotion to country, has defied derelict ministers for the environment and Aboriginal heritage in Perth and Canberra in defence of the world’s greatest rock art country at Murujuga in WA.
‘Her integrity glows like a rainbow over national Environment Minister Murray Watt’s rotten failure to put the nation’s heritage ahead of corporate greed and destruction. She is as inspiring as Watt is deflating for the millions who expect Australia’s natural and Indigenous heritage to be protected,’ said Bob Brown.
And the winners are…
JOHN MIDDENDORF ENVIRONMENTALIST OF THE YEAR ($5,000): to Raelene Cooper, who has shown phenomenal courage and integrity campaigning against destruction of the world’s greatest rock art country at Murujuga, WA.
YOUNG ENVIRONMENTALIST OF THE YEAR ($2,000): to Zach Schofield, an outstanding and courageous voice for Rising Tide who campaigns against coal exports and for saving Earth from the ravages of global heating.
COMMUNITY ENVIRONMENT AWARD ($2,000): to Pabai Pabai and Guy Paul Kabai, the Guda Maluyligal men from the Torres Strait who led a landmark climate justice campaign against the Australian Government, seeking to protect their homelands and culture from the devastating impacts of climate change.
DENI GREENE AWARD FOR PROFESSIONAL EXCELLENCE: ($2,000):
to Tim Winton, legendary author from WA, whose recent book ‘Juice’ warns the world of environmental apocalypse. His environmental advocacy is deeply rooted in his love for the ocean and places like Ningaloo Reef and the Kimberley coast.
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