A penguin farm in the Australian desert: a thought experiment that reveals the flaws our in environment laws

By David Lindenmayer, Professor, The Fenner School of Environment and Society, Australian National University

Imagine this fictitious scenario. The federal environment minister announces government approval for a large-scale penguin farm near Alice Springs. It will produce 300,000 penguins each year for the high-end feather market in Europe.

Penguin feathers are also, in this make-believe world, proven superconductors that could provide an alternative to lithium for renewable energy batteries. The $40 million farming project promises to create jobs and growth in regional Australia.

To any informed reader, the idea of farming cold-ocean seabirds in the Australian desert is mind-numbingly…

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