Job cuts could mean extinctions: Shorten
The Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat could go extinct without Australians even noticing because of environmental job cuts, Bill Shorten says.
The Department of Environment and Energy may lose 60 full-time equivalent staff from its biodiversity and conservation division, to be confirmed in next week's budget.
Those facing job losses are staff who monitor endangered species and the risks they face, the opposition leader said on Friday.
"It's entirely possible because of these cruel cuts that we will actually not even know when species become extinct," he said.
"There's up to 400 Australian animals on the various endangered species lists, including as I understand, the Northern Hairy Nosed Wombat"
Documents obtained by the ABC reveal the division is expected to lose up to a third of its staff and a 25 per cent cut in funding.
The department has been contacted for comment.
