After hitting a low point during the Abbott government's administration, the Commonwealth's environmental focus must now be reinforced, rather than being out-sourced to the states, says award-winning conservationist Robert Purves.
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A farmer in the Canberra region and businessman, Mr Purves hopes Australians accept more responsibility for addressing climate change under Malcolm Turnbull's leadership than what they were led to under Tony Abbott.
On Wednesday, Mr Purves was one of seven remarkable adventurers and conservationists the Australian Geographic Society honoured with annual awards. Mr Purves won the society's Lifetime of Conservation Award, following his work in establishing the Purves Environmental Fund and being a founding member of the Wentworth Group of Concerned Scientists.
Mr Purves said Australia had sunk to a low point on climate change and the environmental during the Abbott years.
"It was one or the other, either development and jobs or the environment. Well, that's a ridiculous notion, you can have both and in Australia in particular, we can have both, we can have a growing economy and a healthy environment," he said.
"It was not just about climate change with the Abbott government it was clearly much deeper than that," he said.
"It was around ideology, crazy ideology.
"Mr Turnbull was an environment minister, he has extremely good knowledge of the science and more importantly in my view, the economics of climate change and a good knowledge of water, which is clearly going to be a contentious issue going forward from here."
Australia's World Wildlife Fund president, Mr Purves says the previous Gillard and Abbott governments began a push to offload environmental legislation to the states and reduce "green tape".
Since then poor outcomes from coal seam gas mining and inappropriate developments had caused communities to be shocked and ask what was happening.
Negative legacy mines would continue to remind people the Commonwealth must remain engaged in environmental legislation, because states were conflicted, lacked resources and were captive of vested interests.
Mr Purves said he felt humbled to receive an award which recognises inspiration role models.
"It is nice to be recognised and hopefully it might inspire others, that's something I am constantly on the case for, speaking at events," he said.
His love of bushwalking as a teenager began his interest in conservation.
He has had a long career in business including as chairman of the publicly listed company, the DCA Group Ltd, which provides radiology and aged care.
Twelve years ago scientists who formed The Wentworth Group, including Canberrans John Williams and Denis Saunders, the late Peter Cullen, and Tim Flannery inspired him.
"People who were terribly talented, who did science because they wanted to make a difference, not necessarily because they wanted to make money," Mr Purves said.
