The controversial document currently still under review by state and federal governments paints a bleak picture of a continent facing a deepening ecological crisis.

It reveals short-term government funding and poor conservation policies are not supporting the scientific training and research programs needed to cope with the massive nationwide scale of the problem.

Australian National University ecologist Professor David Lindenmayer has called for the introduction of a federal environmental levy, similar to Medicare, ''to provide the serious money Australia needs to make real progress in saving species, instead of just spinning our wheels''.

The report warns that the number of threatened plant and animal species is dramatically increasing, with native birds taking the brunt of habitat loss from climate change and land-clearing.

For more, pick up a copy of today's Canberra Times