Local advocate champions new national petition to protect dark skies
By Sonia Isaacs
A new national petition aiming to curb light pollution and preserve Australia’s night skies is gaining momentum, thanks to the tireless efforts of local dark sky advocates such as Dr Ken Wishaw.
The petition, launched just last week, seeks to gather over 10,000 signatures to push the federal government to adopt robust legislation modeled on international best practices. Over 2,000 signatures were collected in the first 48 hours.
Dr Wishaw, a leading figure in the dark sky movement, is calling on Australians to support the New Sky Alliance petition, which advocates for national laws to reduce unnecessary artificial lighting.
“The standout success in the world is France, which actually brought in national legislation regarding light pollution and has decreased its amount of light pollution across the entire country by 25 per cent in four years,” Dr Wishaw said. “We believe the best way to tackle this issue is through similar national legislation here in Australia.”
The petition comes as dark sky-compliant lighting is rolled out around areas of Maleny, Kenilworth and Conondale. Across the Sunshine Coast region, local authorities are in the process of replacing around 250 outdated streetlights in the dark sky reserve with new, fully shielded, dark sky-compatible fixtures.
This upgrade, which began in July and August, is the final step before submitting a formal application for dark sky reserve status – a move that would place the region among a select group of areas worldwide recognised for their commitment to preserving the night environment.
“We’re hopeful that in the next couple of months, we’ll see substantial changes to streetlights in Maleny, Kenilworth, and other local areas,” Dr Wishaw said. “That really is the last thing we had to see happen before putting in our application for dark sky reserve. Once the council gives the green light, we’ll be ready to go.”
But the campaign’s ambitions extend far beyond local improvements. Dr Wishaw points to the Department of Climate Change, Energy, and Wildlife as a key ally, noting their proactive stance and the adoption of national light pollution guidelines for wildlife – guidelines now recognized by 135 countries worldwide.
Dr Wishaw said the stakes are high with research indicating that excessive nighttime lighting not only wastes energy and increases carbon emissions but also poses significant health risks.
“Light pollution from excessive Artificial Light at Night (ALAN) harms human health and disrupts vulnerable flora and fauna. People living in high light pollution areas, on average, live five years less than those who aren’t,” Dr Wishaw noted, referencing a recent study he discussed in a public webinar.
“We want to see that night lighting is only used when and where is it necessary, and it is limited to levels which are safe and fit for purpose. All of us, for example, have seen high rise buildings in Brisbane that are lit up right through the entire night for no good reason. It’s just wasteful.”
With the petition closing September 19, Dr Wishaw urges the public to act quickly. “It literally takes two minutes to fill out,” he said. “The more people who sign, the greater our chances of making a real difference.”
www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN7346
