The Claim
“Lied by claiming to have introduced and passed non-existent legislation to prevent the mass extinction of threatened species.”
Original Sources Provided
✅ FACTUAL VERIFICATION
The claim is TRUE. Prime Minister Scott Morrison did make a false claim about legislation to address species extinction during the federal election campaign in May 2019 [1].
The Specific Incident:
On May 7, 2019, a landmark UN report was released revealing that one million species were at risk of extinction due to human activities [2]. On May 8 (Tuesday), Morrison responded publicly, stating: "We already introduced and passed legislation through the Senate actually dealing with that very issue in the last week of the parliament. We've been taking action on that" [1].
When pressed for details about which legislation he was referring to, Morrison's office declined to respond [1]. The Australian reported that "no legislation regarding animal conservation or the environment passed in the final week of parliament" [1]. When the Prime Minister's office was asked what bill Morrison meant, neither he nor Environment Minister Melissa Price provided clarification [1].
What Actually Passed:
The only environment-related bill Morrison's office could identify was the Industrial Chemicals Bill 2017, which passed on February 18 - not in the final week of parliament (April) [1]. This bill primarily regulated cosmetics testing on animals and was not about species extinction or conservation [1]. Tim Beshara, federal policy director of the Wilderness Society, noted that Morrison "alluded to a bill that doesn't exist" and criticized the Prime Minister for appearing "so desperate to move the debate off the environment as an issue" [1].
Pattern of Errors:
This was not an isolated incident. Earlier in January, Morrison's media office had erroneously identified a different bill as helping the environment, also relating to native species [1]. When questioned, they had to backtrack and admit the error [1].
Missing Context
The claim accurately captures a genuine factual falsehood, but important context includes:
The Political Context: This incident occurred during the final week of the 2019 federal election campaign, when environmental issues had become prominent following the release of the UN Global Assessment Report on Biodiversity [2]. Morrison had been positioning his government as taking environmental action while simultaneously attacking Labor's proposed expansion of environmental protections as "green tape" that would cost jobs [3].
What Australia Was Actually Doing on Threatened Species: The Coalition government had not introduced comprehensive legislation specifically designed to prevent mass species extinction. Agriculture Minister David Littleproud mentioned the government's commitment to a $30 million agricultural stewardship fund, but this was directed at biodiversity on agricultural land rather than a comprehensive species conservation bill [1].
The UN Report Context: The May 2019 UN report found that a million species were at risk of extinction, with the biomass of wild mammals having fallen 82% and natural ecosystems having lost about half their area [2]. Australia was specifically identified as a biodiversity hotspot where species extinction was occurring at unprecedented rates.
Morrison's Environmental Record: Rather than introducing extinction prevention legislation, Morrison's government was actively weakening environmental protections. In the May election campaign, he attacked Labor's proposal to strengthen the Environmental Protection Authority, claiming these "green tape" regulations would "destroy the opportunities for businesses to create jobs" [3].
Source Credibility Assessment
The original source is The Guardian, an internationally respected mainstream news organization based in the UK [1]. The specific article was written by Naaman Zhou, reporting on public statements by Morrison and official responses from his office.
Credibility factors:
- Direct quotes from Morrison and official responses (or lack thereof) from the PM's office and Environment Minister's office [1]
- Factual claim verified through parliamentary records (bill tracking) [1]
- Corroboration from Tim Beshara of the Wilderness Society, an independent environmental organization [1]
- Multiple attempts to clarify Morrison's comments through official channels [1]
- The Guardian has a strong reputation for accuracy in Australian political reporting
The Guardian is mainstream media with center-left editorial leanings, but this particular article reports factual events and official statements, not opinion [1].
Labor Comparison
Did Labor do something similar?
Unlike the Coalition, Labor has not been found making demonstrably false claims about non-existent legislation during this period. However, the broader context of environmental politics shows:
Labor's Environmental Platform (2019 election): Labor campaigned on actually introducing new environmental legislation, specifically:
- Creating a federal Environmental Protection Authority to strengthen environmental protections [1]
- This was characterized by Morrison as "green tape" that would harm business [3]
Historical Context: Both major parties have faced criticism regarding environmental commitments, but Morrison's false claim about passed legislation is distinct from typical political disagreements. The claim was that legislation existed and had been passed - a factual claim that proved incorrect.
Labor had not made equivalent claims about non-existent passed legislation during this campaign period.
Balanced Perspective
The Criticism: Morrison's claim was demonstrably false. When asked to clarify what legislation he meant, his office could not identify any actual bill dealing with species extinction or animal conservation passed in April 2019 [1]. The most charitable interpretation they offered was the Industrial Chemicals Bill from February, which was about cosmetics testing, not extinction prevention [1].
The Context (Not an Excuse, But Context):
- Australia's biodiversity crisis was (and is) severe, with rapid species loss occurring [2]
- Morrison may have genuinely believed Australia was taking action on species protection through various means (grant programs, regulatory measures)
- The confusion appears to have reflected broader conflation of different environmental initiatives
- However, Morrison specifically claimed legislation had been "introduced and passed" - a specific, verifiable claim
The Problem: The core issue is that Morrison made a specific factual claim (that legislation addressing species extinction had passed) when no such legislation existed [1]. This wasn't a difference in political philosophy or policy emphasis - it was an assertion about a fact that turned out to be false [1].
Government's General Environmental Approach: Rather than introducing species protection legislation, the Coalition's approach emphasized:
- Voluntary stewardship programs (the $30 million agricultural fund) [1]
- Opposing what they saw as excessive environmental regulations
- Framing environmental protection as "green tape" that harmed economic growth [3]
This ideological position is legitimate political debate, but claiming to have passed legislation that didn't exist crosses from policy disagreement into factual misrepresentation.
TRUE
9.0
out of 10
Scott Morrison did claim to have introduced and passed legislation addressing species extinction in the final week of parliament, when no such legislation existed [1]. When questioned, his office could not identify the bill in question [1]. This is a clear factual error, not a matter of interpretation or emphasis [1].
Final Score
9.0
OUT OF 10
TRUE
Scott Morrison did claim to have introduced and passed legislation addressing species extinction in the final week of parliament, when no such legislation existed [1]. When questioned, his office could not identify the bill in question [1]. This is a clear factual error, not a matter of interpretation or emphasis [1].
📚 SOURCES & CITATIONS (3)
-
1
PM's office silent after apparent reference to environment bill that doesn't exist
Scott Morrison said he had ‘been taking action’ on UN report about extinction of a million different species
the Guardian -
2
Human society under urgent threat from loss of Earth's natural life
Scientists reveal one million species at risk of extinction in damning UN report
the Guardian -
3
PM shifts attack on Labor to 'green tape' he says costs Australian jobs
Scott Morrison has vowed to stem the growth of environmental rules, claiming Labor wants to "hypercharge an Environment Protection Authority".
The Sydney Morning Herald
Rating Scale Methodology
1-3: FALSE
Factually incorrect or malicious fabrication.
4-6: PARTIAL
Some truth but context is missing or skewed.
7-9: MOSTLY TRUE
Minor technicalities or phrasing issues.
10: ACCURATE
Perfectly verified and contextually fair.
Methodology: Ratings are determined through cross-referencing official government records, independent fact-checking organizations, and primary source documents.