PRESS RELEASE
The Australian Conservation Foundation (ACF) is pleased to announce businesswoman, activist and executive, Mara Bún, as its new president.
Queensland-based Ms Bún will replace outgoing president, Geoff Cousins. She’s had an impressive career that has included positions with CSIRO, Macquarie Bank, Canstar, Allen Consulting Group, Morgan Stanley, Choice, Bush Heritage, and most recently Green Cross Australia.
Past ACF presidents include: former Chief Justice of the High Court, Sir Garfield Barwick; The Duke of Edinburgh, Prince Phillip; famed physicist and former South Australian Governor, Mark Oliphant; former Federal Court judge, Murray Wilcox; and Midnight Oil frontman and former Federal Environment Minister, Peter Garrett.
Ms Bún said: “I am honoured to be joining Australia’s oldest national environment organisation as president. Throughout its history ACF has been central to the most important campaigns to protect Australia’s beautiful natural spaces and a safe climate.
“This is a critical time for Australia. As the cost of renewables declines exponentially, we must take this opportunity to replace our aging, polluting energy infrastructure with clean alternatives. We need to secure climate and energy policies that encourage investment in Australia’s clean energy transition.
“Climate change is an unparalleled threat to our way of life and the wildlife we share this continent with. We will only halt these threats and restore our natural world if we empower everyday Australians to take action to protect our clean air, clean water and liveable planet.
“The ACF community is incredibly powerful. I look forward to helping them work with business, investors, government and other sections of the Australian community to address the environmental challenges we all face.”
ACF Chief Executive Officer, Kelly O’Shanassy, said: “It is wonderful to welcome ACF’s first female president.
“Mara brings a wealth of experience after a remarkable and diverse career working in business, finance and charities. Those experiences will be enormously valuable to the work of ACF.
“I also want to thank Geoff Cousins for his enormous contribution to ACF and to Australia. ACF has gone from strength-to-strength during his time as president and his leadership on the Stop Adani campaign in particular has been an inspiration.
“I know that Geoff will continue to campaign strongly to protect the beautiful Australian landscape that he adores.”
Mr Cousins said: “I am very proud to have been part of the many achievements of the ACF during my time as president. I want to thank the staff, supporters and volunteers for their hard work.
“There is obviously a great deal more to do to ensure that Australia’s natural world is properly protected, but I know that I am leaving ACF in good hands. I wish Mara the best of luck and look forward to seeing how ACF continues to grow under her leadership.”
ACF Presidents
1967-71 Sir Garfield Barwick
1971-76 HRH Prince Phillip, The Duke of Edinburgh
1977 Sir Mark Oliphant
1978-79 Dr H.C. Coombs
1979-84 Hon. Murray Wilcox
1985-89 Hon. J.H. Wootten
1990-94 Peter Garrett
1994-97 Prof. David Yencken
1998-04 Peter Garrett
2004-14 Prof. Ian Lowe
2014-17 Geoff Cousins
2018– Mara Bún
