25 years ago the groundbreaking EPBC came into force under the Liberal Government, backed by ~500 successful amendments in the Senate by the Australian Democrats. It was a first for Australia to have nationally significant laws environmental laws. Since then, approval powers have been shifted to the states, conservation was seriously underfunded, the loopholes are many and 99% of projects assessed are approved.
Both major parties have doggedly refused a climate trigger even though fossil fuels are undoubtedly the biggest threat to the environment. (See below for the 2.2% emissions reductions for the year to June 2025.)
Of the reforms, Environment Justice says:
Labor’s original Bills had some good elements, but they also came with gaping holes: king-like discretionary powers, deforestation loopholes, a massive climate damage gap, a pay-to-destroy offsets scheme and a worrying handover of national leadership to the states.
Improvements by the Greens Party include:
- An end to deforestation loopholes (RFAs) that have allowed native forest logging to escape national oversight
- Blocking fast-tracking of fossil fuel projects although ‘National interest’ is yet to be defined.
- Some checks on handing approval powers to states and territories
- Improved assessment and focus on land clearing
- Environmental standards are reasonable but administrative and ministerial discretion will apply and only two standards have been developed
- Offsets scheme will not apply to critically endangered species habitat
Furthermore: Ministerial discretion over the new national environmental standards will apply for development applications and developers to pay into a “restoration fund” to compensate for biodiversity loss, despite evidence it worsens biodiversity loss.
As in the original bill, definitions matter, like ‘unacceptable impacts’, ‘serious impairment’ can be endlessly reinterpreted.
See more here from The Conversation
See here for the latest actual inventory emissions in the last year showing a mere 2.2% reduction:
