Top environmental groups say some of Labor’s new laws could take conservation backwards
Alliance says there’s not enough ambition in proposed laws to prevent extinctions, as promised by the environment ministerGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government is backing away from a promise to substantially transform how nature is protected in Australia and is planning some changes that would make things worse, according to eight of the country’s top environment groups.The conservation organisations said they were concerned the government planned to break up promised legislation for new environmental laws and defer some difficult reforms until after the next election, if it wins a second term.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundupInclude a “call-in” power that allowed the minister to take over a decision from a proposed environment protection agency (EPA) “at any time and for any reason”.Allow developers to make payments to a new “restoration contributions” fund to compensate for damage their projects caused to the environment. This would remove a requirement that environmental offsets provide a “like-for-like” replacement for ecosystems or species affected by a development.Fail to give the new EPA the “teeth” it needed to be an independent and effective environmental regulator. Continue reading...
Alliance says there’s not enough ambition in proposed laws to prevent extinctions, as promised by the environment minister
The Albanese government is backing away from a promise to substantially transform how nature is protected in Australia and is planning some changes that would make things worse, according to eight of the country’s top environment groups.
The conservation organisations said they were concerned the government planned to break up promised legislation for new environmental laws and defer some difficult reforms until after the next election, if it wins a second term.
Include a “call-in” power that allowed the minister to take over a decision from a proposed environment protection agency (EPA) “at any time and for any reason”.
Allow developers to make payments to a new “restoration contributions” fund to compensate for damage their projects caused to the environment. This would remove a requirement that environmental offsets provide a “like-for-like” replacement for ecosystems or species affected by a development.
Fail to give the new EPA the “teeth” it needed to be an independent and effective environmental regulator. Continue reading...
