Graeme Samuel and Murray Watt on 4 June 2025 – four years after Samuel’s report to government. Senator Watt says reform is now urgent. Photo: Murray Watt.
The overhaul of the nation’s environmental protection laws isn’t here yet, but the minister responsible says it’s not too far away.
Environment Minister Murray Watt says that while a deal hasn’t yet been reached on a new Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, he’s bringing forward a deadline for the reforms.
And he’s willing to negotiate with the Coalition and/or the Greens to get legislation passed.
Under his predecessor, Tanya Plibersek, in the last term of parliament, stakeholders could not reach an agreement on the way forward, with the mining and big business lobby causing a government backdown on far-reaching new measures.
A review of Australia’s environmental laws undertaken by Professor Graeme Samuel and finalised more than four years ago, recommended sweeping reforms to the act.
But there has been little progress in implementing most of his recommendations.
Senator Watt suggested that there was a matter of urgency in introducing changes to the law, but he has yet to decide if there should be a “climate trigger” in the legislation, requiring the minister to assess the global warming impacts on any new projects before approving them.
“We have committed today to bring forward by several months the introduction of this legislation,” he told ABC Radio on Tuesday (26 August).
“We’ll be introducing it to the parliament this side of Christmas, and we certainly will be seeking the support from both the Coalition and the Greens to deliver these reforms.
“But what I would point out, Graeme Samuel, in his review, did not recommend a climate trigger. He expressly ruled that out.
“What he recommended is companies, when they’re putting forward projects for approval, should disclose their emissions and what their plans are to reduce their emissions going forward.
“In an ideal world, I’d love to see the parliament vote for these reforms, and what we are seeing is a growing coalition of support for reform across different interest groups, regardless of where they sit on the perspective.
“I think it will be important for both the Coalition and the Greens to listen to that broad coalition of support for change.”
The minister repeated Labor’s commitment to establishing an environmental protection agency, but wouldn’t say if he preferred an independent authority or whether the minister responsible could overrule its decisions.
He said the exact powers and remit of the authority were still a matter attracting opposing views from stakeholders.
Greens leader Larissa Waters said no reforms to the law would be effective if they didn’t have a climate trigger to consider a proposed development’s impact on the climate, but she was pleased the government has expressed a sense of urgency over the legislation, and said she would keep an open mind during negotiations.
However, she described the minister’s position, which isn’t really a position yet, as somewhat “baffling”.
“We have always said that climate should be considered by our nature laws,” Senator Waters said.
“And you just have to look at the algal bloom in South Australia to know that you can’t consider climate and nature separately.”
Greens environment spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young later insisted that the new environmental laws must not focus on waiving through approvals.
She said she was supportive of streamlining approval processes, but not at the expense of the environment.
“The whole point here is having laws that protect nature, stop the extinction of our wildlife, protect our forests and stop more pollution,” Senator Hanson-Young said.
“I’m not going to just roll over for the sake of what business wants.
“It’s time that nature had a voice at the table, and I’ll be making sure that happens.”
Meanwhile, the Coalition was preoccupied with its own internal disputes over its commitment to net-zero emissions goals.
A joint partyroom meeting descended into argument Tuesday morning, with the Nationals and Liberals largely disagreeing, and demands being made for Opposition Leader Sussan Ley to clarify the party’s position.
A review of the Coalition’s policy is being undertaken by shadow energy and emissions minister Dan Tehan.
Some state divisions of the Liberals and Nationals have voted to dump a commitment to net zero.
Nationals backbencher Barnaby Joyce has presented a private member’s bill to repeal legislation that has enshrined in law Australia’s net zero emissions by 2050 target.
