Leading environmental organisations have responded to the WA government’s planned introduction of reforms to the WA Environmental Protection Authority in Parliament today, heralding “a very dark day for WA’s environment.”
The WA government is pushing this legislation at the behest of industry to “slash” environmental protections and fast-track project approvals by allowing the EPA board to be filled with industry representatives and issuing Statements of Intent to direct the EPA as to its priorities.
The reforms are also understood to facilitate parallel approvals whereby other regulators can provide approvals while the EPA is still conducting its environmental assessment, and remove the right of appeal if the EPA decides not to assess a project.
The introduction of this legislation comes just one week after it was revealed that the WA EPA has found that Woodside’s Browse Gas proposal is unacceptable.
Speaking at Parliament today before the government introduced this legislation, the Executive Director of the Conservation Council Jess Beckerling said:
“This is a very dark day for WA and our environment.
“Today, the government is taking an axe to the thin green line that defends our nature for all West Australians. At the behest of mining magnates, the Cook Government is pushing legislation through parliament to gut the independence of the EPA.
“The changes will mean that the EPA board can be stacked with industry representatives, and the government will issue the EPA Statements of Intent (Expectations) informing the EPA of what it wants to see done.
“This comes just one week after it was revealed that the EPA is set to recommend against Woodside’s reckless plans to destroy Scott Reef for new fossil fuels.
“This is an absolute gutting of the independence of the EPA right at the time that we need this thin green line to be curtailing emissions and protecting nature.”
Martin Pritchard, Director of Strategy at Environs Kimberley, said at Parliament today:
“It’s reckless to weaken environmental laws at a time when our nature is in crisis. The job of the EPA is to protect the environment and the government is effectively tying their hands with this legislation.
“These reforms enter Parliament just one week after the EPA found that Woodside’s Browse gas project is “unacceptable” because of its catastrophic risks to Scott Reef, the jewel in the crown of the Kimberley’s marine environment.
“By restricting the independence of the EPA, the WA government is caving to industry pressure to remove the few remaining protections for the places West Australians love.”
Jason Fowler, Senior Campaigner at the WA Forest Alliance, said at Parliament today:
“What is happening right now with mining in our south-west forests clearly shows that our environment laws are already broken.
“We know that the WA community supports forest conservation but the government’s reforms today will recklessly endanger these pristine natural wonders.
“If we’re going to protect our precious environment from threats like Alcoa we need an independent EPA - but these reforms further weaken our laws.”
ENDS