The Federal Government and key decision makers are constrained by the existing laws, which are outdated and inadequate for protecting our environment. This is why reforming Australia's nature laws is so important.
The Australian Labor government promised to deliver on the key environmental protection reforms put forward in the 2021 review of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999.
Recommendations from the review included
- Establishing a federal EPA
- Setting up national environmental standards, and
- Establishing Environment Information Australia.
The federal government shelved these reforms following lobbying from the WA Premier Roger Cook, attacks from the West Australian media and sections of the mining industry.
However, the Labor Albanese majority government has now committed to a Federal EPA, recommitting existing funding in the federal budget to its establishment.
An EPA is a good start, but it’s not enough!
We need to make sure the EPA has a strong framework to defend nature. We need the full set of reforms recommended through the review of the EPBC Act delivered. We need to keep the pressure on.
A Coalition Dutton government had a different agenda in the lead up to the federal election in 2025.
While the Coalition did enter into negotiations over the proposed Nature Positive legislation, it was concerned about impacts on the mining sector and wants to further expedite development approvals.
Former opposition leader Peter Dutton also indicated he would defund the Environmental Defenders Office and fast track the North West Shelf approval, which will emit billions of tonnes of climate pollution.
But when almost all Australians (96%) agree that more action is needed to look after the natural environment, it is time politics are taken out of environmental protection.
Delays to establish a federal EPA and the laws we need for nature are exacerbating critical threats to nature and the world around us.
This is directly affecting people's lives while also impacting Australia's species and ecosystems.
We need a Federal EPA Now!
Get involved and join others in your community to show our elected representatives that nature needs protecting.