Australia's environment protection laws have been overhauled after a last-minute deal between the Labor government and the Greens, avoiding a Senate showdown. The agreement, announced by Prime Minister Anthony Albanese on Thursday morning, ended a five-year struggle to reform the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The deal included concessions to the Greens to prevent fast-tracking of coal and gas projects, remove the exemption for native forest logging within 18 months, and tighten a loophole for agricultural land-clearing. The bill was rushed through the Senate on Thursday night, prompting criticism from independent senator David Pocock, who said it was 'rammed through with almost no time for scrutiny'.
Negotiations intensified in the final 72 hours of the parliamentary year. While the Greens were consistent in their demands, the Coalition shifted its position repeatedly, according to government and Coalition sources. Environment Minister Murray Watt led talks with Greens spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young, while the opposition leader Sussan Ley criticised the government's offer as 'totally insufficient'.
Prime Minister Albanese intervened on Wednesday morning, meeting with Greens leader Larissa Waters and Hanson-Young to resolve remaining issues. He gave the Greens an ultimatum, warning the 'one-time' offer would be withdrawn if not accepted this week. Senior Labor sources praised the Greens under Waters as 'very good to deal with', contrasting with previous negotiations under Adam Bandt.
The reforms follow a blueprint by Graeme Samuel and come a year after Albanese scuttled a similar deal. The new laws aim to protect nature while balancing productivity, but critics argue they represent only a partial win for the environment.
