The Coalition has offered to help Labor rush through new nature laws if it agrees to gut environment protection, challenging Labor to side with business interests over green groups to implement the long-awaited changes. The offer from opposition leader Sussan Ley gives Prime Minister Anthony Albanese a clear path to pass laws rewriting the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act when parliament returns next week for the final sitting of the year.
However, it would require ceding to the Coalition's demands to water down protection for nature and strip back the powers of Labor's proposed environment protection agency (EPA), risking a major backlash from environmentalists and potentially Labor's own backbench. The opposition wants changes to seven points of concern, including the EPA's powers, requirements for large projects to disclose projected emissions upfront, and threats of excessive financial penalties and stop-work orders.
The Coalition is also concerned about two provisions designed to protect nature: a new definition of 'unacceptable impact' on the environment and a 'net gain' test forcing developers to compensate for damage. 'The Coalition is seeking sensible amendments,' Ley said. 'If they are adopted, then we will be supportive of legislation next week.'
Environment Minister Murray Watt remains open to a deal with either the Coalition or the Greens to get the laws through the Senate before parliament wraps up for 2025 next Thursday. The Greens leader, Larissa Waters, said a deal with the Coalition would show Labor is not serious about protecting nature. 'If the Labor government wants to do a deal with the climate denying, anti-science dinosaurs in the Liberal party, that tells you everything you need to know,' she said.
Environmental lawyers are urging the government against further weakening already flawed laws at the 'behest of industry'. The Environmental Defenders Office told a senate committee that the bills risked making the failings of current laws worse. Deputy director Rachel Walmsley said parliament had three options: keep the failed EPBC Act, pass weakened bills, or strengthen them to deliver outcomes for nature. 'It has to be option three,' she said.
