The Labor government's long-promised overhaul of federal nature laws faces collapse on the final sitting day of parliament if a deal cannot be reached. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese has entered negotiations with the Greens in a bid to secure support for the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act reforms.
Government sources confirmed on Wednesday night that no agreement had been reached, with the opposition also complicating prospects by requesting additional business-friendly changes. The environment minister, Murray Watt, spoke with his Liberal counterpart, Angie Bell, but a deal with the Coalition was considered less likely after Sussan Ley criticised Labor's offer as “totally insufficient”.
The bill, inspired by Graeme Samuel’s 2020 review, introduces new environmental standards and a proposed environmental protection agency, a Labor election promise. It has faced criticism from environmentalists for not adequately addressing the extinction crisis and from industry over concerns that a new “unacceptable impact” test could hinder projects.
If no deal is secured, it would mark the second failure in 12 months to reform the EPBC Act. In the last term, a similar bill backed by Tanya Plibersek was vetoed by the prime minister after pressure from the Western Australian government and mining sector. The Labor Environment Action Network has expressed hope for a deal with the Greens, noting their offer includes key environmental asks.
