The Australian Conservation Foundation's detailed assessment of the government's environment law reform package shows that without key amendments the bills will not stop nature destruction or prevent political interference.
ACF CEO Kelly O'Shanassy said: "As it stands, the government's draft legislation leaves major loopholes that would allow rampant habitat destruction and unchecked ministerial discretion.
"The reform of the national environment law must deliver stronger protection of Australia's unique animals and plants - caving in to the no-net-zero Coalition will take nature protection backwards.
"We'd give these national nature laws, in their current form, a fail mark.
"Failure to reform Australia's broken nature protection laws would be a win for fossil fuel and logging companies.
"The laws are now at a critical stage where they can and must be fixed. We recommend a suite of amendments to make sure these laws pass the ultimate test: that is, they protect nature.
"The Coalition says it wants to deal with the government. This would be a catastrophe for nature, because what it is proposing amounts to a weakening of already bad legislation.
"We call on the Albanese government to negotiate with members of the Senate that care about nature and a vibrant, healthy Australia.
"Our country is in the midst of a shocking extinction crisis. We are rapidly losing species and ecosystems to climate change and nature destruction.
"Strong laws are the best way to protect what we love and what our economy depends on to thrive - now and for many generations to come.
"These laws should and can deliver a better deal. Now is the critical time for Parliamentarians to improve them, not weaken them.
"With essential amendments, the Parliament can turn this package into the strong, enforceable nature laws Australians expect. Without them, nature loses."
ACF recommends the following fixes (see the full list of recommended amendments here):
- Remove the discretionary powers that undermine the new rules that protect nature.
- Guarantee independent, federal decision-making through a national EPA.
- Protect the bush by closing loopholes that enable forest destruction.
- Stop climate harm and ensure coal and gas is not fast-tracked.
- Ensure public scrutiny and First Nations engagement.
