The next tranche of the Albanese Government's landmark national environment laws will come into effect today, delivering stronger environmental protections and faster assessments and approvals.
The reforms passed the Parliament at the end of last year, amending the 25-year-old Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
The reforms delivered on the recommendations of Professor Graeme Samuel in his independent review, aimed at delivering balanced changes that both protect the environment and deliver for business and the community through faster decision-making.
Provisions coming into effect today include:
- Changes to strategic assessments, including allowing proponents to request variations to an existing strategic assessment, allowing them to be more flexible over time;
- Allowing for conditions to be applied to National Interest Exemptions and for the federal Minister to initiate an exemption, reducing administrative burden during emergency situations;
- New information sharing arrangements that aim to support faster decision making under the EPBC Act and greater availability of environmental information;
- Proponents that have received a 'not controlled action if taken in a particular manner' decision may now request a reconsideration from the Minister to change the manner in which the action is taken;
- Allowing proponents to surrender unused approvals, reducing the compliance burden for projects that are not progressing and ensuring the community has clarity around projects near them;
- Expanding the role of the Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC) to ensure First Nations knowledge is embedded in decision-making, including species listing and Standards; and
- Changes to streamline processes and reduce inefficiencies for wildlife trade permits for example extending the maximum approval timeframes for Wildlife Trade Operations, allowing time for applicants to provide further information and lapsing applications, where requested information is not provided.
These changes follow provisions that have been in place since Royal Assent, including strong new protections against high risk tree clearing and the power for the Minister to make national environmental standards.
Minister for the Environment and Water Murray Watt said today marks an important milestone in the rollout of the reformed national environment laws.
"The Albanese Government is delivering on its commitment to protect our environment and to boost productivity in our economy," Minister Watt said.
"Through this next tranche of changes, we are delivering faster, clearer processes to proponents and communities as quickly as possible.
"This tranche of reforms is just the beginning, allowing us to 'switch on' elements that are ready while continuing to build the larger reform system.
"It will also pave the way for the establishment of Australia's first National Environmental Protection Agency and head of Environment Information Australia on 1 July 2026."
Good progress has also been made on the National Environmental Standards, with public consultation around the Matters of National Environmental Significance and Environmental Offsets Standards garnering huge interest.
"There's clear interest in this work - my department received approximately 750 submissions from a wide variety of groups and individuals on these two standards alone, which we will take into consideration for the next phase of drafting," Minister Watt said.
"Work is also progressing on further standards on First Nations engagement, community engagement and data and information."
