The Australian Greens have called on the Senate, and state and territory governments, to reject the Morrison Government's flawed environmental law reforms following the release of a highly-critical Senate Inquiry Report today.
Greens Environment Spokesperson Senator Sarah Hanson-Young said:
"The Morrison Government is trying to weaken environment protection laws and hand approval powers for mines and big developments to the states rather than the Commonwealth.
"It is quite clear from the Senate Inquiry Report released today into this plan must be stopped.
"The Inquiry heard these laws not only further weaken existing protections they aren't scientifically credible and will do nothing to halt the current extinction crisis.
"The only support in this report for the legislation comes from the government.
"If these new laws pass the parliament we will see more dead koalas, more pollution, more logging and more wanton destruction of cultural heritage sites.
"Our states and territories must also again lead where the Morrison Government won't.
"Queensland, NSW and the ACT governments have rejected the Federal Government's plan and I urge the other states and territories to join them.
"In particular, I call on SA Environment Minister David Speirs to stand up for our home state, our special natural places and the River Murray which will all be at serious risk if the Morrison Government's plan goes ahead.
"We need a zero extinction target and to achieve it, we need strong environmental protections and an independent watchdog to hold governments, miners and developers to account."
Report into Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Standards and Assurance) Bill 2021 by the Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, including Greens Dissenting Report here.
