Simplified environmental approvals could give state more say

THE state government may get more of a say over environmental approvals in changes being considered by the federal government.

An interim report from the independent review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act by

Graeme Samuel, former chairman of the Australian Competition and Consumer Commission, said the community did not trust the Act to deliver effective protection of the environment and industry viewed it as cumbersome, duplicative and slow.

In response to the report, Environment Minister Sussan

Ley said the federal government would take a range of steps, including discussions with willing states to enter agreements for “single touch” approvals.

The move would remove duplication by accrediting states to carry out environmental assessments and approvals on the Commonwealth’s

behalf, Ms Ley said.

A state government spokesman said the government was reviewing the report’s recommendations.

“Reducing red tape is a key focus for the government and we are supportive of streamlining process and reducing duplication where possible, while maintaining rigour in environmental assessment processes,” the spokesman said.

Wilderness Society Tasmania campaign manager Tom Allen said the society had been campaigning for new nature protection laws.

“The Morrison government has met the twin disasters of the environment in free-fall and failing environmental laws by passing the buck to states like Tasmania, which can’t and won’t take environmental protection more seriously than the federal government did, which also failed to do so properly,” Mr Allen said.

“We welcome the report’s three stronger suggested protections for World Heritage areas.”