Anger at state of environment Act
THE Morrison Government’s “watering down” of a federal environmental protection Act is environmental vandalism in the extreme, says federal Independent MP for Clark Andrew Wilkie.
It flew in the face of a scathing independent review calling for the Act to provide stronger environmental protections.
Mr Wilkie was responding to the passage of the federal government’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Streamlining Environmental Approvals) Bill 2020 through the House of Representatives on Thursday.
“It completely ignores Professor Graeme Samuel AC’s interim recommendations to accompany changes to the Act with stringent national standards and an independent regulator,” Mr Wilkie said.
“It hands decision-making to state and territory governments who have shown time and time again to be conflicted and incapable of protecting the environment.”
The watering down of the EPBC Act was especially alarming for Tasmania.
“The Tasmanian government is determined to progress the Major Projects Bill, which will allow it to fast-track dodgy projects, so now more than ever Tasmanians need the protection of effective federal environmental legislation.”
He said it showed a “chilling contempt for democracy”.
“Most Members of the House were prevented from speaking, and foreshadowed amendments were blocked without debate.”
Tasmanian Greens senator Peter Whish-Wilson said federal environmental laws were already failing us.
“It beggars belief that in the midst of a climate emergency we would be weakening them even further,” Senator Whish-Wilson said. “These new changes would be setting us back more than 30 years at a time when we so desperately need governments to increase protections for the environment.”
The mining and agriculture sectors welcomed the Bill introduced by federal Environment Minister Sussan Ley.
Environmental groups expressed concern Ms Ley has already ruled out appointing an independent watchdog to ensure states complied with the new standards.
The EPBC Bill is expected to reach the Senate in October, when Prof Samuel’s final report is also due.
The legislation resembles former prime minister Tony Abbott’s unsuccessful 2014 attempt to devolve environmental approval powers to the states. Environmental protections in
spotlight: TasWeekend