Australia’s old environment laws were a box-ticking exercise. Sadly, the new ones could be too
TonyFeder/Getty For a quarter century, Australia’s environment laws were widely regarded as not fit for purpose. In 2020, a scathing review by Professor Graeme Samuel found the Environment Protection and Biodiversity (EPBC) Act was ineffective and unfit for future environmental challenges. On the last Parliamentary sitting day of 2025, Labor passed its long-awaited reforms to Australia’s nature laws following a deal with the Greens. According to Environment Minister Murray Wa
Australia has enacted new environmental laws, replacing a quarter-century-old system widely criticized as ineffective "box-ticking." The reforms, passed after extensive negotiation, aim to improve environmental protection and biodiversity outcomes. A key feature of the new legislation involves the introduction of "environmental standards" designed to guide decision-making and ensure tangible benefits for nature, moving beyond mere procedural compliance. However, conservationists are now scrutinizing the effectiveness of these proposed standards, particularly two draft versions open for consultation. Concerns have been raised that specific clauses within these standards may undermine their intended objectives of protecting national environmental significance and mitigating development impacts.
The effectiveness of these new environmental standards is crucial for the future protection of Australia's unique biodiversity and natural heritage from development pressures.
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