Warning law reforms too ‘weak’ to protect environment
Conservation groups warn Labour’s latest attempt to revamp conservation efforts will fail to protect the environment from climate change and other threats.
Federal Environment Minister Murray Watt presented parliament on Thursday with 1,500 pages of changes to laws protecting threatened species, ecosystems and other matters of national importance.
Environmental groups welcomed aspects of the bill, including a commitment to conservation standards, but argued the package was not strong enough to protect nature.
“Weak laws will bulldoze more valuable forests, pollute the atmosphere and destroy Australia’s natural resources,” said Paul Sinclair, acting chief executive of the Australian Conservation Foundation.
“They’re not good enough.”
The package does not include a “climate trigger” to halt coal and gas projects; This mechanism was rejected by Senator Watt, who said the safeguard mechanism currently limits emissions of Australia’s biggest polluters.
Revel Pointon, managing attorney at the Environmental Defenders Office, said the failure to assess the climate impacts of projects is contrary to international law, as set out in a recent advisory opinion by the World Court.
In a landmark opinion delivered by the International Court of Justice in early 2025, judges said fossil fuel production could constitute “an act contrary to international law.”
“Requiring only partial disclosure of greenhouse gas emissions and not assessing them is not environmental protection,” Ms Pointon said.
“This is a free pass for fossil fuel expansion.”
Within the scope of the reforms, major project owners emitting emissions will be required to disclose estimates of their first and second scope greenhouse gas emissions.
The industry welcomed efforts to streamline approvals and eliminate duplication but took issue with some elements of the reforms.
Business Council of Australia chief executive Bran Black called for an “appropriately focused” Environmental Protection Agency and timely accreditation of states and territories to begin delivering assessments and approvals of the new federal standards.
“Without reforms that strike the right balance, we won’t get the homes, renewable energy or critical mineral projects that are vital to Australia’s future prosperity,” he said.
According to analysis by the Ministry of Climate Change, Energy, Environment and Water, project approval deadlines have been delayed by 70 weeks since the laws of nature first came into force 25 years ago.
Labor is rushing to pass the legislation before the end of 2025.
However, the timeline may be tight as either the Greens or the coalition must pass the legislation but neither are happy with the package in its current form.
Greens leader Larissa Waters described it as a “gift wrap for big business”, while opposition environment spokeswoman Angie Bell was not convinced the changes would bring certainty to business.
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