Environmental Justice Australia today expressed outrage at news that the Federal Government will move to gut the federal laws that protect our environment and make it harder for communities to hold powerful decision makers to account in our courts.
“The standing provisions in the EPBC Act have been there since the Howard government introduced them in 1999. For the Abbott government to be proposing to remove these provisions shows the lengths they will go to in order to appease their cronies in the mining industry.” said Environmental Justice Australia CEO Brendan Sydes.
“This government is running from accountability for their actions. They are seeking to insulate themselves from scrutiny.”
“The cases they are frightened of are the ones where local people stand up for their right to clean air and water, or to protect their local wildlife and wild places.”
“All Australians should have access to justice to hold those in power to account. The right to appeal government decisions is sometimes the only thing stopping powerful multinationals and their cronies in government from riding roughshod across communities and the environment.”
“But once again, this government is demonstrating that their solution for getting caught acting illegally is to change the law. ”