WEBINAR AND Q AND A

Not out of the woods: the risk of RFA 2.0

After decades of hard work by communities, Traditional Owners, environment groups and advocates, the Regional Forest Agreement exemption is finally coming to an end.

This is a major win for forests, wildlife and everyone who has fought to close one of Australia’s biggest environment law loopholes.

But we’re not out of the woods yet.

There’s a real risk logging companies are pushing government to replace the exemption with new loopholes that allow native forest logging to continue – essentially becoming RFA exemption 2.0.

Join legal experts from Environmental Justice Australia and Environmental Defenders Office to unpack what’s at risk, what stronger regulation could look like, and how communities can push for real forest protection.

RSVP here 👇

When

Wednesday, 10 June

12pm – 1:00pm (ACT/VIC/NSW/TAS)

Where

Online via Zoom – RSVP to receive the link.

WHAT TO EXPECT:

This will be a detailed session for people who already care about forest protection and environment law reform, and want to better understand the legal and policy pathways that could shape what happens next. We’ll unpack the risks of weak replacement mechanisms – including the possibility of an “RFA exemption 2.0” and explore what stronger, more accountable regulation could look like.

We’ll discuss what we know so far and where key decisions are still being made, what future consultation processes may look like, and how communities can push for stronger action.

And we’ll share a take-home resource after the webinar to help you keep engaging with the issue.

By the end of this session, you’ll:

understand why the end of the Regional Forest Agreement exemption so important

know the key EPBC reform risks in what could replace RFAs, including bilateral agreements, strategic assessments and bioregional planning

have a clearer sense of what stronger forest protection could look like under national environment laws

feel better equipped to follow the next stage of the reform process and speak up for nature, including in the ongoing national environment standards consultations

This is a free event and open to the public. Please feel free to share it with your networks.

Why this matters

For decades, the Regional Forest Agreement exemption has allowed native forest logging to avoid assessment under national environment laws. That meant critical habitat for threatened species could be logged without the federal oversight those laws are meant to provide.

Ending the RFA exemption is a major opportunity to change that. But what replaces it and how EPBC reforms areimplemented will determine whether this moment leads to stronger forest protection – or simply creates new loopholes for business as usual.

That’s why this next stage matters. Communities need to understand the risks, follow the reform process, and push for laws that genuinely protect forests, wildlife and the places people love