Environmental lawyers from Environmental Justice Australia (EJA) will tell Senate hearings today that the government’s EPBC reform package must be strengthened with vital amendments, delivering the strong environment laws Labor promised - and that all Australians deserve.
Environmental Justice Australia Co-CEO Nicola Rivers said:
“Right now, the government’s draft reforms hand the Minister king-like powers to override expert advice and community concerns. They fail to set enforceable national standards, leave deforestation loopholes wide open, and ignore climate damage.
“The offsets scheme lets developers pay-to-destroy critical habitat instead of preventing harm. Instead of showing national leadership, these reforms risk locking in decades more destruction.
“The Senate can fix this. With some vital amendments, the Senate can turn a weak and discretionary system into laws that genuinely protect nature and communities for generations to come. This is Australia’s chance to finally deliver environment laws that match the scale of the crisis - laws that cannot be ignored, overridden or weakened by politics.”
Media Briefer summarising EJA’s independent legal analysis of the 1500-page, seven bill reform package.
Media contact: Jessa Latona, 03 8341 3110 or [email protected]
