Environmental Justice Australia co-CEO Nicola Rivers says:  

‘As environmental lawyers who work with Australia's environment laws every day, we know they are broken and urgently need good reform.  

“It’s long past time for Labor to make good on its promise to fix Australia’s environment laws. This is a real test for Minister Watt. We need strong laws, not vague commitments – because tepid reforms won’t cut it. 

“We must seize this chance to create good laws that ensure healthy forests, clean air and climate stability. No more tepid fixes - we need enforceable protections now.

“Relying on the Safeguard Mechanism to justify ignoring the climate harms from new developments is legally and scientifically reckless. The Safeguard Mechanism only regulates emissions after approval and, even then, only direct onsite pollution – it does nothing to address Australia’s world leading contribution to climate damage from the carbon emissions we export overseas.  

“Any environment law that allows the ongoing approval of new coal and gas while ignoring climate damage isn’t fit for this decade – or this planet."

Environmental Justice Australia calls for:

1. Strong national environmental standards to apply to all decisions. 

2. Climate change incorporated into assessment and decision making. 

3. Environment laws applied to all industries, including logging. 

4. First Nations rights to be properly recognised. 

5. Decision-making under the Act to be independent, accountable and expertise-based.

Information: Miki Perkins - 83413110