CCIWA has continued to call for sensible amendments to the Federal Government’s environmental approvals reforms to the EPBC Act, with Chief Economist Aaron Morey outlining WA industry’s key concerns at a Senate Committee in Canberra this morning.
“CCIWA supports the intent of these reforms. The Bill package includes elements that genuinely strengthen environmental protection,” he said at the hearing.
“However, it is apparent that without amendment, this package does not achieve the ‘better for business’ side of the Government’s commitment.”
Morey said CCIWA’s submission to the Senate Committee had outlined several reasonable amendments to achieve this.
“If those amendments are not made, we will be left with a Bill that is unworkable, and the national economy will quickly lose its capacity to pay for important social supports such as the NDIS, the Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme and Medicare,” he said.
“The test of success isn’t making both sides of the debate equally unhappy. It’s building an approvals system that protects the environment, recognises the economic and social benefits of projects, and delivers timely and predictable decisions.
“With the recommendations put forward in our submission, we can get there.”
Reform should benefit environment and industry
In its submission to the Senate inquiry into the EPBC Act reforms, CCIWA recommended changes to the Bills to protect WA industry and the national economy.
This includes a clearer definition of what constitutes an “unacceptable impact” from a proposed project, and better safeguards to ensure a national Environmental Protection Authority is transparent and accountable.
Morey said while industry supported more robust regulation, the right balance must be struck.
“There are no winners if Australia ends up with a duplicative, lengthy and unnecessarily complex environmental approvals system,” he said.
“The test of success with this legislation isn’t making both sides equally unhappy.
“It’s about building an approvals system that protects the environment, recognises the economic and social benefits of a project and delivers timely, predictable outcomes.”
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