The Federal Government’s ‘nature positive’ bills must be scrutinised by a parliamentary committee to ensure the laws don’t do damage to the WA and national economies, says CCIWA Chief Economist Aaron Morey.
Three bills were introduced to Parliament today as part of stage two of the Government’s Nature Positive Plan, including a bill to establish a national environmental agency that would be tasked with policing environmental laws and assessing projects.
Under the Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024, the Federal EPA could issue stop-work orders to halt projects, while courts could issue penalties of up to $780 million or up to seven years’ jail for serious intentional breaches of environmental law.
CCIWA Chief Economist Aaron Morey says the Bill needs a fine-tooth comb to ensure it doesn’t do damage to the WA and national economies.
“The proposed changes will have significant implications for WA’s economy, and our State will be the biggest loser if they are rushed through Parliament without proper scrutiny,” he says.
“That’s why it’s absolutely vital these bills are closely examined by a parliamentary committee through an inquiry process.”
He adds that any public committee hearings that do take place to examine the bills should hold hearings in WA to hear directly from the industries that drive Australia’s economic prosperity.
Risks to WA economy
CCIWA highlighted the potential risks to WA’s economy in its Green Web report in late 2023, finding $318 billion worth of investment in WA alone was tied up in environmental approval delays.
The proposed changes had sparked widespread fears among businesses that the rewrite of Federal environment laws would increase green tape and potentially torpedo major projects, including new mines, farms, housing, clean energy developments, electricity transmission and public infrastructure.
“The creation of a national EPA will risk duplicating work that’s already happening at a state level, leading to more delays and cost blow-outs for major projects,” Morey says.
The Government also introduced the Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024, which would set up the statutory and independent head of new agency Environment Information Australia (EIA). EIA would provide environmental data including State of the Environment reports every two years instead of five.
Stage three of the Government’s nature positive plan has been put on the backburner to allow for further consultation after industry backlash to the plans.
Federal Environment and Water Minister Tanya Plibersek says this stage of the reforms “will deliver stronger environment protection powers, faster environment approvals, more environment information and greater transparency”.
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