CCIWA is deeply concerned by reports the Federal Government will consider a “deal” with the Greens party to push its controversial “Nature Positive” bill through Parliament before the election.
The flaws in the proposed legislation are widespread and the decision by the Greens to drop demands for a climate trigger until after the election, to secure passage of the Bill, does not resolve the huge threat it represents to the Australian economy.
CCIWA Chief Economist, Aaron Morey, said the bill as it stands would especially wreak havoc on the West Australian economy.
“Even without a climate trigger, this Bill would do great damage to the WA economy. It must not pass – full stop. If the Bill proceeds it will mean delays and cost blow-outs for every major project in Australia, and WA has the most to lose,” he said.
“The Bill doesn’t just risk mining and the jobs that sector creates to help kids break out of intergenerational disadvantage.
“It also risks the development of new housing lots, critical for relieving pressure in the rental market. And it risks the rollout of new transmission infrastructure, vital for connecting renewables to the grid.
“In this way it will slow efforts to decarbonise the Australian economy.”
Mr Morey said WA already has a world-leading approvals system for major projects.
“WA doesn’t need a duplicate layer of environmental approvals run from Canberra,” he said.
“All this new Federal agency will do is make major projects more expensive and harder to get off the ground.
“It will drive away investment at a time when our economy is fighting harder than ever to attract capital.
“Nature Positive will be jobs negative for WA.”
