‘Delays for jobs and investment’: Labor slams green tape pledge

The Coalition and Labor have traded blows over environmental credentials as the Prime Minister unveils a plan to cut green tape.

Plans to slash green tape and fast-track environmental approvals don’t do enough to fix the bureaucratic bottlenecks delaying jobs and investment, Labor says.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced on Wednesday a re-elected Coalition Government would seek to push through changes to streamline approvals by eliminating double ups with the states and having “single touch approval”.

Prime Minister Scott Morrison says the Coalition will again push for “single touch approvals” on environmental assessments. Picture: Jason Edwards

He said it was a test for Labor, who previously sided with the Greens to shoot it down.

“I worked with colleagues on national cabinet to secure a single-touch model for environmental approvals,” Mr Morrison said.

“Federal Labor had a choice. They could have supported sensible reforms, supported by Premier (Mark) McGowan, Premier (Daniel) Andrews and Premier (Annastacia) Palaszczuk.

“Instead they chose to side with the Greens and not support these reforms.”

Labor’s environment spokeswoman Terri Butler hit back, pointing out that 95 per cent of approvals were missing deadlines by 2019 under the Coalition’s watch, saying the proposed changes did not do enough to fix existing problems in the system.

“Scott Morrison has zero credibility when it comes to getting project approval decisions made on time,” she said.

Labor’s environment spokeswoman Terri Butler says the Coalition has no credibility on environmental approval times. Picture: Martin Ollman

“His Government has overseen massive delays, as a consequence of their own funding cuts.

“The decision-making delays under the Morrison-Joyce Government have had real-world consequences, because their overdue decisions have meant delays for jobs, and delays for investment.”

Environment Minister Sussan Ley has previously pointed to the number of on-time assessment determinations having risen to 96 per cent in the past three years, after significant investment to improve outcomes.

The Coalition also committed $37.9 million in the March 29 Budget towards streamlining assessment processes, which including $10 million to progress single touch approval process and $27.9 million to speed up decisions.

Originally published as ‘Delays for jobs and investment’: Labor slams green tape pledge