Act now or we face eco­system extinction, says Graeme Samuel-led review

The natural environment, iconic places and endangered species are in trouble and need new, rigorously enforced national standards to protect them, an independent review has concluded.

The review was led by former competition watchdog chairman Graeme Samuel. Picture: AAP

The natural environment, iconic places and endangered species are in trouble and need new, rigorously enforced national standards to protect them, an independent review of Australia’s environmental protection legislation has concluded.

The review, led by former competition watchdog chairman Graeme Samuel, found the environment was “not sufficiently resilient to withstand current, emerging or future threats, including climate change”.

Professor Samuel concluded that the current Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Act did not enable the commonwealth to effectively protect environmental matters of national importance, but the review, with 38 detailed recommendations, sets up potentially challenging rows over environmental policy.

Professor Samuel clarified a recommended environmental auditor and compliance oversight body should be located within the existing bureaucracy, having previously left open the possibility of a separate agency, as preferred by environmental activists.

Other proposals include uniform environmental laws across all states and an overhaul of agreements that allow forest logging to work outside the EPBC Act to better protect endangered species. “To shy away from fundamental reforms recommended by this review is to accept a continued decline of iconic places and extinction of our most threatened plants, animals and eco­systems,” he wrote.

Environment Minister Sussan Ley has already introduced legislation, and on Thursday said the government would push ahead with “one-touch” laws to delegate federal environment decision-making powers to the states.

“Professor Samuel has put forward far-reaching recommen­dations aimed at delivering a sensible and staged process of change, and it is important to canvass these fully as we confirm our reform agenda,” Ms Ley said.

Labor and the Greens are sceptical about the one-touch legislation introduced by the government, saying they want details of the new regulations before agreeing to pass them.

In his final report, Professor Samuel supported the introduction of a “one-touch” regulation that has also been welcomed by business. He also called for the immediate adoption of a set of interim standards and said there should eventually be one set of rules that applied nationwide.

The recommendations set up a fierce debate on what the new environmental standards should be and who should police and oversee them.

Business Council president Tim Reed said the report showed that protecting the environment and major project approvals were not mutually exclusive: “This is a once in a decade opportunity to deliver better environmental outcomes and let businesses do what they do best — create new jobs.”

The Australian Conservation Foundation welcomed some recommendations but said compliance and enforcement should sit outside the Environment Department. “Rush­ing to hand over federal decision-making to states and territories would have devastating consequences for wildlife, unique natural places and communities”, it said.

“Without strong standards and independent oversight, fast-tracking approvals simply fast-tracks extinction.”