Labor to try to push through environmental reforms after Greens deadlock

Environment Minister Murray Watt is set to fast-track Labor’s long-touted environmental reforms after they were deadlocked by the Greens.

Environment Minister Murray Watt is going ahead with a refresh of Labor’s stymied environmental reforms, that both protect nature and help speed up approvals on critical home building and resources projects.

Labor is set to fast-track its revisions to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act and is set to introduce them by the end of 2025, and not wait until mid-2026.

The revised environmental laws will allow for more transparency in decisions taken, faster and simpler approvals processes plus greater environmental protections.

The reworked legislation will also remove duplication in the approvals and assessments process – a key theme following last week’s Economic Reform Roundtable.

Environment Minister Murray Watt will fast track Labor’s EPBC reforms and introduce them before the end of the year. Picture: NewsWire/ John Gass

The three-day talks also created a strike team within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to fast-track more than 26,000 homes currently in limbo awaiting environmental assessments.

Previous iterations of the legislation failed to pass the Senate in the last term following demands of a climate trigger which would have bulldozed high-emitting projects.

Negotiations to pass the Bill were reportedly pulled at the last minute by Anthony Albanese due to persistent criticism from the Western Australian resources sector, and how that could affect Labor’s election performance.

Senator Watt said there was “very strong support” from business, environment and community representatives for “serious and urgent reform”.

He said meetings would continue in the months ahead before the legislation is introduced.

“I have been consulting extensively over the past three months on these reforms, holding more than 40 meetings, roundtables and forums with environment, resources, energy, property and other business groups,” he said.

“In those meetings, I have consistently heard that we need to move quickly to reform these laws, as delays mean holding up investment and more environmental destruction.

“We are answering that call by significantly accelerating these reforms.”

Originally published as Labor to try to push through environmental reforms after Greens deadlock