‘Major loopholes’: Pitched enviro laws threaten Great Barrier Reef, CAFNEC warns

Cairns-based senator Nita Green has been forced to defend proposed reforms to environmental laws panned by both Far North environmental groups and the Business Council of Australia this week.

EPBC laws aren't strong enough and will potentially endangered World Heritage-listed sites, including the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics. Picture: Samuel Davis

Cairns-based senator Nita Green has been forced to defend proposed reforms to environmental laws panned by both the Cairns and Far North Environment Centre and Business Council of Australia this week.

Around two dozen protesters gathered outside the Special Envoy for the Great Barrier Reef’s office on Wednesday morning, presenting the Senator’s staffers with more than 150 letters rebuking planned changes to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

CAFNEC director, Bronwyn Opie, joined protesters on Wednesday morning outside Cairns-based Senator Nita Green's office. Picture: Samuel Davis

Under the revamp, gas projects, oil wells and other major developments could be approved without meeting key environmental checks, CAFNEC director Bronwyn Opie said.

“It’s too much discretionary power sitting with the (Environment) Minister (Murray Watt) at the moment which means that politics can get in the way of the law and the science,” Ms Opie said.

“We’ve seen it happen before where the Minister is given too much discretion, the language is too weak … it leaves a lot of room for politics and political interference to get in the way of the laws working.”

About 25 protesters outside Cairns-based Senator Nita Green's office chanted and waved signs while demonstrating against Labor's proposed environmental law reforms. Picture: Samuel Davis

The Coalition’s flip-flopping on net zero targets had drawn attention away from the legislation, Ms Opie said.

“The most frustrating part is that it sets the bar really low for the other parties,” she said.

“We know what we need to do to protect our communities from the impacts of climate change and if they’re ignoring that issue I think we’ll see poor results at the polls.”

Assistant Minister for Tourism Senator Nita Green, pictured at Lady Elliot Island, was not in her office when the protest was staged. Picture Lachie Millard

In a statement, Senator Green rejected that the legislation would fail to deliver better outcomes for the environment, instead arguing that it will speed-up approval processes for renewables and resources projects.

“The Albanese government is committed to reforming our national environmental laws to deliver stronger environmental protections, reduce duplication and boost accountability and transparency in decision-making,” Senator Green said.

“We continue to work collaboratively with a wide range of stakeholders to secure the broadest support possible for these reforms.”

The revised laws would fail to adequately protect the reef, Ms Opie said.

“They leave major loopholes for deforestation to continue in Great Barrier Reef catchments,” she said.

“We know we need these nature laws reforms because they’re not working as they are.

“But we need to make sure that we’re fixing the problems with the reforms and not making them worse.”

The health of the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics are likely to come under serious international scrutiny next year with the federal government seeking to host the UN’s annual climate summit in Australia.

Meanwhile, the BCA have opposed bigger penalties for operators who break the law, describing proposed fines as “egregious”.

Originally published as ‘Major loopholes’: Pitched enviro laws threaten Great Barrier Reef, CAFNEC warns