The EPBC Act is in compelling need of holistic reforms which should be progressed as a matter of urgency commensurate to the seriousness and urgency of Australia's nature crisis.
The EPBC Act is in compelling need of holistic reforms which should be progressed as a matter of urgency commensurate to the seriousness and urgency of Australia's nature crisis.</p>
ALCA's key recommendations for amendments include:
- That the national interest test be replaced with a public interest test
- Decisions under the proposed laws must be consistent with the National Environmental Standards
- The Nature Repair Market should not be used as an offsets market
- Net gain and the mitigation hierarchy should be clearly defined in the legislation itself
- Like-for-like offsets must demonstrably available before payments for offsets can be allowed
- Discontinue the current Regional Forest Agreement exemption from the application of the Act.
- Remove all proposed amendments to the operation of the water trigger
- Establish a duty for the Minister to consider climate impacts of new projects in approval decisions
For any meaningful environmental legislative reform package to succeed, it must be accompanied by serious Federal Government investment in nature.
