The federal environmental protection laws - fixing a broken system?

"The Greens have agreed to support Labor’s re-write of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act after securing further concessions from the government amid tense and prolonged negotiations...The deal will clear the path for Labor to ram the legislation through the Senate on Thursday..."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/live/2025/nov/27/australia-politics-live-barnaby-joyce-one-nation-pauline-hanson-environment-nature-bill-deal-coalition-greens-murray-watt-question-time-anthony-albanese-sussan-ley-ntwnfb
#biodiversity #climate #FossilFuels #extractivism #environment #EPBCAct #water #FastTrackApprovals #loggingimpacts

Australia's new national environmental standards

"Former ACCC chair condemns proposed exemption allowing minister to approve projects that don’t comply with law. Samuel, who led a 2020 review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, also argued a loophole that effectively exempts native forest logging from the laws “shouldn’t be there”.

“Logging operations should be subject to the same rules as mining, agriculture, urban development and so on." >>
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2025/nov/14/graeme-samuel-calls-for-labor-to-ditch-national-interest-workaround-for-environment-laws

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act)
The problem of ministerial discretion and “national interest” exemptions. >>
https://mastodon.au/@Bellingen/115528660854362227

Authoritarianism—but make it look like the rule of law. >>
https://mastodon.au/@Bellingen/115528971744822369

#EPBCAct #biodiversity #NationalInterest #law #exemption #MinisterialDiscretion #FastTrackApprovals #VestedInterest #ParliamentaryScrutiny #EnvironmentalLaw #conservation #regulation #governance #democracy #NSWLogging #landclearing #DualState #lawlessness #authoritarianism #LawGuardrails #normalcy #EmergencyPowers #NationalInterest #legitimisation #exemption #constitution #state #governance #LoggingImpacts

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act)
The problem of ministerial discretion and “national interest” exemptions.

" ‘Serious gaps’ in Labor’s environment laws undermine attempt to fix broken system, integrity experts say. Political integrity experts have raised concerns about Labor’s proposed new nature laws, including a contentious new “national interest” exemption...Despite the claims to a limited application, the centre holds grave concerns about the scope, transparency, and accountability of the exercise of the discretion. The centre’s report said it was “highly unusual” for an independent regulator to cede such “significant powers” to a minister." Environmental decision making is especially prone to capture by vested interests – that’s why integrity safeguards must be strong. "
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/04/highly-unusual-exemption-in-labors-environment-laws-open-to-interference-integrity-experts-say

"Will Labor’s environment laws actually address Australia’s biodiversity crisis? Five reasons to be concerned. Experts say the proposed legislation is full of problems, including excessive ministerial discretion and relaxing like-for-like offset rules." >>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/08/labor-environment-laws-australia-biodiversity-crisis-five-reasons-concerned

Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act and excessive ministerial power
"In his 2020 review of the EPBC Act, Graeme Samuel, the former chief of the competition watchdog, said the “unfettered discretion” granted to ministers to interpret the laws was a major problem that had led to poor outcomes for Australia’s environment." >>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/nov/08/labor-environment-laws-australia-biodiversity-crisis-five-reasons-concerned
#EPBCAct #biodiversity #NationalInterest #exemption #MinisterialDiscretion #FastTrackApprovals #VestedInterest #ParliamentaryScrutiny #EnvironmentalLaw #conservation #regulation #governance #democracy

The nature reform bill: “riddled with loopholes that would enable rampant deforestation and species extinctions to continue at pace”.

"Ken Henry warns Labor’s nature laws ‘are worthless’ unless minister tightens ‘national interest’ exemptions. Every project developer is absolutely convinced that their project is in the national interest... Henry said the vague drafting of the “national interest” exemption and the failure to close loopholes for native forest logging and land clearing were problems that needed to be fixed."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/oct/30/ken-henry-warns-labors-nature-laws-are-worthless-unless-minister-tightens-national-interest-exemptions

Labor’s environmental law overhaul: a little progress and a lot of compromise
https://theconversation.com/labors-environmental-law-overhaul-a-little-progress-and-a-lot-of-compromise-268198
#EPBCAct #exemptions #NationalInterest #deforestation #LandClearing #FastTrackApprovals #NativeForests #LoggingImpacts #climate

Biodiversity “standing in the way” of growth - The same headline everywhere...

"Wage war on nature to build new homes: that’s Labour’s offer, but it’s a con trick ", George Monbiot

"The government’s new planning bill is tearing down environmental protections to benefit developers... But if you listen only to “leading CEOs”, you ensure the country becomes hospitable to capital but inhospitable to wildlife and people. As the war on nature proceeds, ministers sound ever more like Donald Trump...Irreplaceble ecosystems will be sold for cash."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2025/oct/16/labour-england-nature-housing-planning-bill
#biodiversity #ecosystems #ExtinctionCrisis #wildlife #water #sprawl #growth #turbo #FastTrackApprovals #hairball #WarOnNature

Turbocharge developments:
"NSW planning overhaul removes corruption and environment safeguards, legal experts say"

"There are growing fears that a major overhaul of planning laws proposed by the NSW government will bypass environmental protections and remove safeguards against corruption."
>>
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-10-13/enviornment-and-corruption-concerns-raised-over-planning-laws/105875992
#biodiversity #sprawl #environment #NSW #wildlife #corruption #PlanningAndDevelopment #FastTrackApprovals #RegulatoryHairballs #law #regulation

Reclaimining a sense of place
Mobility and the right to stay in a milieu

"Touristification describes a situation where locals fear their home towns and cities are being developed, designed and managed to attract and accommodate tourists. This touristification process benefits commerce and industries that profit from catering to visitors. Everyone else misses out, or is literally pushed out by rising housing costs. Some places are overwhelmed by short-term overtourism...Local housing, for instance, is being sacrificed for holiday rentals, facilitated by agencies such as Airbnb. local communities do not feel heard or empowered by tourism models which are focused on growth."
>>
https://theconversation.com/overtourism-is-reshaping-communities-in-europe-could-australia-be-next-260173
#tourism #overtourism #Touristification #TouristDestinations #TouristTown #coast #noise #pollution #cars #Bellingen #BellingenShire #harm #community #displacement #FastTrackApprovals #airbnb #regulation #MarketForces #housing #commodification #degradation #LeDroitàlaVille #mobility #RightToStay

I am glad he has corrected himself, and now he must not repeat the mistake. #indigenousrights #onpol #fasttrackapprovals #minerals #anishinaabe #dougford #RingOfFireDevelopment

Ford apologizes for saying Fir...

I am glad he has corrected himself, and now he must not repeat the mistake.

"Ford apologizes for saying First Nations 'keep coming hat in hand' amid Bill 5 controversy:

Anishinabek Nation Grand Council chief says Ontario premier has 'owned what he said' and 'corrected himself' "

#canada #firstnations #bill5 #indigenous #treatyrights #ontario #canpol #onpoli #canpoli #indigenousrights #onpol #fasttrackapprovals #minerals #anishinaabe #dougford #RingOfFireDevelopment

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/doug-ford-first-nations-apology-1.7566080

Fixing outdated environmental laws (the EPBC Act)
Destruction as usual ?

“Australians are tired of the bush being bulldozed and burnt and elected a government that will act on nature and on climate." They expect "sweeping changes to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) in the next 18 months."

"The past failures, combined with the approval of major fossil fuel projects and the rushed passage of laws to protect Tasmania’s salmon industry, have environmentalists worried about Labor’s second term."

"Environmental organisations also want an end to the “climate blindness” of Australia’s environmental laws, an end to loopholes such as the effective exemption granted to logging under regional forest agreements, and a clearer focus on what’s needed for the recovery of threatened species."

"Corporate Australia needed to “leave its bludgeons at the door” as the process started afresh."

"Ending habitat loss was the “bottom line outcome”, ...meaning that native forest logging and agricultural land clearing must be addressed in some form."
>>
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/jun/14/environmentalists-worry-as-labor-seeks-consensus-on-federal-nature-laws-epbc-act-epa
#EPBCAct #BiodiversityCrisis #biodiversity #ClimateBreakdown #GHG #FastTrackApprovals #extractivism #destruction #SamuelReview #LoggingIndustry #landclearing #FossilFuels #CorporateAustralia