A major overhaul of the federal environmental protection regime will be put to parliament this year, the minister, Murray Watt, has promised, as he warns further delays risk causing more \u201cenvironmental destruction\u201d and stalled investment.<\/p>\n
After last week\u2019s economic reform roundtable<\/a> agreed to fast-track the original 18-month timeframe, Watt will on Tuesday confirm that legislation to re-write the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) will be introduced before parliament rises for the year in late November.<\/p>\n The government will seek to legislate a set of national environmental standards and establish a federal environmental protection agency (EPA) in one package, rather than in multiple stages as it tried, and failed, to do in the previous term.<\/p>\n Watt\u2019s predecessor, Tanya Plibersek, was on the brink of a deal with the crossbench to establish a federal EPA before Anthony Albanese intervened to avoid a pre-election backlash in Western Australia.<\/p>\n But after Labor\u2019s thumping federal election win, the government believes it has a window of opportunity to finally act on Graeme Samuel\u2019s 2021 review<\/a> of the John Howard-era laws.<\/p>\n \u201cIt was clear from last week\u2019s roundtable that there is very strong support \u2013 across business, environment and community representatives \u2013 for serious and urgent reform to deliver stronger environmental protections, faster and simpler project approvals and greater transparency in environmental regulation,\u201d Watt said.<\/p>\n \u201cIn 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.<\/p>\n Sign up: AU Breaking News email<\/a><\/p>\n \u201cWe are answering that call by significantly accelerating these reforms.\u201d<\/p>\n While the timeframe is locked-in, key elements of the package will still need to be thrashed out in the coming months, including the model for the environment protection agency.<\/p>\n The design of the nature watchdog is a major point of contention<\/a> between industry and nature groups. Major mining and business groups have previously argued the EPA\u2019s powers should be limited to compliance and enforcement of nature laws, with no role in approving projects.<\/p>\n