Peter Burnett writes in The Conversation (20.7.20) about the Coalition’s worrying push to change Australia’s environmental law framework.
‘The Morrison government on Monday released a long-awaited interim review into Australia’s federal environment law. The ten-year review found Australia’s natural environment is declining and under increasing threat. The current environmental trajectory is “unsustainable” and the law “ineffective”.
‘The report, by businessman Graeme Samuel, called for fundamental reform of the law, known as the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act.
‘… Samuel confirmed the health of Australia’s environment is in dire straits, and proposes many good ways to address this.
‘Worryingly though, Environment Minister Sussan Ley immediately seized on proposed reforms that seem to suit her government’s agenda – notably, streamlining the environmental approvals process – and will start working towards them. This is before the review has been finalised, and before public comment on the draft has been received.’
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