“The EPBC Act is ineffective”

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, LINK, is Australia’s principal environmental law.

 EPBC Act – Frequently Asked Questions, LINK.

A recent review of the act, LINK, led by Professor Graeme Samuel in consultation with scientists, legal experts, industry and conservationists was concluded in October last year and released by the Government on 28^th January.

Drouin development!

 

The review concludes that urgent changes are required.

Graceful Sun-orchid ('Rare')

 

Some extract statements from the review include:

·       “Australia’s natural environment and iconic places are in an overall state of decline”.

·       “The environmental trajectory is currently unsustainable”.

·       “… the environment has suffered from 2 decades of failing to continuously improve the law…”.

·       “Decision-makers, proponents of development and the community do not have access to the best available data, information and science”.

·       “Given the current state of Australia’s environment, broad restoration is required to address past loss, build resilience and reverse the current trajectory of environmental decline. Restoration is necessary to enable Australia to accommodate future development in a sustainable way”.

·       “The EPBC Act is ineffective. It does not enable the Commonwealth to effectively protect environmental matters that are important for the nation. It is not fit to address current or future environmental challenges”.

·       “The community and industry do not trust the EPBC Act and there is merit in their concerns”.

·       “There are fundamental shortcomings in the interactions between Regional Forest Agreements, (RFAs) and the EPBC Act”.

·       “Despite its purpose, the EPBC Act does not facilitate the maintenance or restoration of the environment. The current settings cannot halt the trajectory of environmental decline, let alone reverse it”.

·       “Immediate changes are required to the environmental offsets policy to ensure that offsets do not contribute to environmental decline”.

Gully Grevillea ('Vulnerable' & 'Threatened')

 

Hardly a glowing report it has to be said.

Southern Brown Bandicoot ('Endangered' & 'Threatened')

 

The review makes 38 recommendations LINK, but the response by Federal environment minister, Sussan Ley, LINK to the interim report back in July last year, before the release of the final report, is a bit worrying.

Powerful Owl ('Vulnerable' & 'Threatened')

 

Let’s hope someone is listening! 

Purple Diuris Orchid ('Vulnerable' & 'Threatened')