Government Races to Pass Environmental Reforms Before Parliament Rises, Offers Concessions to Both Sides
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Environment Minister Murray Watt declared Monday that Parliament will “finally pass” comprehensive environmental approval reforms this week after offering concessions to both the Coalition and Greens, though negotiations remain fluid as the government’s biggest legislative priority for the year faces uncertain passage before the final sitting week concludes.
Watt projected confidence arriving at Parliament Monday morning, characterizing the environmental law overhaul as “important and much needed reforms” that would modernize Australia’s national environmental protection framework after years of criticism that current laws slow development without delivering adequate conservation outcomes.
“This is the week. This is the week that the Federal Parliament is going to finally pass important and much needed reforms to our national environment laws,” Watt told reporters. “We have made some concessions to both sides. We’ve indicated some of the areas that we are prepared to compromise with the Coalition and we’ve indicated some areas we’re prepared to compromise with the Greens.”
The government faces a complex legislative balancing act requiring support from either the Liberal-National Coalition or the Greens to pass the Senate, with both parties demanding substantial amendments before backing the controversial legislation that would establish a new Environmental Protection Authority and streamline project approval processes.
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Shadow Environment Minister Angie Bell, a National representing Moncrieff in Queensland, outlined seven minimum changes the Coalition demands before supporting the bill, with additional modifications on a secondary list provided to the government.
“We have highlighted seven changes at a minimum that we would like to see, which we have obviously listed for the Minister,” Bell said. “There are more changes. There’s a secondary list of changes as well that the Minister has.”
The Coalition’s top three demands center on the scope of the proposed Environmental Protection Authority, the definition of “net gain” environmental outcomes, and the definition of “unacceptable impacts” on protected species and ecosystems. These definitional questions carry substantial implications for which projects would face enhanced scrutiny and what mitigation measures would satisfy approval requirements.
The government has attempted to secure Greens support by offering to apply national environmental standards to native forest logging within three years, a significant concession on an issue that has animated environmental advocates for decades. However, Greens environment spokesperson Sarah Hansen-Young indicated the offer remains insufficient.
Hansen-Young, a South Australian Senator, proposed extending negotiations through the summer parliamentary recess to ensure reforms adequately protect biodiversity and address climate concerns. Her willingness to delay passage signals that the government may struggle to secure Greens votes this week.
“If the government won’t come to the party and fix it this week, then I put to the minister, let’s work over summer,” Hansen-Young said. “Let’s roll up our sleeves. I’m happy to bring the beach towel if need be. We can work over summer to get this done if the minister can’t get it done this week.”
Former Greens leader Bob Brown, who appeared on ABC Afternoon Briefing, delivered a scathing assessment of the proposed laws, characterizing them as “hopeless” for environmental protection and warning that the legislation would “fast-track coal mines, gas fracking, and even logging of forests.”
“They’re hopeless if we’re really looking at protecting the environment in this age of environmental destruction,” Brown told ABC. “You know, in my lifetime, three quarters of the world’s wildlife has been destroyed and they’re putting their foot on the accelerator.”
Brown specifically criticized the three-year transition period for native forest logging, arguing the government could immediately halt logging in Tasmania and New South Wales but instead continues subsidizing an industry driving species toward extinction.
“In Tasmania and New South Wales, the Albanese government could stop that tomorrow. It’s the biggest cause of extinction of everything from koalas to greater gliders to critically endangered swift parrots and Tasmanian devils,” Brown said. “But the industry is being financed and subsidised by Canberra as well as by state governments.”
The former Greens leader, who represents a previous generation of environmental activism, argued that 80% of Labor voters support ending native forest logging, yet the government offers only a three-year delay before applying undefined standards. He characterized the concessions as “changing those deck chairs on the Titanic.”
Brown cited New Zealand’s example, where a Labor government ended native forest logging 20 years ago in response to public demand, while Australian states including Western Australia and Victoria have phased out the practice in recent years. He argued that ending subsidies to the logging industry would prove cheaper than continuing support for economically marginal operations.
The government’s strategic challenge involves securing sufficient crossbench support without alienating either the Coalition or Greens to the point where both oppose the legislation, creating an insurmountable parliamentary obstacle. The Coalition generally favors streamlined approvals benefiting development interests, while the Greens prioritize strengthened environmental protections over expedited processes.
Watt, who represents Queensland in the Senate, has emphasized that current environmental laws create regulatory uncertainty for businesses while failing to deliver conservation outcomes, arguing that a new framework can simultaneously accelerate approvals and improve environmental standards through clearer requirements and expert oversight.
The proposed Environmental Protection Authority would assume responsibility for assessing major projects’ environmental impacts, replacing the current system where the Environment Minister makes final decisions. This institutional reform aims to depoliticize approvals while ensuring scientific expertise guides assessments.
The “net gain” concept at the center of Coalition concerns would require developments to deliver environmental improvements exceeding their impacts, potentially through habitat restoration, species protection programs, or other conservation initiatives. Critics argue the concept allows developers to effectively purchase permission to damage protected areas.
Environmental groups have expressed mixed views on the reforms, with some supporting streamlined processes that could accelerate renewable energy projects while others warn that weakening federal oversight will enable destructive developments that states approve without adequate environmental scrutiny.
Business organizations generally support the reforms, arguing that regulatory certainty and faster approvals will enable investment in infrastructure, resources, and manufacturing projects essential to economic growth. They contend that environmental protection and economic development can coexist through well-designed regulatory frameworks.
The government’s decision to prioritize environmental reforms during the final parliamentary sitting week reflects calculation that the issue represents achievable legislative progress on a policy area where Labor can demonstrate concrete action addressing both environmental and economic imperatives.
However, the uncertain parliamentary arithmetic means the government may fail to pass the legislation despite intensive negotiations. If neither the Coalition nor Greens provide sufficient support, the reforms would die or face substantial delay, potentially extending into the next parliamentary year.
The three-year timeline for native forest logging standards represents a compromise between immediate cessation demanded by environmental advocates and indefinite continuation favored by state governments and industry groups. The transition period would theoretically allow logging operations to adjust to new requirements while protecting species during the phase-in.
Brown’s characterization of current parliamentary dynamics as prioritizing Coalition negotiations over Greens engagement reflects broader tensions about Labor’s strategic approach. He argued the government has focused on securing Liberal support while treating Greens demands as a fallback option if Coalition negotiations fail.
“At the moment, they’re really hoping on the Liberals doing the deal. The Nationals are completely irrelevant to this,” Brown said. “But they’re working to keep the Liberals on site.”
The timing creates pressure on all parties, with the parliamentary year concluding this week before the summer recess. Failure to pass the legislation now would require revisiting the issue in 2026, potentially complicating government legislative priorities as attention shifts toward the next federal election.
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