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Source: Australian Conservation Foundation (MEDIA RELEASE)
August 24, 2011

The federal government's response to a major review of Australia's key environmental laws will not reverse the rapid decline of Australia's biodiversity, the Australian Conservation Foundation said today.

"The environment is Australia's natural life support system and all the indicators of its health are heading in the wrong direction," said ACF's Healthy Ecosystems program manager Dr Paul Sinclair.

"The government's response to the independent Hawke Review of the Environmental Protection & Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) falls short of what’s needed.

"Delegating power to the states to approve projects that affect matters of national environmental significance would be a backward step – if business wants a one-stop-shop, it must be a federal shop.

"The decision to expand protection under the EPBC Act to Ecosystems of National Significance is welcome, but protection plans and more strategic assessments means little if the regulatory powers and resources needed to implement these plans are inadequate.” 

ACF is concerned the Act has too much wiggle room in it already and the Minister's rejection of the Hawke Review recommendations on mandatory decision-making criteria and judicial review will not improve the community's confidence in the law.

ACF believes it is critical Australians have legal standing to question decisions made by the Minister about their environment.

"The Montara spill, which leaked 400 barrels of oil into the ocean off the Kimberley coast every day for 10 weeks in 2009, shows what happens when governments fail to adequately assess the risks of development proposals," Dr Sinclair said.

"ACF supports reforms that will prevent damage in the first place, but it's also vital the government gives adequate resources to those responsible for enforcing laws. 

"All members of the Federal Parliament should be looking to protect our life support systems by strengthening our national environmental laws and committing the resources required to implement them effectively."