Sussan Ley (Farrer, Liberal Party, Minister for the Environment) Share this | Hansard source

The Morrison government really does have a great story to tell on the environment. For nearly 20 years we've had a rigorous and transparent regulatory framework for protecting nationally important environmental matters. Over the last few years, we've made real progress, protecting threatened species. We're funding practical, on-ground action that engages communities in caring for their environment. As well, we have a world-leading investment strategy for protecting the Great Barrier Reef. But there is more work to do. As a country, we need to better manage our waste and think about waste as part of the circular economy. We need to keep up the good work we have been doing on the reef and on threatened species, to name a couple of key areas.

So, what does this year's budget deliver for the environment? There is the Environment Restoration Fund. The government is delivering on its election commitment to increase recycling and reduce waste, protect Australia's biodiversity and restore waterways through the Environment Restoration Fund. These budget bills provide $100 million over the next four years for the fund. The fund will focus on three priority areas: protecting threatened and migratory species and their habitats; protecting Australia's coast, oceans and waterways by addressing erosion, improving water quality and protecting coastal, threatened and migratory species; and the clean-up, recovery and recycling of waste. The Communities Environment Program is another new program based around community-led projects complementing our restoration fund. Volunteers and community groups care passionately about their local environment and they know it better than most. Both the Environment Restoration Fund and the Communities Environment Program will support local groups to achieve their local priorities. The Communities Environment Program will harness that passion by helping grassroots community organisations deliver projects that address local priorities and will reconnect Australians with their local environment. These bills will deliver more than $20 million across Australia through the program.

Tackling Australia's waste is a key priority for this term of government. An amount of $5.9 million from the Environment Restoration Fund will support initiatives that mobilise communities to remove and reduce plastic waste from coastal regions, preventing it from entering our oceans and waterways, where it has harmful impacts on marine life and the marine economy. An amount of $5.5 million will support ongoing action to halve food waste by 2030, as well as promote recycling and reduce waste. Part of this will be support for Planet Ark and the Australian Packaging Covenant Organisation to accomplish a circular economy hub to drive that innovation—establish an online marketplace matching buyers and sellers of waste. Last month, under the leadership of Prime Minister Morrison, state and federal governments committed to banning the export of waste plastic, paper, glass and tyres while building Australia's capacity to generate high-value recycled commodities and build the associated demand. This sets a clear path forward and shows that Australia is serious about improving our resource recovery, increasing our use of recycled materials and building demand and markets for recycled products. We will implement the ban in a way that benefits the Australian economy. We will build the capacity of our waste and recycling sectors. This will create jobs, because one person's trash is another person's treasure. This is part of our government's move to a circular economy, reusing our resources for the benefit of the economy and the environment. It's our waste, it's our environment, it's our responsibility. The Morrison government is getting on with the job by addressing critical environmental issues.

Another key focus for our government is to modernise regulatory frameworks, reduce congestion and deliver benefits to the Australian economy. We are committed to the highest environmental standards. Our central environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, implemented by the Howard government, establishes a rigorous and transparent regulatory framework for protecting nationally important environmental matters, such as threatened species and World Heritage properties. An independent review of this act is required to commence by the end of October. I want it to be thorough and look comprehensively at the overall effectiveness of the EPBC Act. I want to work closely with the community, industry and across government to look at ways to improve the EPBC Act and better support sustainable growth, lower the regulatory burden and lessen uncertainty while achieving strong outcomes for the environment. The review will involve extensive consultation and I look forward to that and the participation of all members.

There is more to talk about—the Great Barrier Reef and our threatened species work. I've had something to say about that in recent times. I conclude that we are on track with our most recent budget, and our election commitments, to show this government is delivering on its election promises.

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