Andrew Wilkie (Clark, Independent) Share this | Hansard source

Urgently doing more to protect our natural environment is obviously a matter of critical public importance, and even more so right now, when Australia has one of the highest extinction rates in the world and our weak environmental laws are adding to this problem. No wonder my office has been inundated by constituents concerned about both the escalating extinction crisis in Tasmania and across the country, and about the state of our national environmental laws. No wonder that, over the last month, 41 Hobart schoolchildren have shared with me artworks of their favourite Tasmanian threatened species and reminded me that children look to us parliamentarians to ensure that our unique natural world thrives for generations to come.

Now, yes, the federal government's Nature Positive Plan does set out a goal of improving Australia's environmental laws to stop and reverse biodiversity loss—in other words, to finally address the extinction crisis. And yes, the environment department's website states that public consultation on all the relevant draft legislation will occur in the second half of 2023. Moreover, in June, when the crossbench engaged with the government on the passage of the nature repair market bills in good faith, we were assured that environmental law reforms would soon be introduced which would address our concerns about the accountability and integrity of that market. Indeed, on that same day, the minister said:

In the coming weeks, I will also be releasing the changes that we are proposing to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, including the first of the National Environmental Standards, for public consultation.

But, alarmingly, it's now September, and we've seen nothing—except, of course, the lousy sea-dumping legislation which enables carbon geosequestration out of sight, under the seabed, which essentially greenwashes the continued extraction and burning of fossil fuels.

Don't get me wrong; I have great respect for the environment minister and appreciate it when she says that she wants to get this reform done and to get it done right. But at a certain point we must look at what is actually being done, not just at what is being said. The emerging pattern this year is a government which, on the environment at least, prioritises legislative tweaks and side projects but delays the hard and vital work of comprehensive reform. Plus it's mid-September and we face the very real prospect of a sneaky consultation period over Christmas when no-one is looking. All of this ignores the fact that we simply can't afford further delay because the extinctions are happening now. The forests are being cleared now and the community is demanding action now.

Frankly, we are in desperate need of a transparent, strengthened Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and related national environmental standards. These must adequately recognise and involve First Nations communities in project consideration and they must account for the climate impact of projects because conservation planning is obviously linked directly to climate change. For instance, approved coalmine developments and expansions this year alone are expected to add about 150 million tonnes of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere over their lifetimes which is patently appalling and surely can't be allowed to continue.

Moreover—this is critically important—we also need a strong, securely funded and genuinely independent national environmental protection agency—one that can give expert advice and act as a tough cop on the beat to ensure accountability and compliance with these new laws and regulations. Underpinning this we need greater public funding for conservation and environmental management to ensure we have the people and programs in place to protect, restore and repair our degraded ecosystems and threatened species.

In this parliament right now we have the largest crossbench in history made up of members who, by and large, reflect the widespread concerns about integrity, climate and the environment shared by communities right across the country. This is something to celebrate, but when debating the sea dumping legislation at the consideration-in-detail stage, the minister appeared frustrated at the proposed amendments from my colleagues and asked the crossbench to engage on legislation at an earlier stage. Well, Minister, here we are. We're ready with our sleeves rolled up and raring to go. We want these reforms to succeed. Australians want these reforms to succeed and our environment needs these reforms to succeed. Let's get on with the job and leave a legacy of stronger environmental protection for generations to come. I'll finish there and leave five minutes for an additional crossbench speaker.

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