Peter Khalil (Wills, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

It's almost exactly a year ago, I think, that I stood here in this place speaking about the Nature Repair Market Bill. That was the first stage of the Albanese government's bold Nature Positive Plan. Despite all the bluster that we get from those opposite, the opposition, we got on with the work over the last year of putting environmental protection and biodiversity, in conjunction with business and First Nations people, at the centre of our environmental agenda. That's what happened over the last year, which is testament to the good work of the minister and all of the government as a whole.

That important work continues with stage 2 of the Nature Positive Plan, which is before the House today. Many of us on this side have spoken many times about the commitment to making sure our shared natural environment—the rivers, the parks and the reserves—is better off for future generations. I know that in my electorate and all around the country—and I'm sure many others in my electorate of Wills agree—all of those spaces and habitats are such important places for native flora and fauna. Those shared spaces also have an enormous positive impact on the health and happiness of residents. Just walking through them makes a difference to one's mental health, certainly.

In my electorate, the investment that we've made, the Albanese government has made, to the Moonee Ponds Creek, in improving it, has been remarkable. It's all about regenerating native species, including the threatened growling grass frog—I must say I haven't seen one yet, but I'm waiting to see one—native turtles and birdlife right along the creek while also improving the community's access and enjoyment of the shared, open green spaces and removing the concrete that was put in place in Moonee Ponds Creek many decades ago. It's so important for the local community to enjoy the native flora and fauna. It's so important for young schoolkids to be able to explore and understand the environment better. It makes such a difference. Stage 1 opened up private and public investment and introduced the water trigger, and today we turn to improving transparency, education and compliance through what we're debating today.

The Albanese government will create two new bodies, as we know: the Environment Protection Agency and Environment Information Australia. These are the centrepiece of stage 2 of the Nature Positive Plan, a compressive approach to fixing environmental law in Australia. The EPA will have those strong new powers and penalties to better protect our natural environment, and the EIA will provide government and the public with high-quality environmental data, increase transparency and improve access to scientific data.

The government released its response to the Samuel review into the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act back in December 2022. Professor Graeme Samuel AC found: 'The EPBC Act is outdated and requires fundamental reform.' Well, we've set about doing that. The EPBC Act was not delivering for the environment, the community or business, and the Albanese government and Minister Plibersek have introduced the Nature Positive Plan. This staged package of reforms is all about protecting the natural environment, increasing transparency, cutting red tape and establishing the EPA, as I've said.

Stage 1 of the Nature Positive Plan came into effect in December last year, in 2023, and it included the crucial establishment of the world's first nature repair market and the expansion of the water trigger. The nature repair market has brought together private companies, conservation groups, farmers and landowners to fund real-world projects to improve biodiversity and restore and protect the environment. It has brought business, agriculture and rural communities together, and it has been central to unlocking investment and delivering long-term outcomes. Unlike those opposite, as I said, and all the bluster that we heard from them when we introduced this last year, we recognise on this side of the House the incredible value of centring Indigenous Australians in these projects as well and listening to their knowledge and experience of the land, while also embracing employment opportunities in the regions.

The Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024, which we are debating, delivers on this promise by establishing the EPA. The Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024 delivers on this promise by establishing Environment Information Australia, the EIA. And the Nature Positive (Environment Law Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024 provides the powers to the minister to address many of the unintended outcomes or unforeseen issues related to transitioning to the EPA.

Debate interrupted.

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