Don Farrell (SA, Australian Labor Party, Shadow Special Minister of State) Share this | Hansard source

Labor supports this reference to the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee. If ever a government needed scrutiny on environmental management and its legislative agenda, it's the Morrison government. This bill appears to be a rehash of Tony Abbott's failed 2014 environment bill, which would harm Australia's natural environment and put jobs and investment at risk. There are no national environmental standards in this bill, despite those being the foundation of Professor Graeme Samuel's proposed reforms. This bill would see more major project job delays, more investment uncertainty, more conflict, less trust in decisions and worse outcomes for the environment.

With no proposed standards, no independent cop on the beat and no additional funding for the states, despite the extra responsibilities, this bill appears to be designed for political conflict. But it does need further scrutiny. If Mr Morrison were serious about securing broad support and durable reform he would not be rehashing Tony Abbott's failed 2014 bill, breaking his promise on national standards or cherrypicking the interim report of one of Australia's most experienced business regulators.

The environment minister, Sussan Ley, said in July that the government would introduce strong and rigorous environmental standards that had buy-in across the board at the same time as introducing her proposed legislative change. This government has failed the test it set for itself. In his interim report Professor Samuel warned against the exact approach the government is now taking. In 2015 the parliament did not support these amendments in response to significant community concern about the ability of states and territories to uphold the national interest in applying discretion in approval decisions.

Even when presented with an opportunity to provide more certainty for jobs, investment and our environment, Scott Morrison chooses conflict. Labor has engaged constructively with the Samuel review from the very start. Scott Morrison has very favourable conditions for reform: an opposition that has said it will engage constructively and a well-respected review chair who is working with leaders from agriculture, resources and business, as well as traditional owners, conservationists and academics. The Morrison government should, firstly, introduce strong national environmental standards; secondly, establish a genuinely independent cop on the beat for Australia's environment; and, thirdly, fix the explosion of unnecessary 510 per cent job and investment delays caused by their massive funding cuts.

The Samuel review is the most significant opportunity for environmental reform in the last 20 years, but Scott Morrison is bungling it.