Simon Birmingham (SA, Liberal Party, Minister for Finance) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Hanson-Young for her question. Indeed, it was our government that commissioned Graeme Samuel's review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, just as it was a coalition government that initially passed the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act back in the Howard government era. So this side of politics has a strong track record on the passage and delivery of legislation that provides nation-leading protection in relation to nationally significant areas of environmental protection.

We will respond in an appropriate way to the review by Graeme Samuel. We will do so in a timely manner. As you know, it was late last year that that report was handed to the government. We will do so in a manner where we are conscious of all of the recommendations and findings of Graeme Samuel in that review. Those recommendations found some areas for strengthening of environmental standards. They also found evidence that there is excessive bureaucracy or delays that occur in some areas that can be alleviated as well. So our government is determined to make sure that our environmental laws in Australia operate for the protection of our environment, but they should not unnecessarily act as a handbrake in relation to economic progress and development, particularly at this time of economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It is essential that those laws, where possible, also facilitate growth of job opportunities and employment opportunities and avoid, wherever possible, duplication between Commonwealth laws and state and territory laws or Commonwealth approvals processes and state and territory approvals processes. So we will respond to that report and, as appropriate, bring different packages of legislation to the parliament.