EPBC Act reforms urgently needed: Industry groups

A raft of industry groups have called on the government to urgently deliver its reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, which they say is "failing on all fronts."

A group of eight industry, community, environment, union and science bodies want to see the long-awaited reforms to the EPBC Act prioritised by the government as the growing impacts of climate change are felt.

The groups said the EPBC Act as it currently stands "does not adequately protect nature and it is delaying the renewable energy and transmission projects needed to rapidly decarbonise the economy."

The EPBC Act was introduced some 25 years ago and has consistently been found to be ineffective in achieving its objectives of protecting matters of national environmental significance. Reforms that would make the Act more effective are currently stalled before the Senate.

The government simply will not meet its renewable energy targets with the current environmental laws, Climate Energy Investor Group (CEIG) chief executive Richie Merzian said.

"If delivering a clean energy future is a priority for the Albanese government, then reforming the EPBC Act must be too. It is now the single biggest barrier to timely, environmentally responsible, renewable energy development in Australia," he said.

A recent report by the CEIG found much of the delays to new renewable energy projects, as well as the increased costs and procedural impediments, stem from interfaces with the EPBC Act.

The groups are calling for legislation that is efficient and protects nature, including:

• National Environmental Standards together with better data to inform community engagement, planning, assessment and decisions;
• Environment Protection Australia (EPA) as an independent regulator to oversee national environmental laws; and
• Increased resourcing for relevant departments to enable faster decisions.

"Any decision to stall the progress of much-needed Nature Positive reforms to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act risks missing a crucial opportunity to address one of the most significant challenges facing investment in renewable energy projects across Australia," Clean Energy Council chief executive Kane Thornton said.

"The current iteration of the EPBC Act and its inherent limitations are a cause of significant delays to the construction of new renewable energy infrastructure needed to ensure that Australia can meet its renewable energy targets."

The other groups calling for reform are WWF-Australia, Australian Marine Conservation Society, the Biodiversity Council, Electrical Trades Union, Re-Alliance, Australian Conservation Foundation, and Australian Marine Conservation Society.