Don't Deepen the Extinction Crisis by Allowing Reckless Law Reform

Tell your Local MP and Senators to stop the handover of environment powers

Australia’s unique wildlife is facing an extinction crisis. Already, iconic species like koalas, quolls, and platypus are disappearing from our landscapes. They need stronger laws.

The independent review of our national environment laws has not pulled any punches in recommending urgent and fundamental reform. Professor Graeme Samuel has proposed a set of strong National Environment Standards as the bedrock of his recommendations.

Despite this, the Federal Government has pushed ahead with its narrower agenda to hand over environment approval powers to the states and territories. They have set aside the standards Professor Samuel recommended and are instead proposing a much weaker version. The Government’s standards will keep Australia on a path to ecosystem collapse and extinctions. They say the standards will be reviewed in two years, but there’s no guarantees a review will strengthen them. Our wildlife simply cannot wait another two years.

Ask Senators and your federal MP to insist on strong National Environment Standards and fundamental reform.

Fill out your details below and we'll send the following letter to Senators and your Federal MP. Don't forget to view your letter and then hit send!

Dear Senators, Federal MP,

I am extremely concerned that the Morrison Government is continuing to push through amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) to handover national decision-making responsibilities to states and territories with no commitment to the strongest possible national environmental standards Professor Samuel has recommended. Professor Samuel's recommendations are balanced following a year of consultation with scientists, environment and business groups, and the community. I am alarmed the Government is proposing a significantly weaker set of standards. 

Without these improvements, the EPBC amendment bills currently before Parliament will put Australia’s wildlife and habitats in further peril.  Devolving environmental approvals to the states and territories is taking a reckless gamble with our environment and even riskier without strong standards. 

If the Government persists with devolving approvals for Matters of National Environmental Significance, it must implement the recommendations of the independent review, including the recommended suite of National Environmental Standards, an independent statutory Environment Assurance Commissioner, and an independent Office of Compliance and Enforcement. This will require the current bills to be significantly strengthened.

Now is not the time to weaken environmental regulations and pass laws that will have detrimental impacts on nature, but instead to ensure that our environment is put at the centre of our thinking and laws strengthened and enforced.

Kind regards,

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