In a step backwards for the climate, Labor is close to a deal with the Coalition on environmental laws

Australia’s environment protection laws are so “broken” they now scrutinise more solar farms than coal mines. The depressing revelation was made on the Australia Institute’s Follow The Money podcast as federal Labor prepares to introduce its environmental reforms.

“It’s arse-backwards,” said the Australia Institute’s Deputy Director and host Ebony Bennett.

Leanne Minshull, the Australia Institute’s co-CEO agreed. “We actually have more renewable energy projects being assessed under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC) Act than we do coal mines or gas fields […] for their impact on the environment.”

Environment Minister Murray Watt is reportedly close to striking a deal with the Coalition to overhaul Australia’s environment legislation, ten months after his predecessor, Tanya Plibersek almost reached an agreement on her “nature positive laws” with the Greens.

“The deal was scuppered the by Prime Minister apparently after lobbying from Western Australian Premier Roger Cook,” said Ms Bennett.

“We all saw the Prime Minister gut the current environment laws last year just before the election.

“Our Prime Minister will line up with the extractive industries at the expense of the environment,” said Ms Minshull. “I don’t think we could get it any clearer than that.”

Ms Minshull is calling for a new independent watchdog or “tough cop on the beat” to enforce the new legislation.

She also warned it must have a “climate trigger”-  a mechanism that would allow projects to be blocked if they significantly worsen emissions.

“I would suggest that leaving a climate trigger out means they don’t want to have high-emitting projects like new coal mines or new gas to be captured under the EPBC.”

Ms Minshull pointed out that in 2005, then Shadow Environment Minister Anthony Albanese actually introduced the Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change (Climate Change Trigger) Bill 2005, which didn’t pass.

“This is something that when anybody doesn’t hold the levers of power, so are not influenced by the fossil fuel industry, see this as essential to any good environment legislation.”

Mr Watt has emphasised that mining companies, stakeholders and environmental groups will receive parts of the draft legislation to review before he introduces it to parliament later this year.

“Minister Watt has created this myth about himself … that he is ‘Mr Fixit’. The question is what is he going to fix? Is he going to fix retail politics? Or will he actually try to fix the environment?” asked Ms Minshull.

“If he goes down the route of sacrificing the environment for short-term retail politics and does a bad deal with the LNP, I think it’s really going to bite him in the arse at the next election because people want this fixed.”

Ms Minshull said new legislation is also vital to protect our Pacific neighbours and that while we “live in a unique place … we’re smashing it.”

However, she’s doubtful that the new Act will go far enough.

“You’re not really holding out hope that environment laws passed with the blessing of Matt Cannavan are going to really fix the problem?” asked Ms Bennett, half in jest.

“If Matt Canavan thinks they’re good laws,” said Ms Minshull, “I reckon the koalas should be nervous.”