<
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2023/oct/16/delayed-environment-laws-spark-calls-for-urgent-government-action-on-water-and-fracking>
"The Greens say the Albanese government has indicated it could be a year before
promised environment laws are passed, a delay that potentially pushes the
revamp close to the next federal election.
The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said last year she planned to
introduce legislation in 2023 to reform the Environment Protection and
Biodiversity Conservation Act after major reviews found the law was failing and
Australian nature was in poor and deteriorating health.
That timeframe has been pushed out. In a statement last week, Plibersek said
the government would begin consulting this month with more than 30 environment,
business, and industry groups on legislation that would be introduced to
parliament next year. She said the new laws were complex and the legislation
would be more than 1,000 pages.
In a letter to Plibersek released publicly, the Greens’ Sarah Hanson-Young said
it had been indicated during a government briefing for her office in September
that the legislation would not reach the Senate for “at least another 12
months”.
The independent MP Sophie Scamps and Hanson-Young said, given the delay, the
government should bring forward one part of the promised changes –
strengthening the “water trigger” to ensure local water resources were
protected from fracking for gas – and pass it this year.
Scamps and Hanson-Young both introduced water trigger bills – Scamps in the
lower house and Hanson-Young in the Senate – on Monday, and urged the
government to back them.
The water trigger requires the environment minister to consider the impact of
large coal and coal seam gas proposals on local water resources. Labor has
promised to expand it to include all types of unconventional gas development,
including the shale gas found in the Northern Territory’s Beetaloo Basin, where
fracking is a looming issue.
The change is supported by environment groups, traditional owners and NT
farmers."
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
