Zero for 76: Broken environmental laws holding back renewables
The analysis prepared by top-tier law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer showed 27 projects in 2023 and 49 projects in 2024 were deemed controlled actions needing the tick under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sky News AU
38 minutes ago
- Sky News AU
Treasurer Jim Chalmers flag approvals changes in environmental laws
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Australians are 'burning cash' waiting for approvals as he takes aim at Australia's sluggish productivity rate ahead of a three-day talkfest in Canberra. Chalmers will next week host an economic reform roundtable in Canberra where boosting productivity and building resilience in Australia's economy and budget will take centre-stage. Speaking with The Guardian, Mr Chalmers said slow approval times by governments and councils had stymied productivity. 'It will be one of the main ways that people think through our regulatory challenges and our challenges around the time it takes to get projects approved,' Chalmers told the Guardian. 'In all the consultation I've been doing – in housing, renewable energy projects – there are too many instances where people are burning cash waiting for approvals to build things that we desperately want people to build.' The treasurer's remarks signal reform to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is a high priority for the re-elected government. The Albanese government failed to deliver on its promise of reform the country's complex environmental laws its first term. Separately, Mr Chalmers told NewsWire on Friday that Australia's sluggish birthrate meant the country would have to lift productivity to maintain living standards. 'It's not surprising that the birthrate has slowed given the pressures on people, including financial pressures,' he said. 'We want to make it easier for them to make that choice. If they want to have more kids, we want to make it easier for them to do that, and that's what motivates a lot of our changes.' As Australia struggles to boost the economy, and in turn raise wages and living standards, it's contending with a sluggish birthrate of 1.5 births per woman, which is under the 2.1 figure needed to sustain population growth. Boosting productivity will be essential to ensuring that Australia's ageing population can weather economic headwinds, the Treasurer said. 'Now, the reason why the productivity challenge is important to this is because our society is ageing, and over time, there will be fewer workers for every person who's retired,' he said. 'We need to make sure that our economy is as productive as it can be, as strong as it can be to withstand that demographic change, which is going to be big and consequential.' Originally published as Treasurer Jim Chalmers says too many Aussies are 'burning cash' waiting for approvals
Perth Now
2 hours ago
- Perth Now
‘Burning cash': Treasurer flags big shake-up
Treasurer Jim Chalmers says Australians are 'burning cash' waiting for approvals as he takes aim at Australia's sluggish productivity rate ahead of a three-day talkfest in Canberra. Chalmers will next week host an economic reform roundtable in Canberra where boosting productivity and building resilience in Australia's economy and budget will take centre-stage. Speaking with The Guardian, Mr Chalmers said slow approval times by governments and councils had stymied productivity. 'It will be one of the main ways that people think through our regulatory challenges and our challenges around the time it takes to get projects approved,' Chalmers told the Guardian. 'In all the consultation I've been doing – in housing, renewable energy projects – there are too many instances where people are burning cash waiting for approvals to build things that we desperately want people to build.' The treasurer's remarks signal reform to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act is a high priority for the re-elected government. The Albanese government failed to deliver on its promise of reform the country's complex environmental laws its first term. Treasurer Jim Chalmers told The Guardian reform to the country's environmental laws, including the permitting process, could boost productivity. NewsWire/Martin Ollman. Credit: News Corp Australia Separately, Mr Chalmers told NewsWire on Friday that Australia's sluggish birthrate meant the country would have to lift productivity to maintain living standards. 'It's not surprising that the birthrate has slowed given the pressures on people, including financial pressures,' he said. 'We want to make it easier for them to make that choice. If they want to have more kids, we want to make it easier for them to do that, and that's what motivates a lot of our changes.' As Australia struggles to boost the economy, and in turn raise wages and living standards, it's contending with a sluggish birthrate of 1.5 births per woman, which is under the 2.1 figure needed to sustain population growth. Boosting productivity will be essential to ensuring that Australia's ageing population can weather economic headwinds, the Treasurer said. 'Now, the reason why the productivity challenge is important to this is because our society is ageing, and over time, there will be fewer workers for every person who's retired,' he said. 'We need to make sure that our economy is as productive as it can be, as strong as it can be to withstand that demographic change, which is going to be big and consequential.'
AU Financial Review
07-08-2025
- AU Financial Review
Zero for 76: Broken environmental laws holding back renewables
Not one of the 76 renewable projects needing federal environmental assessment in NSW, Victoria or Queensland in 2023 or 2024 has received final approval, highlighting the 'green tape' and delays undermining the net zero transition. The analysis prepared by top-tier law firm Herbert Smith Freehills Kramer showed 27 projects in 2023 and 49 projects in 2024 were deemed controlled actions needing the tick under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.
