Latest news with #EnvironmentProtectionandBiodiversityConservationAct
Sky News AU
3 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News AU
Labor to avoid climate trigger in EPBC Act as North West Shelf gas project gets green light to 2070
Sky News Sunday Agenda understands the Albanese government will not support Greens calls to include climate change in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The Albanese government will not support the Greens' proposal to insert a climate trigger into national environment laws, according to sources. The position has come into focus following Environment Minister Murray Watt's decision to approve Woodside's North West Shelf gas project extension until 2070. Mr Watt confirmed the approval on Wednesday, allowing one of the country's largest LNG operations to continue well beyond the government's goal of net zero emissions by 2050. The decision was made without any consideration of the project's climate impact as the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act does not include this as a factor. Under the EPBC Act, the minister was only required to assess the project's impact on matters such as indigenous heritage, including Murujuga rock art on the site. Sky News Sunday Agenda understands that while the government will proceed with long-promised reforms to the EPBC Act, these will not include a climate trigger. The government will follow the advice of the 2021 Samuel Review into the EPBC Act—commissioned by former environment minister Sussan Ley. — Larissa Waters (@larissawaters) May 30, 2025 The Greens have publicly accused Labor of preparing to greenlight the North West Shelf project in secret and failing their first major climate test in government. Greens leader Larissa Waters said the party would 'be encouraging environment groups to take legal action against this approval' in a statement on Thursday. 'Approving fossil fuels out to 2070 totally undermines the government's commitment to net zero by 2050, which is already too late for a safe climate future,' she said. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese defended the role of gas in supporting the country's transition to renewables on Monday. 'You can't have renewables unless you have firming capacity. You don't change a transition through warm thoughts,' he told reporters at a press conference. 'You do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables up to 82 per cent of the grid, but the way that that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.' The story of this parliament increasingly appears to be that Labor can pass its agenda with solely Greens support—but so far appears unwilling to adopt any of their key demands.
West Australian
6 days ago
- Business
- West Australian
Clean energy, environment unity ticket on nature laws
Environment groups and the clean energy industry have found common ground on long-awaited nature law reforms, joining forces to urge the federal government to hurry up and finish the job. The unprecedented alliance between the Clean Energy Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Marine Conservation Society and others is bound by the shared belief that existing environmental protections are failing both biodiversity and the energy transition. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-shape the law to tackle Australia's climate and nature crises," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. The federal laws designed to kick in when renewable energy, mines and development threaten vulnerable species and other "matters of national environmental significance" are widely considered ineffective and in need of overhaul. The federal government has promised reform but failed to complete the task in its first three-year term. In the meantime, existing regulations have failed to stop projects destroying critical habitat at the same time as cumbersome environmental assessments have delayed the clean energy rollout. Clean Energy Investor Group chief executive Richie Merzian said the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was the number one concern for renewable energy investors and developers. Projects were taking nearly twice as long to secure approval and the assessment backlog was growing, Mr Merzian told AAP. "We want to see faster yeses and faster nos," he said. The alliance, which also includes the Electrical Trades Union, Re-Alliance, WWF Australia and Biodiversity Council, agree on key pieces of environmental reform including legally-enforceable standards to prevent subjective ministerial decision-making. Setting up an independent "cop on the beat" Environmental Protection Agency was also backed by the coalition, as well as more resources for departments to keep projects moving through the process. Better planning should further help solar and wind developers identify "regions we should and shouldn't be working in". Mr Merzian said the "nature versus climate" narrative was false. "We can and should be doing both," he said. Electrical Trades Union national secretary Michael Wright said delayed environmental assessments were making it hard to train workers for future jobs. "The uncertainty of the assessment process means there is no reliable pipeline of work for communities or to train apprentices on anywhere close to the scale we need," he said. New environment minister Murray Watt has already indicated that legislating a federal environment watchdog will be one of the top priorities for the returned government. It's not been the only pressing matter competing for his attention, with the minister opting to greenlight Woodside's proposal to extend its North West Shelf project in Western Australia after years of delays. The expansion has been granted commonwealth go-ahead despite concerns about its emissions burden and impact on sacred rock art.
Perth Now
6 days ago
- Business
- Perth Now
Clean energy, environment unity ticket on nature laws
Environment groups and the clean energy industry have found common ground on long-awaited nature law reforms, joining forces to urge the federal government to hurry up and finish the job. The unprecedented alliance between the Clean Energy Council, Australian Conservation Foundation, Australian Marine Conservation Society and others is bound by the shared belief that existing environmental protections are failing both biodiversity and the energy transition. "We have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to re-shape the law to tackle Australia's climate and nature crises," Australian Conservation Foundation chief executive Kelly O'Shanassy said. The federal laws designed to kick in when renewable energy, mines and development threaten vulnerable species and other "matters of national environmental significance" are widely considered ineffective and in need of overhaul. The federal government has promised reform but failed to complete the task in its first three-year term. In the meantime, existing regulations have failed to stop projects destroying critical habitat at the same time as cumbersome environmental assessments have delayed the clean energy rollout. Clean Energy Investor Group chief executive Richie Merzian said the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act was the number one concern for renewable energy investors and developers. Projects were taking nearly twice as long to secure approval and the assessment backlog was growing, Mr Merzian told AAP. "We want to see faster yeses and faster nos," he said. The alliance, which also includes the Electrical Trades Union, Re-Alliance, WWF Australia and Biodiversity Council, agree on key pieces of environmental reform including legally-enforceable standards to prevent subjective ministerial decision-making. Setting up an independent "cop on the beat" Environmental Protection Agency was also backed by the coalition, as well as more resources for departments to keep projects moving through the process. Better planning should further help solar and wind developers identify "regions we should and shouldn't be working in". Mr Merzian said the "nature versus climate" narrative was false. "We can and should be doing both," he said. Electrical Trades Union national secretary Michael Wright said delayed environmental assessments were making it hard to train workers for future jobs. "The uncertainty of the assessment process means there is no reliable pipeline of work for communities or to train apprentices on anywhere close to the scale we need," he said. New environment minister Murray Watt has already indicated that legislating a federal environment watchdog will be one of the top priorities for the returned government. It's not been the only pressing matter competing for his attention, with the minister opting to greenlight Woodside's proposal to extend its North West Shelf project in Western Australia after years of delays. The expansion has been granted commonwealth go-ahead despite concerns about its emissions burden and impact on sacred rock art.
West Australian
7 days ago
- Politics
- West Australian
Environment Minister Murray Watt approves North West Shelf gas extension to 2070
Woodside has been given the early go-ahead to operate the controversial North West Shelf gas project until 2070 in the first major decision taken by newly installed Environment Minister Murray Watt. Following a drawn-out six-year approvals process, the Queensland senator confirmed the preliminary approval on Wednesday ahead of the May 31 deadline, granting an extension of the Karratha gas facility that is one of the biggest in the world. The preliminary go-ahead comes alongside strict conditions to limit the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art. Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Woodside will now have 10 business days to respond to the conditions set by Senator Watt. Its response will focus on how it can implement the guidelines ordered by the minister. From there, Senator Watt will make his final decision. In a short statement, Senator Watt said the stipulations would ensure 'adequate protection for the rock art'. 'My responsibility is to consider the acceptability of the project's impact on protected matters,' he said. 'In this case, the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art that forms part of the Dampier Archipelago was considered as part of the assessment process.' Previously, the West Australian state government had green-lit the project; however, the extension required federal sign-off. Former environment minister Tanya Ms Plibersek twice delayed a decision on the gas project until after the federal election. Prior to the May 3 election, the Coalition had committed to fast-track a decision within 30 days after winning government following delays under the first-term Albanese government. On Wednesday, it was also revealed that Australia's bid to list Western Australia's Burrup Peninsula, located near Karratha, as a UNESCO World Heritage protected site was knocked back, with the draft decision stating the 'degrading acidic emissions' were impacting the Aboriginal rock art. It said UNESCO referred the application back to Australia to 'prevent any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape' and 'develop an appropriate decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities'. On Monday, Anthony Albanese appeared to foreshadow the gas project's approval, speaking about the importance of gas as a way to firm Australia's renewables-dominated energy grid. 'You can't have renewables unless you have firming capacity, simple as that,' the Prime Minister told reporters. 'You don't change a transition through warm thoughts, you do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables, up to 82 per cent of the grid. 'But the way that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.' The extension will undoubtedly draw criticism from the Greens, with party leader Larissa Waters accusing the government of '(locking) us into dirty gas out to 2070' . 'We have enough gas already, we don't need this expansion and we certainly don't need this trigger to open up gas fields,' she told the ABC on Tuesday. 'This would be a terrible decision, and this the first climate test for the reality of Albanese government. Is it really how they want to start the term?' More to come
Perth Now
7 days ago
- Politics
- Perth Now
Major decision made on gas project
Woodside has been given the early go-ahead to operate the controversial North West Shelf gas project until 2070 in the first major decision taken by newly installed Environment Minister Murray Watt. Following a drawn-out six-year approvals process, the Queensland senator confirmed the preliminary approval on Wednesday ahead of the May 31 deadline, granting an extension of the Karratha gas facility that is one of the biggest in the world. The preliminary go-ahead comes alongside strict conditions to limit the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art. Under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, Woodside will now have 10 business days to respond to the conditions set by Senator Watt. Its response will focus on how it can implement the guidelines ordered by the minister. From there, Senator Watt will make his final decision. Woodside has been granted approval to operate the North West Shelf gas project until 2070. Save Our Songlines Credit: Supplied In a short statement, Senator Watt said the stipulations would ensure 'adequate protection for the rock art'. 'My responsibility is to consider the acceptability of the project's impact on protected matters,' he said. 'In this case, the impact of air emissions on the Murujuga rock art that forms part of the Dampier Archipelago was considered as part of the assessment process.' Previously, the West Australian state government had green-lit the project; however, the extension required federal sign-off. Former environment minister Tanya Ms Plibersek twice delayed a decision on the gas project until after the federal election. Prior to the May 3 election, the Coalition had committed to fast-track a decision within 30 days after winning government following delays under the first-term Albanese government. On Wednesday, it was also revealed that Australia's bid to list Western Australia's Burrup Peninsula, located near Karratha, as a UNESCO World Heritage protected site was knocked back, with the draft decision stating the 'degrading acidic emissions' were impacting the Aboriginal rock art. Environment Minister Murray Watt has given the project preliminary approval. NewsWire / John Gass Credit: News Corp Australia It said UNESCO referred the application back to Australia to 'prevent any further industrial development adjacent to, and within, the Murujuga Cultural Landscape' and 'develop an appropriate decommissioning and rehabilitation plan for existing industrial activities'. On Monday, Anthony Albanese appeared to foreshadow the gas project's approval, speaking about the importance of gas as a way to firm Australia's renewables-dominated energy grid. 'You can't have renewables unless you have firming capacity, simple as that,' the Prime Minister told reporters. 'You don't change a transition through warm thoughts, you do it through a concrete proposal, which is the expansion of renewables, up to 82 per cent of the grid. 'But the way that occurs is it needs firming capacity to occur.' The extension will undoubtedly draw criticism from the Greens, with party leader Larissa Waters accusing the government of '(locking) us into dirty gas out to 2070' . 'We have enough gas already, we don't need this expansion and we certainly don't need this trigger to open up gas fields,' she told the ABC on Tuesday. 'This would be a terrible decision, and this the first climate test for the reality of Albanese government. Is it really how they want to start the term?' More to come
