AN UPDATE ON AUSTRALIA’S NATURE LAWS: NATURE POSITIVE BILLS BLOCKED IN PARLIAMENT

Despite the majority of Australians—86% according to a recent YouGov poll—calling for stronger nature laws and overwhelming evidence of an extinction crisis, the government has not delivered a critical component of the promised nature law reform that would protect threatened species unique to Australia. But despite this disappointing setback, we remain resolute.

What’s happened?

During the final parliamentary sitting week of the year, the government failed to pass laws to establish Australia’s first national environmental regulator, opting instead to bow to the interests of business and mining lobby groups.

Since the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act was established in 1999, across the country more than 7 million hectares of threatened species habitat have been bulldozed. That's an area the size of Tasmania. 

The legislation has had two formal reviews, the most recent in 2020 by Professor Graeme Samuel. He found that the laws were fundamentally flawed for both nature and business. He recommended introducing national environmental standards to protect critical natural areas from commercial development while identifying regions suitable for sustainable projects. He also called for strong enforcement to uphold these standards. In 2023, Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek announced commitments from the Albanese government aimed at reforming these laws, including establishing a national regulator - an Environment Protection Authority (EPA) - to address extinction concerns. So far, they have failed to deliver these critical reforms.

Thanks to the collective efforts of nature lovers, we came incredibly close to a deal that would have secured an independent national regulator.

• WWF-Australia, alongside its supporters and allies, tirelessly campaigned for stronger national nature laws to protect wildlife and the places they call home.
• The crossbench, including the Greens, worked incredibly hard to negotiate a better deal for nature with Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek.
• Over 20,000 WWF supporters took the time to reach out to their MPs since September. This support made it possible to get the deal as close as it did.

Disappointingly, delayed negotiations allowed the powerful mining, business and lobby groups to convince the Prime Minister that the potential loss of seats in the next federal election due to nature reforms was a greater concern than the loss of an entire species. Yes, we are dumbfounded too.

Nature is in trouble

Nature in Australia is at a crisis point. We have the worst mammal extinction rate in the world. In the last decade alone, three native species vanished for good while several others, including the parma wallaby, were added to the threatened species list. In 2022, the east coast koala and greater gliders were uplisted to Endangered. Eastern quolls and glossy black cockatoos are also at risk of disappearing forever. The list goes on. This is not an exhaustive list; over 2,000 native animals and plants currently face the threat of extinction.

When nature suffers, so do we. We rely on nature for everything—clean air, clean water, food, our health, and the simple joy of seeing a koala tucked away in the branches of a thriving native forest.

When nature is in trouble, business is too. Every industry and job relies on nature—half of our industries are so dependent that they will not survive without healthy forests, rivers, and bees to pollinate crops.

Nature law reform is good for business. It provides certainty, and faster, more predictable decisions. It also helps accelerate the growth of clean economies—promoting renewable energy, sustainable mineral extraction and agriculture that does not contribute to deforestation—while supporting our export markets and protecting our vital wildlife. 

The fight for nature is not over. Action is needed. Now.

The federal government has unfinished business that must be addressed as an immediate priority. If the last sitting week has taught us anything, it’s that we absolutely need an independent regulator free from political interest. Extinction is permanent - we can’t afford to wait.

Without urgent action, Australia’s iconic animals will continue to be pushed to the brink of extinction and critical habitats will continue to be destroyed.

While this makes for sombre reading, it’s a stark reality. But it’s one we can change - together.

How you can help

Join us in calling for stronger nature laws to protect our precious wildlife and the places they call home. By signing WWF-Australia’s Protect Aussie Wildlife petition, reaching out to your local MP, and sharing this article with your family and friends, you can keep the pressure on and ensure our leaders make nature laws a priority.