For five years, discussions on legislative reforms have been swirling around parliament. These talks were ignited by a 2020 review conducted by Graeme Samuel, which highlighted environmental setbacks that have since worsened, according to Watt.

Amidst this backdrop, there’s an urgent push to understand the proposed changes and the major concerns surrounding them. At the heart of this legislative overhaul are more stringent penalties for breaches of environmental regulations, with fines potentially reaching as high as $825 million.

Central to the government’s strategy is the creation of the nation’s inaugural National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA). This agency will be responsible for ensuring strict adherence to the new laws and enhancing transparency and accountability in environmental governance.

One contentious point in the reform discussions is the climate trigger advocated by the Greens. However, the government has drawn a firm line against this, preferring instead the approach recommended by the Samuel Review, which calls for mandatory emissions disclosure.

The government plans to establish the nation’s first-ever National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), tasked with ensuring compliance under the proposed new laws and greater accountability.

The government’s only red line so far is a climate trigger proposed by the Greens, with the reforms instead opting to require an emissions disclosure as advised by the Samuel Review.

What are the Coalition and Greens’ concerns?

Opposition environment spokesperson Angie Bell is focused on ensuring reforms streamline approvals and give certainty to business, while “improving environmental protections”.