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Labor's Climate Reforms Pass Parliament
28 Nov
Summary
- New environmental laws passed the Senate and House of Representatives.
- Greens secured concessions after prolonged negotiations with Labor.
- Coal and gas projects excluded from fast-tracked assessment pathways.
Australia's parliament has passed significant environmental law reforms, marking a new era for nature protection and productivity. These changes, following a 2020 review, introduce environmental standards while aiming to expedite project approvals.
The legislation's passage followed intensive negotiations, with the Greens securing key concessions before agreeing to support Labor's overhaul. Environment Minister Murray Watt asserted that the reforms would not lead to increased power prices.
While environmental groups largely welcomed the deal, industry groups expressed concerns over the exclusion of coal and gas projects from accelerated assessment pathways. The new laws also introduce bioregional planning for landscape-scale environmental impact assessments.
