BirdLife Australia is calling on the Australian Government to back-in a durable package of reform with strong environmental standards, as recommended by Professor Graeme Samuel’s review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. The final report outlines a clear strategy for change to arrest the rapid worsening of Australia’s environment.
BirdLife Australia Head of Conservation Samantha Vine said the report provided the Morrison government with a considered package of measures that combined would radically improve federal nature laws.
“The challenge for the Morrison Government now is to stop its piecemeal devolution agenda and ensure the measures proposed by Professor Samuel are legislated together as a durable package of reform, with the support of nature conservation NGOs and responsible business groups.
“Tens of thousands of Australians and the nation’s top environmental experts provided input to this report because they care deeply about our environment,” said Ms Vine.
“With the final report now delivered, the Australian Government has a blueprint for new federal nature laws to arrest the extinction crisis.
Key elements to improve nature laws proposed in Professor Samuel’s report include:
- Strong, outcome focussed National Environmental Standards to guide decision making
- Independent oversight and audit to build confidence that the Act, and the National Environmental Standards are working
- A mandated, rigorous compliance and enforcement regime to ensure compliance and enforcement of environmental approval conditions
- Outcomes-focused law, which will require the capacity to effectively monitor and report on environmental outcomes
- Harnessing the knowledge of Indigenous Australians to better inform how the environment is managed.
- Recognition that environmental protection under RFAs is insufficient and the need for immediate reform and Commonwealth oversight
“BirdLife Australia does not support the entirety of Professor Samuel’s report, particularly Samuel’s recommendation to largely replace species recovery plans with regional recovery plans.
“Based on our experience, this approach leads to the neglect of the most vulnerable species and, for birds on the brink, well resourced, focused recovery plans are the only way to prevent extinction.
“In addition, Professor Samuel’s report still recommends the hand off of environmental approval powers to State Governments, which we do not support.
“However, athough the Draft Standards proposed by Professor Samuel still require some strengthening they represent an important step forward in establishing stronger conservation, and a good starting point for further development.
“BirdLife Australia especially welcomes Professor Samuel’s strong words on the need to improve protection for threatened species being driven to extinction under Regional Forest Agreements (RFAs). These agreements have facilitated the continued logging of critical and irreplaceable habitat for species like the Swift Parrot.”
Learn more about BirdLife Australia’s campaign for better nature laws here.
28 January 2021
