Looks like more tough times are ahead for Tanya Plibersek and Labor to get the Nature Positive law reforms done and will likely be kicking the can down the road into a second term if they should be re-elected. Good news for those mining companies currently dealing with the EPBC that goalposts won't be changed any time soon.

https://www.theaustralian.com.au/nation/politics/nature-positive-plan-coalition-prepares-to-reject-tanya-pliberseks-environment-protection-australia-leaving-the-government-to-strike-a-deal-with-the-greens/news-story/40dda77d5426b892d36505ab1ac744d6

Nature positive plan: Coalition prepares to reject Tanya Plibersek’s Environment Protection Australia, leaving the government to strike a deal with the Greens

The Coalition is preparing toreject a key component of the Albanese government’s signature nature-positive reforms to establish a “tough” green cop, amid growing expectations Labor will delay its long-awaited overhaul of environmental laws until a second term.

As the major parties use the resumption of parliament to trade barbs over who will do more for Australians on the cost of living, opposition environment spokesman Jonno Duniam warned Labor had “got their whole environmental policy agenda completely wrong”.

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek wantsto do a deal with the Coalition or the Greens to establish an independent green cop– called Environment Protection Australia – to administer Australia’s national environment laws, but Senator Duniam said there was a “massive gap to bridge at this stage” in gaining the support of the opposition.

The Australian understands the Coalition could finalise a position against the EPA as soon as this week, leaving the government to seek the support of the Greens, who are demanding a climate trigger and ban on native forestry.

“If they were serious about environmental reforms they would have introduced the laws desperately needed to replace the outdated EPBC (Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation) Act, as they promised they would. Instead, the government are introducing a bureaucracy (the EPA) to administer the existing broken laws,” Senator Duniam said.

“New laws won’t be in the parliament until next term at least. This won’t make it better for the environment or for business. Alarmingly, the government have made it clear to stakeholders groups that they will push these laws through either with our support or with the Greens, meaning they’re willing to implement a job-destroying climate trigger and ban native forestry.

“This is a massive sell out from government. We will always do our best for to make these laws the least worst they can be.”

While business and industry groups would prefer bipartisanship and think a deal with the Greens would be worse for the country, cautioning a climate trigger could “blow up” local investments and jeopardise the government’s Future Made in Australia agenda, the Nationals are steadfast in their opposition to the EPA.

“I’ve got grave concerns about it,” Nationals leader David Littleproud said.

“Particularly for things like energy, where you’ve got an energy crisis, you’re going to delay getting more gas into the market, pushing electricity prices up. We’re being seen as a sovereign risk because of the increased layers and approval times that this government has imposed on industry.”

The Greens declined to comment.

Ms Plibersek’s spokeswoman said the government was “working methodically on sensible updates” to national environment law so the system worked better for both business and nature.

“We’ve already committed to releasing a full exposure draft of stage three legislation (before the EPBC Act legislation is introduced to parliament),” the spokeswoman said.

“The government recently passed bills through the House of Representatives and looks forward to support in the Senate. The bills invest in data which will cut assessment times and establish a national independent environment protection agency with strong new powers and penalties.

“Since coming to government, we have almost doubled the average of on-time approval decisions under national environment law.”

Labor is playing down the prospect of a climate trigger being negotiated as part of the EPA but is not ruling it out entirely, simply pointing to the fact the bills before the parliament don’t include such a mechanism. Establishing the EPA won’t be a top priority for the government as the spring parliamentary session kicks off, with the No. 1 focus on cost-of-living relief. It will introduce legislation to wipe about $3bn in HECS debt for more than three million Australians as well as legislation to increase Commonwealth Rent Assistance.

The first component of its Future Made in Australia plan will also be put to parliament, introducing legislation to establish a national interest framework that will guide public investments, unlock private capital and include community benefit principles. “This year already every Australian taxpayer got a tax cut, every Australian household is getting $300 energy bill relief, and 2.6 million award wage workers saw their third consecutive pay rise,” a government spokesman said.

The Business Council of Australia is concerned Ms Plibersek could negotiate a climate trigger by another name as part of a deal on the EPA, allowing the agency to make “climate considerations” when scrutinising and approving projects.

As part of consultations on stage three of the nature-positive plan, which will decide what a reformed EPBC Act looks like, the government is considering “interaction between environment and climate laws”.