Major environmental approvals reforms pass Parliament 18 October 2024
The most significant reforms to Western Australia's environmental approval laws in a generation have passed Parliament, helping accelerate major job-creating projects while maintaining Western Australia's world-class environmental standards.
Environmental Protection Act Amendment Bill 2024 passes through Parliament
New laws to speed up approvals while retaining strong environmental protections
Introduces parallel approvals and Statement of Expectation for the Environmental Protection Authority
The most significant reforms to Western Australia's environmental approval laws in a generation have passed Parliament, helping accelerate major job-creating projects while maintaining Western Australia's world-class environmental standards.
The Environmental Protection Act Amendment Bill 2024delivers on the Cook Labor Government's commitments in December last year to overhaul the State's environmental approval laws in response to the Vogel-McFerran Review.
In the most significant reform under the new legislation, other Government regulators will be able to process and issue their own approvals, while the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) assessments are underway.
Under the new laws, the Environment Minister will provide the EPA with a Statement of Expectation, helping it to better understand the Government's priorities - including the green energy transition, housing delivery, job creation and protection of WA's unique environment.
The membership of the independent EPA board will be expanded to between five and nine members, who will be required to have skills or experience in specific disciplines important to the functions of the EPA.
The reforms also remove appeals against a decision made by the EPA not to assess a project, bringing WA into line with other Australian jurisdictions by reducing unnecessary appeals while retaining reasonable rights of appeal across the system.
The State Government has now in part actioned 19 of the Vogel-McFerran Review's 39 recommendations, including:
opening a CBD office hub for the EPA;
introducing a renewed graduate program, recruitment strategy and mentoring program at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation; and
exempting a range of amendments to regional and local planning schemes from automatic referral to the EPA.
Comments attributed to Premier Roger Cook:
"Our environmental reforms will slash green tape and reduce duplication while maintaining the highest environmental standards.
"These reforms fix longstanding issues in the approvals process to speed up timeframes, without taking away the EPA's independence or changing the way it assesses a project.
"I want WA to become a global renewable energy powerhouse, and our reforms will help to ensure we secure the major renewable energy projects we need to power the world's transition to net zero."
Comments attributed to Environment Minister Reece Whitby:
"The Cook Labor Government has done more for WA's environment than any other government in our State's history.
"We have ended native logging, committed to retiring all State-owned coal-fired power by 2030, and undertaken the largest-ever expansion of Western Australia's conservation estate.
"These reforms will ensure WA's high environmental protection standards are upheld while supporting efficient processes for business.
"Importantly, these reforms will not change how the EPA assesses environmental impact.
"They are sensible changes that will streamline approval processes without compromising the EPA's independence."
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