"This reform represents a major step forward in protecting Australia's natural heritage and ensuring that environmental decisions are made transparently, independently and in the public interest. ... These changes [also] strengthen the role of Indigenous voices in shaping Australia's environmental future."

Address to the House of Representatives, Bills - Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025 - Second Reading

Wednesday 5 November 2025

Every day this House sits, we members are called upon to make decisions. It can be hard to fully articulate the full role of a member of parliament, but this particular thing—coming into this place and making decisions—is the one non-negotiable part of being a member of this place, of representing a community in this place. Today, with this bill before us, we all have an important decision to make—a decision to, on the one hand, act to protect our environment and reform a broken system or the alternative, a decision to do neither, to keep our environmental protections in their current, parlous state, to abandon any sense of proportion in decision-making and to give into the political fetishes of either partisan extreme. That, and that alone, is the decision before us this evening.

So I rise today to speak to and support the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025. This important bill represents the fulfillment of a promise made by this government to the Australian people. This bill is absolutely necessary. Our current systems of environmental protection are hopelessly and completely broken. We know this thanks to the report of Professor Graeme Samuel, a distinguished, accomplished and respected Australian. His 2020 review was clear. Our current laws are ineffective and not fit to address current or future environmental challenges. This bill implements the totality of the recommendations of the Samuel review.

The question of protecting our environment sits at the forefront of my concerns about the future of Australia. I am the member for the seat of Bean, an electorate which largely comprises national parks and protected areas, encompassing the southern districts of the Australian Capital Territory—pristine alpine wildernesses, possessing ecological values and a biodiversity found in few other places. Bean also takes in the national park and marine park on and surrounding Norfolk Island. Many are unaware of the unique and remarkable ecosystems which sit right here in the ACT, let alone those on Norfolk Island. To see these areas preserved and protected in an effective and systemic way is what I am committed to achieving through supporting this important bill.

Under the proposed reforms, the Albanese government will establish the nation's first-ever independent National Environment Protection Agency. This marks a significant milestone in environmental governance and will stand as a proud legacy of the Labor Party, fulfilling a key election commitment that was passionately supported and campaigned for by branch members right across the country. The new National EPA will be a strong and independent regulator, with a clear mandate to ensure better compliance with and stronger enforcement of Australia's new environmental laws. Crucially, it will operate independently of the minister in exercising a range of powers, including overseeing compliance and enforcement, managing project conditions and auditing state and territory processes for environmental assessments and approvals. These functions will be measured against newly established national environmental standards, ensuring consistency and accountability across jurisdictions. It is proposed that the National EPA will take on a broad and impactful role, including responsibilities for education, compliance and enforcement. It will also be tasked with issuing permits and licences and assessing projects while setting approval conditions under delegation from the environment minister. This reform represents a major step forward in protecting Australia's natural heritage and ensuring that environmental decisions are made transparently, independently and in the public interest.

I'd like to return to the review undertaken by Professor Samuel five years ago. Professor Samuel's review highlighted a troubling reality. For some bad actors, breaching environmental laws is simply treated as a cost of doing business. While the majority of proponents do the right thing and comply with the law, Australia needs modern, fit-for-purpose tools to respond effectively to the most serious breaches. The proposed reforms aim to strengthen the legal framework by increasing penalties for the most significant violations of environmental legislation. These changes will empower courts to respond proportionately to the most egregious breaches, ensuring that serious noncompliance is met with serious consequences. These reforms are designed to ensure that breaches are properly managed, wrongdoers are held accountable and bad actors are deterred from viewing noncompliance as a routine business expense.

This bill and these reforms formally embed the participation of First Nations people in environmental governance by establishing the Indigenous Advisory Committee as a key mechanism for consultation and input. This ensures that Indigenous perspectives and knowledge systems are actively considered in environmental decision-making processes. Additionally, the reforms grant the committee new statutory advisory roles particularly in shaping national environmental standards and contributing to decisions around species listings and conservation planning. These changes strengthen the role of Indigenous voices in shaping Australia's environmental future.

There have been many good contributions right across this debate, and the direction in which this parliament should go should be clear. But let me make this point: a bill which will enshrine the protection of the environment is here before us. A historic opportunity is here, waiting for us to take it up. Let us wait no longer; let us not wait another five years. Support and pass this critical bill.