Skip to content
Environment, Government Federal

Work with crossbench to pass nature laws: ACF

Australian Conservation Foundation 2 mins read

The Australian Conservation Foundation has urged the Albanese government to work with crossbenchers to pass stalled nature protection laws when Parliament sits in February.

A draft Senate program shows the bills listed for debate next Thursday.

Late last year business and mining lobby groups managed to stall the passage of legislation to create a national environment protection agency (EPA), but the necessary bills could still pass with the support of the crossbench.

“So far the Albanese government has nothing to show for its 2022 election commitment to establish a new national EPA and fix our broken nature laws,” said ACF’s national biodiversity policy adviser Brendan Sydes.  

“Passing the bills before the Senate would be an important step towards fixing these laws and would give a clear indication Prime Minister Albanese and his government remain committed to nature law reform.

“The Prime Minister says he’ll only do things that align with Labor values – surely that includes delivering on his 2022 election commitment to establish an independent EPA and set new environmental standards.

“Taking directions from multinational mining companies that are trying to derail the entry of an independent environmental agency does not align with Labor values or Australian values.

“The campaign run by the resources industry and peak business groups last year revealed how scared these sectors are about genuinely independent administration of national nature laws. 

“The laws that are supposed to protect nature are failing. Threatened species habitat is still being destroyed at an alarming rate.

“Without the full reform of Australia’s unfit-for-purpose nature law and an independent agency to enforce the law, more and more unique plants and animals face extinction.

“We urge the Albanese government to work with crossbenchers to pass the stalled legislation because more delay means more extinctions.” 

Analysis released last week by ACF showed the Albanese government, which committed to ‘no new extinctions’ in 2022, approved the destruction of twice as much threatened species habitat in 2024 as it did the previous year.

ACF’s Extinction wrapped analysis found the Albanese government approved the destruction of more than 25,000 hectares of threatened species habitat in 2024, including 3,003 hectares of koala habitat.


Contact details:

Josh Meadows, 0439 342 992, josh.meadows@acf.org.au

More from this category

  • Government Federal, Medical Health Aged Care
  • 10/02/2025
  • 15:42
Health Services Union

Health Services Union welcomes major investment in women’s health

Monday February 10 Big boost for women’s health is positive, but reproductive health leave is needed The federal government’s $573 million dollar package to improve access to reproductive health services for women is being warmly received by the Health Services Union. But the union has cautioned there is still work to be done, including the establishment of universal reproductive health leave. “This package is definitely a great step, and well overdue. This money will go a long way in helping create a more equitable health system for women,” Health Services Union’s national senior assistant secretary Kate Marshall said. As part…

  • Government Federal, Indigenous
  • 10/02/2025
  • 13:30
Aboriginal Investment Group and Heart Foundation

Clean sheets, healthy hearts: Aboriginal Investment Group and Heart Foundation thrilled with Remote Laundries announcement

Monday 10 February 2025 Clean sheets, healthy hearts: Aboriginal Investment Group and Heart Foundation thrilled with Remote Laundries announcement Twelve new or upgraded Remote…

  • Contains:
  • Disability, Government Federal
  • 10/02/2025
  • 13:00
Health Services Union

Disability workforce crisis sparks call for federal government action on pay

The Health Services Union has launched a push for disability workers to receive a desperately needed pay rise, with the sector facing a major workforce crisis. A HSU discussion paper, which will be launched at Parliament House in Canberra on Monday, shows Australia is facing a 100,000 disability staff shortfall, while one in four workers are planning on leaving the sector. With the NDIS growing at 8 per cent annually, this could have a catastrophic impact for the hundreds of thousands of Australians who rely on the scheme, as standards decline and people fall through the cracks. The union is…

  • Contains:

Media Outreach made fast, easy, simple.

Feature your press release on Medianet's News Hub every time you distribute with Medianet. Pay per release or save with a subscription.