UN 
(SDGTALKING) – The Australian government has submitted a new bill to parliament that reshapes the environmental protection system and targets significant economic gains. The government stated that the bill will both better protect nature and accelerate the approval processes for resource and construction projects.
Project approvals to speed up, economy to revive
With the new environmental law, the government plans to generate $6.9 billion Australian dollars ($4.5 billion US dollars) in economic benefits annually by streamlining the permitting processes for gas facilities, mines, renewable energy investments, and housing projects.
Officials note that environmental approval processes have more than doubled in length over the past 20 years, with the average duration now exceeding two years. While Australia ranks among the world’s leading countries in liquefied natural gas (LNG), metal, and coal exports, it aims to reduce China’s dominance in the sector by increasing the production of critical minerals alongside the US and other allies.
“We are bringing solutions to projects bogged down by bureaucratic obstacles.”
Environment Minister Murray Watt said the new bill would end long-running debates, adding, “We have seen housing, renewable energy, and other projects bogged down by bureaucratic obstacles at a time when we urgently need them.” Watt said they aim to have the bill passed by both houses of parliament by the end of the year. To do so, the government will need the support of either the center-right Coalition or the left-leaning Greens Party in the Senate.
National Environment Agency to be established
The bill will introduce higher penalties for environmental violations and include clear definitions of “unacceptable impacts.” It also envisages the creation of an independent National Environmental Protection Agency to oversee the new rules. Clean Energy Council CEO Jackie Trad described the bill as a step in the right direction: “Approval times for renewable energy projects have become too long. We cannot afford to wait another five years to make this happen,” she said.
