Submission to the Inquiry into Australia’s extinction

We refer the committee to our previous extensive submissions on the need for biodiversity law reform.1 Our primary recommendation is to urge the Government to introduce – and the parliament to pass – a comprehensive package of legislation in this term of parliament. [...] Substantial work has been done by the reform taskforce in preparing legislative and policy drafts, and we urge the government to finish the job they have committed to and introduce the comprehensive package to parliament this year. [...] The role of the EPA is therefore critical for the integrity of the new regime, which means its regulatory powers and structure need to be clear. [...] The power would give the Environment Minister of the day the ability to take a decision out of the EPA’s hands at any point up to before the day the decision by the EPA is due, for any reason. [...] It is critical for both public confidence in and the integrity of the new laws that community rights – the right to know, the right to participate, and the right to challenge – form part of the foundational architecture of the new laws.