Stronger environmental laws

Labor initiated the protection of the Great Barrier Reef during the Whitlam government, while it was the Hawke and Keating governments that protected the Franklin, Kakadu, the Daintree, as well as Antarctica…and Labor ended 30 years of conflict over Tasmania’s forests and 120 years of disagreement over the Murray Darling Basin.

Today Labor continues its proud record on environmental protection.

Shadow environment minister Mark Butler said Labor has a proud and solid record of environmental achievement.

“A Shorten Labor government will support the re-establishment of environmental defenders offices(EDOs), so they can continue to ensure Australian environmental laws are complied with by corporations and governments,” Butler said.

“Labor believes EDOs play a vital role in environmental protection by providing access to justice for individuals and groups who could not otherwise afford to take on large companies whose proposed actions may have adverse environmental impacts on those individuals and communities.

“Re-establishing the federal government’s responsibility for protection of matters of national environmental significance.”

“In the first 100 days of forming government, Labor will convene an expert reference group to work in partnership with industry and environmental groups to develop the detail of the new environment laws,” he said.

A Labor government would improve environmental protection and streamline the environmental approval process by:

• Re-establishing the federal government’s responsibility for protection of matters of national environmental significance.
• Retaining federal government powers of approval under federal laws.
• Streamlining assessment processes with states and territory governments to remove unnecessary duplication.
• Developing new frameworks for truly national protection and management of Australia’s natural environment.
• Exploring options for an independent environment protection structure.
• Reinstating the principles of democracy, respect and protection of rights for civil society involvement in environmental matters, including funding for environment defenders offices (EDOs), a commitment of $10.8m over four years.

The Abbott-Turnbull government has shown it has no regard for Australia’s precious environment or those who stand up to protect it, said shadow attorney-general Mark Dreyfus QC.

“Labor will take a…solid record of environmental achievements to this election.”

“In the last three years in office, the Liberals defunded the EDOs, condemned environmental NGOs and community groups as vandals, threatened the EPBC Act, gagged UNESCO and continually attempted to pass the buck on environmental protection to state and local governments,” Dreyfus said.

“Labor will take a proud and solid record of environmental achievements to this election.

“Only a Labor government can be trusted to protect our beautiful and diverse environment while also supporting sustainable and job creating investment,” he added.

This article originally appeared in the Labor Herald.