Australian news and politics live: Donald Trump praises Anthony Albanese ahead of key China meeting
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Watt says new laws will deliver ‘quick noes’ for bad projects
Environment Minister Murray Watt has also addressed criticisms from business groups around the expansive definition of “unacceptable impacts” on the environment, which will become a threshold issue for whether a proposal is assessed or not.
The legislation to be put to Parliament shortly contains 37 definitions, varying for particular circumstances such as whether wetlands, waterways or endangered species are involved.
The Environment Minister said this was because it related to each of the matters of national environmental significance that the Commonwealth regulates.
If a proponent could show up-front that they could avoid or minimise unacceptable impacts, their project would proceed through the assessment and approval system as usual.
“You may have heard a lot of business figures say that they want quick yeses and quick noes,” Senator Watt said.
“This allows business to know upfront what sort of projects are likely to get a quick no and they shouldn’t even bother racking up the millions of dollars and time that’s involved in making an application.”
Watt defends minister override power in environment overhaul
Environment Minister Murray Watt says new powers in the environmental approvals overhaul that would allow a minister to override environmental rules in case of national interest are intended to be used very rarely.
Some on Labor’s side, including former frontbencher Ed Husic, have raised concerns internally that installing such such a power could end up being misused by ministers down the track from governments that were less concerned about environmental outcomes.
Senator Watt said it was an explicit recommendation from EPBC reviewer Graeme Samue to give governments the power to use “in very rare circumstances” but with transparency arrangements requiring the minister to explain why.
“What we’ve said in the bill is to try to give a flavour of the types of projects that we’re talking about (which) would be most likely defence or security projects, actions that may be undertaken in responding to a natural disaster,” he told ABC radio.
Albanese says he’s getting ‘things done for Australia’
After Anthony Albanese secured the best seat in the house at a special APEC dinner for Donald Trump, the Prime Minister says he is getting “things done for Australia”.
“I’m working with leaders from across the globe to get things done for Australia,” he wrote on X.
“Here at APEC we have a seat at the table – and we use it to back Australian jobs, Australian businesses and to create new opportunities for our exporters and investors.
“Because what happens in the world matters to Australia. Thank you for the warm welcome to South Korea, President Lee Jae Myung.”
‘Fantastic job’: Trump heaps praise on Albanese
Prime Minister Anthony Albanese had the best seat in the house next to Donald Trump at an Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit dinner with the US President praising him for a “fantastic job” on the $13bn critical minerals deal struck last week.
The dinner hosted by South Korean president Lee Jae Myung as part of the APEC summit is the third time Mr Albanese has met Mr Trump in person in the past two months.
The meeting comes just a week after a landmark $13bn agreement between Australia and the US, pledging an immediate pipeline of critical minerals and rare earth elements – materials vital to modern technology.
During his opening remarks, Mr Trump talked up the critical minerals deal.
“We had a great meeting a week ago … You’ve done a fantastic job,” he said to Mr Albanese, patting him on the arm.
“We’re working together on rare earths, but we’re working on a lot of things together.”
