EPBC: Albanese says deal struck between Government and Greens on environment laws a ‘win-win’

The Government has struck a deal with the Greens to pass its environmental law overhaul with changes that will see logging come under the new rules and no fast-track assessments for coal and gas projects.

Prime Minister Anthony Albanese announced the deal early on Thursday morning — the final sitting day for the year — saying the “sensible, responsible and balanced laws” were good for business and good for the environment.

The laws will establish a National Environment Protection Agency, set up new national environmental standards, and allow the Commonwealth to strike deals for States to assess and possibly approve projects under Federal laws.

The Government has agreed to Greens requests to phase out exemptions for native forestry, meaning logging will have to abide by the new environmental standards, and has also agreed that coal and gas projects can’t receive fast-tracked assessments.

A new $300 million fund will help the forestry industry transition to using plantation timber.

In negotiations that both sides characterised as tough but constructive, the Greens agreed to back further changes in line with industry group requests to tighten the definitions of “unacceptable impacts” and “net gain” and to put a 14-day limit on the new stop-work orders the NEPA will be able to issue.

“I said when I spoke at the National Press Club in June after our election that this was going to be the year of delivery, and this is … my government delivering on the commitments that we made,” Mr Albanese said.

“I described this as a great win for the environment and a great win for business. This is a win-win, and that is what we were looking for, very clearly.”

Liberal Senator Jonathon Duniam, who was directly involved in the Coalition’s negotiations with Labor on the new laws, labelled the Greens deal a “dirty, dodgy deal” during a spray in the Senate on Thursday morning.

He said the Coalition was in “good faith” negotiations “even as late as 10pm” on Wednesday.

“We got our message that they weren’t going to deal with us through the press conference this morning. I don’t think that’s good faith discussion,” he said.

“I’d very much love to know what the price of this latest agreement between the Government and their natural bedfellows, the Australian Greens political party, is this time.”

Greens leader Larissa Waters said while her party hadn’t got everything it sought, the final package did strengthen environmental protections.

“The Greens are determined to get sh*t done,” she said.

“We are stopping big fossil fuel corporations from trashing the environment faster and easier than they already can – that is a significant win for the climate. But the fight is not over.”

Environment Minister Murray Watt spoke to WA Premier Roger Cook about the deal late on Wednesday evening.

The Premier had been backing a push from the Chamber of Minerals and Energy WA to make some changes, including those that have been agreed for the definitions and the stop-work orders.

The legislation will pass the Senate on Thursday with the Greens’ support.