Murray Watt confirms second stage of environment laws operating ahead of watchdog’s establishment

Environment departments across governments will be allowed to share more information from Friday when the next phase of the new environmental laws come into effect.

The full new assessment system under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act overhaul – including the creation of the new watchdog – comes into place in July but parts of the laws begin working this week.

Environment Minister Murray Watt said the ability to “switch on” elements of the reforms would pave the way for the border changes to start operating smoothly.

“Through this next tranche of changes, we are delivering faster, clearer processes to proponents and communities as quickly as possible,” he said.

The changes come as the government is running recruitment for the Environment Protection Agency, including looking for someone to fill the powerful statutory position at the top of the new body.

The EPA’s offices are being established in the basement of the environment department’s building in the heart of Canberra.

Two of the proposed six national environmental standards that set the rules underpinning the new assessment system have also been out for consultation and are now having further versions drawn up.

Senator Watt said there was clear interest in this work, with some 750 submissions made on the standards establishing matters of national environmental significance, and the new system of environmental offsets.

As well as greater information sharing, the measures coming into effect on Friday include measures that give more flexibility to strategic assessments, allowing proponents to surrender unused approvals to reduce compliance burdens, and allowing national interest exemptions to be made during emergency situations.