Tanya Plibersek to tout progress at Global Nature Positive Summit despite agenda teetering on brink

Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek will use this week’s global green summit to tout the Government’s “really good progress” in turning Australia nature positive — despite Labor’s environmental agenda teetering on the brink.

The federal Opposition says it is “embarrassing” Ms Plibersek is fronting up empty-handed to her Global Nature Positive Summit as her controversial laws to create a new Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) remain stuck in the Senate.

Appearing in front of about 1000 delegates — made up of international conservationists, experts and business leaders — in Sydney on Tuesday, Ms Plibersek will laud the Federal Government’s green credentials.

Speaking ahead of the summit, she said the Government was committed to meeting the target of protecting at least 30 per cent of Australia’s land and sea by 2030, and spruiked the Government’s “progress” at becoming nature positive.

“The Australian Government is doing more than ever to make our economy nature positive,” she said ahead of the summit.

While Ms Plibersek will be pumping up the Government’s achievements in Sydney, her signature Nature Positive Plan is stalled in Canberra.

Labor has rejected the Greens’ demand for a “climate trigger” and its offer to gut the proposed EPA has failed to sway the Coalition, leaving the Government without a path to get its laws through Parliament.

But with the laws listed for debate again on Thursday, Ms Plibersek said the Government remained committed to delivering its election promise to create a new nature cop.

“We’re fixing our environmental laws, so they do what they’re meant to do,” she said.

“The Global Nature Positive Summit helps Australia set the global agenda for a nature positive future.

“The Australian Government is committed to better protection for our environment and supporting businesses to consider their dependence and impact on nature. It’s this collective action that will help us achieve a nature positive future.”

Opposition environment spokesman Jonno Duniam said the summit would be an embarrassment for the Federal Government.

“It is a talkfest about everything the Albanese Government are not delivering on,” he said.

He said the summit itself, which cost more than $5m shared with the NSW Government, was not a good use of taxpayer funds.

The summit, billed as an opportunity to bring together delegates from around the world including ministers, environment groups, business leaders and scientists, has failed to attract many foreign dignitaries.

The only ministers listed to speak at the event are from the Pacific nations of Nuie and Fiji.

Meanwhile, hundreds of government officials are expected to attend a United Nations biodiversity conference in Colombia later this month.

“At least $5 million of taxpayers’ money has been spent on this conference with at least 24 bureaucrats working for over two years full time on it,” Senator Duniam said.

“While the Coalition welcomes private sector involvement in this space, we have serious doubts that this conference will do anything to improve environmental outcomes in Australia or elsewhere.”

Over three days, delegates are expected to attempt to build consensus on the economic settings needed to bolster private investment in nature, with finance models and corporate partnerships on the agenda.