Statement: Watt’s nature law changes must protect forests, not rubber stamp future destruction

The fate of koalas and forests hangs in the balance as the Albanese government starts to share parts of proposed changes to federal nature laws. 

Media reports are swirling about different elements of the package, such as some climate considerations, offsets, and the role of a new EPA. But promising elements like increased penalties and stop work powers risk being dramatically undermined by loopholes that turbocharge forest destruction. The Albanese government is also courting destructive industry players, via proposals to limit the EPA’s role in project assessments and a ‘pay to destroy’ fund which would be disastrous for nature and leave threatened species at risk. 

Sam Szoke-Burke, Biodiversity Policy and Campaign Manager for the Wilderness Society said: “As Minister Watt prepares changes to federal nature law, the key question is whether his changes will make any difference for koalas and forests? Will they stop the absolute onslaught of deforestation that has continued under this government, tallying 1 million hectares of deforestation in Queensland alone?

“Australia’s carbon-rich and biodiverse forests don’t stand a chance if the focus of these changes is on allowing companies to pay to destroy nature, and loopholes wide enough to ram a bulldozer through. Nature needs iron-clad protections and decisions based on science, not politics. 

“While we support stronger penalties for wrongdoing, they risk never being used if the Act doesn’t set out clear, strong nature protections. Without assurance that the amendments won’t be laced with loopholes, koalas and forests risk remaining on the chopping block. The Albanese government must use this critical opportunity to remove loopholes that turbocharge deforestation.”

Earlier this month, a new investigation by the Wilderness Society revealed that one million hectares of Queensland forest and bushland have been bulldozed since the Albanese Government took office—most of it to make way for beef pasture.

In September, Australia’s Climate Change Authority released its 2035 Target Advice, which found that for Australia to meet “even the lower end” of its carbon emission reduction targets requires “ceasing logging of old growth forests and halving re-clearing rates.”