Murray Watt thinks he will succeed where Tanya Plibersek failed
New Environment Minister Murray Watt has raised expectations that warring conservation and mining groups will back the Albanese government's promise to reform nature protection laws, but is staring down demands for a climate trigger to control new fossil fuel projects.
The Albanese government pledged in the 2022 election to strengthen environment laws, but reforms pursued by former environment minister Tanya Plibersek collapsed when Prime Minister Anthony Albanese intervened to torpedo negotiations with the Greens after pushback from Western Australian miners.
After his first roundtable meeting with industry groups on Thursday, Watt said there was 'broad agreement' from parties including miners, farmers, renewable energy developers, conservation groups and First Nations communities.
'Our current environmental laws aren't working and desperately need reform. Everyone accepted that this is an urgent task for the country and the parliament,' Watt said.
Loading
The 2020 Samuel review of Australia's environment laws found they were broken. Since colonisation, about 100 of Australia's unique flora and fauna species have been wiped out. The rate of loss, which is as bad as anywhere else on Earth, shows no sign of slowing, with ongoing habitat degradation and more than 2000 species currently listed as threatened with extinction.
Before he can land reforms, Watt must bridge a divide between the mining industry and conservation lobby or face the spectre of a political campaign from whichever side is disappointed.
Just as Albanese was scuttling Plibersek's reform push, the mining lobby warned Plibersek's reforms were 'bad for WA, bad for industry'. After Albanese's intervention, the Australian Conservation Foundation said the government had ' left nature in limbo after surrendering to the demands of mining and big business'.
However, in a sign of his confidence, Watt said he could bring a reform bill to parliament within 18 months.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
AU Financial Review
36 minutes ago
- AU Financial Review
Labor must seal the cracks in Australia's carbon credits market
After Labor's resounding election victory, it is now likely that Australia and Pacific countries will co-host next year's global climate summit, bringing renewed focus on the Albanese government's performance in this area. With Australia's emissions continuing to rise and growing concerns in the business community about ESG risks relating to the offsets market, Labor should bring forward the review of its signature emissions pricing policy to this year.
Sky News AU
an hour ago
- Sky News AU
Former prime minister Scott Morrison backs US strikes on Iran, slams Albanese government's ‘ambiguity'
Former prime minister Scott Morrison has thrown his support behind US airstrikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, calling the operation a "necessary event". US President Donald Trump ordered strikes against three Iranian nuclear facilities on Sunday (Australian time), escalating the Middle East conflict to new heights. Mr Morrison told Sky News on Sunday that the strikes would help to bring peace, and accused the Albanese government of failing to take a clear stance on the conflict. 'This was a necessary event. There were no other options available to the president,' Mr Morrison said. 'This has been the most decisive and the most comprehensive action to terminate that threat.' The former prime minister also criticised the Albanese government for its unclear position on the Iran-Israel conflict. 'It's time for some clarity. I think there's been far too much ambiguity about this from Australia, far too much ambiguity, and it's time for clarity.' Defence Minister Richard Marles earlier had refused to directly back possible US strikes and instead reiterated the government's call for 'de-escalation'. Pressed on whether Australia supported the bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, Mr Marles repeatedly avoided a direct answer. 'Uh, uh. Um, I'm... articulating the Australian government's position. That's the only thing I can articulate.' 'We have used our voice to urge de-escalation. And that's our position in respect of both the Iranian program, but also… in respect of this conflict,' he said. While acknowledging that Iran's nuclear ambitions were 'concerning' and 'a threat to peace and stability,' Mr Marles declined to endorse any US military response. The exchange followed Foreign Minister Penny Wong's shifting position on Australia's attitude toward the Israel-Iran conflict. The government has faced criticism in recent weeks for its slow and cautious responses to Iranian aggression and its measured language toward Israel. Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan told Sky News Sunday Agenda that the Albanese government has 'isolated themselves' from the Israeli government. 'I think that has left them in a situation where they're really trying to walk two sides here,' Mr Tehan said. 'I think what we need to see from the government is greater moral clarity as to whether they do, once and for all, want to see Iran rid of its nuclear weapons program.' Liberal Senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma recently criticised Ms Wong for initially calling for de-escalation and diplomacy. 'Part of the reason for this war is the failure of dialogue… there have been multiple rounds of negotiations held with Iran,' Mr Sharma told Sky News. 'I don't see much prospect for dialogue.' The US strikes on Sunday targeted Iran's key nuclear sites at Natanz, Esfahan, and Fordow. President Trump confirmed the operation involved B-2 bombers, with six bunker-buster bombs used to destroy facilities buried deep in the mountains. 'Fordow is gone… Iran must now agree to end this war,' President Trump posted on Truth Social. Mr Morrison praised the US response as a proportionate show of strength after all diplomatic avenues had failed. 'This is not something that I believe (Trump) wants to see widened. But this hopefully resolves that question of their nuclear capability,' he said. The Albanese government has yet to formally comment on the US operation. Sky News has contacted the Defence Minister for comment.
Sky News AU
4 hours ago
- Sky News AU
Defence Minister Richard Marles stumbles over policy gap between Australia-US in Iran-Israel conflict
Defence Minister Richard Marles has struggled to explain why the government's stance on the Iran-Israel conflict appears out of step with the United States. Pressed on whether Australia supported a possible US strike on Iranian nuclear facilities, Mr Marles repeatedly sidestepped the question. 'The position that we have articulated… has been consistent from the outset,' Mr Marles told Sky News Sunday Agenda. The Albanese government has called for 'de-escalation' but supported Israel's 'right to defend itself', and also said Iran's ambitions for a nuclear weapon were 'concerning'. "The Iranian nuclear ballistic missile program is most definitely a threat to the peace and stability of not only the Middle East," Mr Marles said. 'We have used our voice to urge de-escalation. And that's our position in respect of both the Iranian program, but also, more specifically, in respect of this conflict.' Mr Marles was asked if he was having '$1 each way' by not explicitly supporting the US bombing of Iranian nuclear sites, prohibiting their access to world-ending technology. The Defence Minister stumbled over his answer as he attempted to explain the government's stance on the matter. 'Uh, uh. Um, I'm... articulating the Australian government's position. That's the only thing I can articulate,' Mr Marles said. 'We are making it clear that we see that the Iranian program represents a threat to the peace and stability of the region and the world .... what we're saying in relation to this specific conflict is that we are worried about its prospect for escalation. "Both of those things can sit together." The exchange followed Foreign Minister Penny Wong's shifting position on Australia's attitude toward the Israel-Iran conflict. The government has faced criticism in recent weeks for its slow and cautious responses to Iranian aggression and its measured language toward Israel. Shadow energy minister Dan Tehan told Sky News Sunday Agenda that the Albanese government has 'isolated themselves' from the Israeli government. 'I think that has left them in a situation where they're really trying to walk two sides here,' Mr Tehan said. 'I think what we need to see from the government is greater moral clarity as to whether they do, once and for all, want to see Iran rid of its nuclear weapons program.' Liberal Senator and former ambassador to Israel Dave Sharma recently criticised Ms Wong for initially calling for de-escalation and diplomacy. 'Part of the reason for this war is the failure of dialogue… there have been multiple rounds of negotiations held with Iran,' Mr Sharma told Sky News. 'I don't see much prospect for dialogue.' Israel's top diplomat in Australia, Ambassador Amir Maimon, acknowledged a clear 'shift' in the Albanese government's treatment of Israel. Former Australian governments have held close relationships with Israel, but the Albanese government's ties with the Jewish state have frayed in recent years. 'It is true that since May 2022, we see a shift in some Israeli-related policies,' Mr Maimon said of the Albanese government's treatment of the Jewish state. 'We still consider Australia as a friendly country. There are hiccups in our relationship. It's only normal. I think that it's true about every country. 'There are ups and downs. Even if I think that Israel is right in the way we are handling the campaign in Gaza, it doesn't mean that that's how it is viewed in other capitals. 'But we have very close exchanges with our friends. We do not always agree about everything.' Mr Maimon recently called out countries which 'urge diplomacy, as if words can stop warheads' after Ms Wong said Israel and Iran should talk.
