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Environment Minister Murray Watt has been warned by pro-environment Labor MPs not to water down the government’s nature law reform in an attempt to win over the opposition and big business. The Albanese government is bringing a bill to parliament on Thursday to reform the Environment Protection Biodiversity Conservation Act, which would deliver its overdue election commitment to create a new national watchdog agency and accelerate assessing major projects. The bill includes a national interest test that grants the minister discretionary powers to essentially override the standard process and approve projects deemed in the national interest, which could potentially include mines or wind farms. The business-friendly measure could help to get the Coalition onside after Opposition Leader Sussan Ley attacked the bill for doing too little to drive investment. The government needs either Coalition or Greens votes in the Senate to pass the law.
