The Australian government has introduced a package of bills to Parliament to fix our broken nature laws, which passed the House of Representatives last week.
Right now, a Senate inquiry is reviewing the bills before a vote in the Senate, which is expected to take place by the end of this month, at which point they could become law.
However, sadly, these laws fall short of the strong, enforceable protections needed to safeguard our wildlife, ocean and coasts.
That means we’re now at a critical decision point that will determine how strong or weak these laws will be.
Australia’s environment law was written in 1999, and despite two independent reviews calling for reforms to strengthen the Act, precious little has been done to improve it.
Thanks to the tireless work of ocean lovers across Australia, the Albanese government has finally introduced legislation to reform our broken national nature laws – but it still falls short.
Your voice can directly influence what happens next:
- Senators are actively considering the laws and have invited submissions.
- They pay attention to how many people speak up and what those people say.
- Every submission, email, and signature builds the public pressure they need to act boldly for nature and strengthen the laws.
This is a critical opportunity to secure stronger protections for the ocean, coasts and marine life we love, from the Great Barrier Reef to Ningaloo and beyond.
But without significant improvement, the current package risks leaving our seas, coasts, and wildlife vulnerable to the same destructive pressures that have driven many species towards extinction.
Until a vote is taken, the bills are not law, and can be debated, reviewed, and changed. That’s why now is the moment to speak up.
The decisions made in the next few weeks will determine how well Australia protects its wildlife, oceans, and natural places for decades to come.
This is our chance to ensure Australia’s nature laws are robust enough to prevent the environmental destruction of our most important habitats and to ensure all decisions align with strong, outcomes-based national standards.