Original story by Graham Lloyd and Lauren Wilson, the Australian
PEAK environment groups have vowed to mobilise their 1.5 million members to fight a new push by business for the Rudd government to cut “green tape” and reform environmental approvals.
State governments and business lobby groups have stepped up their green tape campaign following the reinstatement of Kevin Rudd as Prime Minister.
Mary River Cod, Lungfish, and Mary River Turtles were protected by a commonwealth decision under the EPBC act – preventing the Queensland governments Traveston Dam project.
Save the Mary River Coordinating Group and Greater Mary Association
The proposed changes, which would give complete environmental approval powers to the states, fit with Mr Rudd’s first-term agenda to streamline commonwealth-state relations.
Business groups say green-tape duplication puts an unfair burden on multi-billion-dollar projects. Mr Rudd has said fixing the ALP’s relations with business is a top priority.
The chief executives of Australia’s major environment bodies held a joint conference yesterday to discuss their concerns.
The group has written to Mr Rudd and new Environment Minister Mark Butler seeking an assurance the federal environment minister will retain the final decision-making powers under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation act.
The Coalition has promised a “one-stop shop” for business, delegating federal powers to the states so projects go through only one set of approval processes.
Former prime minister Julia Gillard had agreed to a Business Council of Australia push to cut green tape at a meeting before the Council of Australian Governments meeting in April last year.
But she angered business groups by pulling out of the deal at COAG in November.
NSW Premier Barry O’Farrell signalled a new green tape push on Tuesday.
A spokesman for Mr Rudd said yesterday: “The issue has been raised by the business community and if we can address their concerns while preserving environmental outcomes we will look at it.”
Australian Conservation Society chief executive Don Henry yesterday called on Mr Rudd to “remove, once and for all, the possibility of environmental approval powers being handed over to state governments”.
In a telephone “council of war” with leaders from the Wilderness Society, World Wildlife Fund, Humane Society and Greenpeace, Dr Henry said they were seeking an urgent meeting with Mr Rudd and Mr Butler. “We are concerned there is a serious high-level push by business to the Prime Minister,” he said.
Dr Henry said the business lobby’s claims about the costs of environmental approvals were wildly exaggerated.
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