Nature left hanging as Parliament draws to a close 

29 November 2024 

Humane Society International (HSI) Australia has today expressed its deep disappointment at the failure of the Australian Government to pass its nature positive legislation this year. 

“Despite a clear and negotiated pathway to pass the legislation through the Senate crossbench, the Government has bowed to vested mining interests and walked away from its own nature positive legislation,” said Dr Megan Kessler, Nature Campaigner with HSI Australia. 

“For four years, the Government has been on notice that our national environmental laws are outdated, ineffective, and require fundamental reform. In 2022 the Government committed to addressing these problems through its Nature Positive Plan. Passing the proposed laws, with the very appropriate amendments proposed by the cross bench, would have been an important start to these reforms,” she said. 

With more than 2,000 threatened species listed under our national environment laws, our unique and magnificent wildlife cannot afford any more delays. Australia is facing a worsening extinction crisis driven by land clearing, climate change and the industrialisation of our natural places. 

Australia’s wildlife desperately needs a truly strong and independent national Environment Protection Australia (EPA) with improved compliance and enforcement powers, a national data agency Environment Information Australia (EIA), and for nature repair to be embedded in law through the introduction of a ‘nature positive’ agenda. 

“It’s time for the Government to start listening to the millions of Australians who support these laws instead of vested interests who profit from the ongoing destruction of our natural world,” Dr Kessler said. 

“Protecting and restoring nature must be a priority and it’s disappointing to yet again see the Government delay these reforms when the extinction crisis demands immediate action.”  

HSI Australia is urging the Government to implement its full reform agenda. That includes the unfinished business of the current nature positive bills, as well as taking action to ensure better upfront protections for the critical habitat of our threatened wildlife; implementing decision making frameworks that will prevent new extinctions, including from climate change; and creating systems that restore trust and improve community participation in our national nature laws, including by removing damaging exemptions to the laws. 

If you’d like to learn more about Nature Positive Laws and our goals for future legislation, read our blog here