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Humane Society International (HSI) welcomes the introduction today of the Commonwealth Environment Protection Authority Bill to the House of Representatives by Andrew Wilkie MP, with the support of Adam Bandt MP. The intent of this bill is to establish a “completely independent body that depoliticises, streamlines and strengthens environmental regulation.”
HSI has long called for an independent body to provide much needed integrity in decision making for the long term public good with freedom from short term politics and the influence of political donations. An Environment Protection Authority (EPA) is an important first step in much needed environmental reforms.
“Many of the decisions made under the EPBC Act to date have suffered from political interference. It is our firm belief that this model of an EPA will provide much needed independence for vital decisions being made about the future of our World Heritage sites, internationally important wetlands, threatened species and ecosystems” said Alexia Wellbelove, Senior Campaign Manager at Humane Society International.
“HSI’s view is that the Government’s EPBC (Standards and Assurance) Amendment Bill, recently introduced to the House of Representatives, does not go far enough to ensure this independence to address the extinction crisis facing nature.
“The Samuel Review of the EPBC Act called for an independent ‘cop on the beat’. Greater independence and integrity is essential for the sound decision making structures nature needs to secure its protection and recovery into the future,” concluded Ms Wellbelove.
