SNAP WEBINAR: Will our new laws really protect nature?

The recent agreement between the Albanese Government and the Greens has delivered important improvements to the EPBC Act, yet some major risks remain for our forests, rivers, wildlife and the communities who depend on them.

Join environment and legal experts to explore what’s been won, what remains at stake, and what it all means for forests, water, wildlife and community rights. 

What’s improved:

• Fast-tracking of new coal and gas projects has been removed.
• A decades-old exemption allowing native forest logging to bypass threatened species protections is finally gone.
• Australia will (on paper) have a national Environment Protection Agency with enforceable standards to limit harm to threatened species, deforestation and major polluters.

However, the laws hand too much power to the states to approve environmentally destructive projects, and to fast-track mining and land clearing via a streamlined process.

The Bill also hands too much power to the Minister to override departmental and scientific advice, threatening the integrity of environmental protections.

This webinar will give you a clear, accessible overview of what these reforms mean for nature across the country, and why we shouldn’t let our guard down. 

You’ll hear from senior representatives of Australia’s state and territory conservation councils and experts from the Environmental Defender’s Office, who scrutinised the legislation throughout the Senate Inquiry. They’ll share their insights into what’s been won, what remains dangerous, and what to look out for as the reforms roll out.

We’ll cover:

• Welcome and context: why this moment matters for Australia’s nature
• Overview of the legal changes, and what they mean on the ground
• Risks and opportunities
• Q&A – a chance to ask presenters what you want to know