Australia has passed a sweeping reform of its national nature-protection laws, in a landmark update to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act).
Under the new legislation — backed by the government and the Australian Greens — the country will establish a new federal regulator, the National Environment Protection Agency (NEPA), tasked with enforcing environmental protections. It will have the power to impose stricter penalties, issue stop-work orders, and ensure compliance across industries.
One of the most significant changes: exemptions for native forest logging and high-risk land clearing — previously allowed under regional forest agreements — will end. Land clearing in ecologically sensitive zones, including catchments feeding the Great Barrier Reef, will now be subject to national environmental standards.
While supporters describe it as Australia’s biggest nature-protection upgrade in decades, critics — including some industry and political groups — warn of possible economic impacts, especially in forestry and regional areas.
