Agency starts on 1 July under CEO John Bradley
Australia’s new National Environment Protection Agency began work on 1 July with at least 107 open cases on its desk.
Those cases include alleged bulldozing that could significantly affect protected species, including koalas and pink cockatoos.
The Australian Conservation Foundation said the clearing should have been referred for assessment under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act, or EPBC Act, but was not.
ACF nature campaigner Darcie Carruthers said, “It’s a landmark day as Australia’s long-awaited Environment Protection Agency opens its doors.”
According to the ACF, the 107 cases involve forests and bushlands that may have been cleared without the federal referrals required by the EPBC Act.
Murray Watt names bulldozing priority
In February, Murray Watt’s department identified off-the-books bulldozing of threatened Australian forests and bushlands as a priority for compliance and enforcement teams.
The department also named agricultural bulldozing as a focus area because it can have a significant impact on threatened species and their homes.
The new agency is starting that work under CEO John Bradley.
Carruthers said the agency should “enforce the rules and send a clear message that compliance is expected from all industries, without exception.”
The ACF has referred up to a third of the cases now open with the agency.
Carruthers said, “As a not-for-profit organisation that has referred up to a third of the cases the agency has open, we’ll be watching the watchdog.”
The foundation said deforestation threatens hundreds of native species with extinction by destroying habitat.
It also linked clearing to soil erosion, higher flood risk, invasive predators, carbon emissions and changes to rainfall.
The ACF said Australia has the highest rate of deforestation in the developed world, with most clearing driven by expanding pasture for beef cattle.
Carruthers said, “Most farmers are good custodians of nature and don’t want to break the law.”
The ACF urged the Albanese government to prioritise education on updated legal responsibilities and work directly with state and territory governments to give landholders accurate information.
