The Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC
Act) found that the community does not trust our federal nature law or its implementation to deliver
for the environment, and that “limited access to information about decisions and the lack of
opportunity to substantively engage in decision-making under the Act further erodes trust”.
The current package of Bills before the Parliament, which the Government is calling “Stage 2” of its
Nature Positive reforms, establish a new Federal Environment Protection Australia (EPA), a new national Environment Information Australia (EIA), and make some largely administrative changes to
existing environmental laws.
This Briefing Note sets out changes that should be made to the “Stage 2” package to improve the
integrity and independence of the proposed new EPA, including through strengthened governance,
transparency and community participation and oversight mechanisms.