Alice Howlett

Submission in response to discussion paper

Some have argued that past changes to the EPBC Act to add new matters of national environmental significance did not go far enough. Others have argued it has extended the regulatory reach of the Commonwealth too far. What do you think?

I believe the new matter of national environmental significance did not go far enough as they did not work with the traditional custodians of the land in the most beneficial way.

How could the principle of Ecologically Sustainable Development (ESD) be better reflected in the EPBC Act? For example, could the consideration of environmental, social and economic factors, which are core components of ESD, be achieved through greater inclusion of cost benefit analysis in decision making?

Covered in attached letter

Should the objects of the EPBC Act be more specific?

Yes

Should the matters of national environmental significance within the EPBC Act be changed? How?

Covered in attached letter

Which elements of the EPBC Act should be priorities for reform? For example, should future reforms focus on assessment and approval processes or on biodiversity conservation? Should the Act have proactive mechanisms to enable landholders to protect matters of national environmental significance and biodiversity, removing the need for regulation in the right circumstances?

Covered in attached letter

What high level concerns should the review focus on? For example, should there be greater focus on better guidance on the EPBC Act, including clear environmental standards? How effective has the EPBC Act been in achieving its statutory objectives to protect the environment and promote ecologically sustainable development and biodiversity conservation? What have been the economic costs associated with the operation and administration of the EPBC Act?

Covered in attached letter

Attachments

Additional information has been provided as an attachment for this submission. The attachment can be downloaded using the links on the right hand side of this page.