The Albanese Government is supercharging the transition to faster, more streamlined project assessments and approvals under our historic environmental law reforms.
The Government will provide more than $45 million over 4 years to progress bilateral agreements with states and territories that will reduce duplication.
The investment will encourage state and territory governments to prioritise progressing and signing new assessment and approval bilateral agreements with the Commonwealth, that take advantage of the recent reforms. This will ensure proponents can benefit sooner from quicker, more efficient environmental approvals.
State and territory governments who sign a new bilateral assessment or approval agreement with the Australian Government will be empowered to conduct assessments or approvals on the Commonwealth's behalf, subject to new National Environmental Standards.
This will fast-track new energy, housing and resources projects by combining federal and state assessments and approvals, reducing duplication in the assessment and approval process.
Strong environmental safeguards will remain in place, with projects required to meet the Commonwealth's environmental standards, and all bilateral agreements will be subject to assurance by the new National Environmental Protection Agency, which commences on July 1 this year.
