The changes to the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act will reportedly be rammed through Parliament next week as a favour to the salmon industry in Tasmania. They would also benefit gas and coal mines.
The proposal would prohibit third-party civil society organisations like The Australia Institute and Environmental Defenders Office from challenging environmentally damaging projects.
"Weakening environmental laws doesn't help the Australian community or the Australian economy. It simply boosts the profits of salmon corporations, coal companies and other corporate interests," said Rod Campbell, Research Director of The Australia Institute.
"Any change that makes it harder for community groups to use Australia's environment laws is, by definition, anti-democratic.
"This legislation appears to be in response to The Australia Institute triggering a review of the impact of salmon farming in Tasmania's Macquarie Harbour, where salmon corporations are pushing the endangered Maugean skate towards extinction.
"This isn't just The Australia Institute's view, it's the view of the Federal Environment Department. Documents released under freedom of information reveal that officials told Minister Plibersek that it was 'likely' salmon farming would have to stop while a full environmental assessment is done.
"The role The Australia Institute and other NGOs play in environmental decision-making fundamentally strengthens Australia's democracy.
"The Australia Institute and other NGOs help communities by providing high-quality research and expert opinion to protect their homes, farms and natural areas.
"Few community groups can afford to pay hundreds of thousands of dollars for economic modelling from expensive consultants.
"To put it bluntly, gas companies and salmon corporations hire expensive consultants like PwC and Deloitte to push their projects with dodgy economic modelling.
"The Australia Institute helps community groups to have their voices heard and puts the public interest, the interest of all Australians, above those of multinational corporations.
"It's time Australia's environmental laws, and the Australian community's ability to use them, were strengthened.
"Labor went to the last election promising to strengthen Australia's environmental laws. If the opposition supports this legislation, the final act of the 47th Parliament could be to pave the way for corporations to trash our environment and send species to extinction."
