Think Tank Says New Federal Environment Agency to Cost Taxpayers $1.8 Billion

R/V Falkor operating on the Great Barrier Reef. AAP Image/James Cook University

As Australia hosts the world’s first Global Nature Positive Summit in Sydney this week, the free market Institute of Public Affairs (IPA) has raised serious questions about the economic soundness of the government’s Nature Positive Plan.

The IPA’s findings suggest a lack of governance and oversight.

Saxon Davidson, research fellow at the IPA, argues that it is the taxpayers who will have to bear the projected annual cost of approximately $1.8 billion (US$1.2 billion) for the federal Environment Protection Agency (EPA) that would be established under the plan.

Furthermore, the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) has reportedly amassed around 221,200 documents related to Nature Positive plans, totalling over 1.15 million pages.

Despite the volume, there have been no sign that the department will release these documents for public scrutiny, raising concerns about transparency.

“If the three Nature Positive bills currently under consideration in parliament are passed, the amount of legislation managed by the environment department would surge to at least 7,004 pages, reflecting a 142 percent increase from 2021 levels. This substantial increase has prompted criticism from various stakeholders,” said Davidson.

The IPA calls for a reassessment of the plan, emphasising the need for a more balanced approach that considers the economic impacts on everyday Australians, particularly those in regional areas.

MP Questions How Government is ‘Nature Positive’

The government’s Global Nature Positive Summit has reportedly attracted over 1,000 delegates from more than 50 countries.

However, in Parliament during the Question Time, independent “teal” MP Sophie Scamps from McKellar challenged the government’s nature-positive agenda, citing research from the Biodiversity Council that shows an annual expenditure of approximately $26 billion on activities detrimental to biodiversity.

Scamps questioned the government on how it can advocate for a nature-positive future while continuing to fund “nature-negative” practices, such as native forest logging.

She called for an immediate cessation of subsidies for environmentally harmful activities.

In her response, Plibersek celebrated the summit as an opportunity for Australia to showcase its environmental initiatives.

She noted the growing interest in nature-positive investments, citing the launch of a crucial initiative called Nature Positive Matters, aimed at changing economic settings related to biodiversity.

The minister highlighted a notable achievement: the number of Australian companies reporting on their environmental impacts using the Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures (TNFD) framework has doubled in the lead-up to the summit.

“We also noticed that the number of Australian companies that are reporting on their nature impacts has in fact doubled in the lead-up to the summit,” she added.

Australia Now a Leader in Ocean Protection

Additionally, Plibersek announced that the Albanese government is now a global leader in ocean protection, having recently added 310,000 square kilometres of marine parks, an area equivalent to Italy.

The minister stated that this is not just a huge environmental win for Australia, it is a huge environmental win for the world.

“From the Great Barrier Reef to sub-Antarctic wildlife, wonderlands like Heard and McDonald Islands, there are so few places on Earth that can be described as truly pristine wilderness. Heard and McDonald Islands is such a place,” she said.

Earlier in the day, a statement released by the department said that for the first time ever, more than half (52 percent) of Australia’s oceans are now under protection, surpassing the 30 percent target the government signed up to as part of a United Nations nature treaty in 2022.

“This decision cements Australia’s role as a global leader in marine conservation. It is the biggest contribution to ocean conservation anywhere on the planet this year,” Plibersek said.

The Heard and McDonald Islands marine reserve will quadruple in size, an increase of almost 310,000 square kilometres, and will provide greater protections for an environment unlike anywhere else in the world.

Meanwhile, the minister expressed pride in Australia’s environmental achievements.

These include being close to passing the first tranche of environmental laws, which includes a stronger water trigger, and the goal of establishing Australia’s first Environment Protection Agency, contingent upon securing votes from crossbench members or the opposition.

“We are just one vote away,” she said.

Plibersek highlighted the government’s efforts to double funding for national parks, keep the Great Barrier Reef off the endangered list, and work towards securing World Heritage status for Laura Duga and Cape York.