STEPHEN CENATIEMPO:
To talk about these issues and others, we’re joined by the Shadow Minister for Environment and Shadow Minister for Youth, Angie Bell. Angie, good morning.
ANGIE BELL:
Great to be with you, Stephen.
STEPHEN CENATIEMPO:
Look, as I say, I mean, the legislation was always going to be problematic, but there should be no politics and condolence motions whatsoever.
The Coalition has raised serious concerns about the Albanese Government’s decision to list the Lower Murray River ecosystem as critically endangered, warning it risks creating significant uncertainty for water users, local councils and investors across the southern Murray–Darling Basin.
While the Government claims existing land and water uses will be unaffected, Shadow Minister for the Environment and Youth, Angie Bell, said this does not reflect the reality.
JULIA BRADLEY:
Joining me live now is Shadow Environment Minister, Angie Bell. Angie, thank you so much for your time. We’re hearing Parliament’s returning next, well ahead of schedule, to debate that legislation in the wake of the Bondi attack. Does the opposition plan to put forward any amendments?
ANGIE BELL:
Well, look, the opposition hasn’t actually seen the legislation yet, Julia, and so once we get that this afternoon, we’ll have a very, very close look at that. Like many Australians, the Coalition’s very skeptical about what will be in this Bill from the Prime Minister, because as we know, hate speech laws and gun laws are two different areas of law. And so, we’re a little bit skeptical after, you know, the debacle of not calling a Royal Commission for so long and the Prime Minister’s backflip on that as well. Australians, rightly, have doubts about the leadership of our country right now.
WILL GOODINGS:
The Bureau website, and we’ve thus far found one person who thinks it’s good. That’s just a user interface review. The serious side of this is things like Port Pirie, where a destructive storm swept through and nobody saw it coming. The Bureau didn’t see it coming. The Mayor in Port Pirie has been scathing of the Bureau. The Premier too I thought was pretty forthright in his commentary about how disappointing it was that this wasn’t picked up. With all this money being expended at the Weather Bureau, should we be expecting better? The Federal Shadow Environment Minister, Angie Bell, joins us on FIVEAA Breakfast.
ANGIE BELL:
Well, good morning to everyone here this morning in Canberra. We have exactly three sitting days left in the parliamentary year, and we have not seen any amendments put forward by the Labor Albanese Government or Minister Watt at this point in time when it comes to EPBC reform. The Minister has been out in the press saying that he wants to do a deal this week. It is entirely and utterly unreasonable that at this point in time, we have not seen any of the substantive changes put forward that we would like to see in the EPBC Act, if it is to be passed this week. I’ll say to the Minister, the ball is firmly in your court.
BEN DAVIS:
Now, before you glaze over, it affects every single one of us because it has a real impact on development and houses being built and the approvals for those houses, homes, high-rises, whatever it may be. It helps relieve the supply issue. It cuts the red tape, the green tape, if you like. It reduces duplication. It increases certainty for those who want to build and develop. There’s a new threshold test for approval. There’s the process for reconsidering decisions that have been made clearer. This is all on the table. There’s also the scope for a new Environmental Protection Agency.
KELLY HIGGINS-DEVINE:
Senator Watt’s also been holding talks with the Coalition’s Environment Spokesperson, Angie Bell who joins us now. Good morning.
ANGIE BELL:
Good morning. Kelly Higgins-Devine. What a great name. I just want to say that on air.
KELLY HIGGINS-DEVINE:
Thank you so much. Okay, so with this legislation, we’ve heard that the Greens have been offered a concession. Have you been offered one or any of the items you would like to see change in this legislation?
NIKOLINA KHAROUFEH:
Murray Watt has offered two major compromises to secure support to pass Labor’s green laws reforms in the final sitting week of the year. In a bid to the Coalition, he has signaled at reducing heavy penalties for businesses which violate the new environment laws. He also made an offer to the Greens proposing amended legislation to impose more stringent protections on native forest logging. The federal government is hoping to pass the laws through the upper house. Liberal Senator Jane Hume says the move from Watt is a good start but hopes the Labor Party can make a deal with the Coalition.
JAMES GLENDAY:
We want to take you to Canberra, where the Albanese government is looking to get its overhaul of the nation’s environmental laws through Parliament in the final sitting week of the year. The Shadow Environment Minister, Angie Bell, joins us now live. Angie, welcome back to the show.
ANGIE BELL:
Thanks, James.
JAMES GLENDAY:
So, what are the prospects of a deal here, do you think? Business has been pretty clear. They want you and the government to work together to get this done as soon as possible.
SALLY SARA:
Well, staying with the government’s push to overhaul federal environment laws this week, Angie Bell is the Shadow Minister for the Environment and joins me now in our Parliament House studio. Angie Bell, welcome back to Radio National Breakfast.
ANGIE BELL:
What a pleasure it is to be in the hot seat.
SALLY SARA:
It is. Musical chairs this morning. Do you feel the same urgency to reform Australia’s environment laws as the Environment Minister Murray Watt?