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{{propApi.successMessage}} {{region}} Change locationProgress on EPBC reform positive but implementation now critical
Progress on EPBC reform positive but implementation now critical
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“The existing 1999 EPBC Act has been a major barrier to holistic environmental management and simultaneously has stalled private investment and housing delivery.
“Put simply the current EPBC Act is failing to deliver and therefore the housing industry is encouraged to see the limbo that this Act has been in since 2020 move forward.
“Important changes that industry has called for to deliver meaningful improvements as part of the new laws, include greater use of bilateral agreements to remove process duplication between state, local and federal governments.
“Equally we are broadly supportive of better use of strategic assessments for priority housing development areas.
“These two sets of reforms would make a marked difference in turning the dial on fast tracking new approvals and clearing the massive backlog of approvals awaiting the green light.
“Whilst these reforms have the potential to result in tangible improvements to housing projects, at the recent Senate Inquiry into the EPBC Bills, HIA flagged concerns regarding significant subjectivity in several of the new definitions that are critical to the implementation and application of the new laws.
“HIA’s key asks moving forward, are for more emphasis on a dedicated transition plan including case studies and wide spread industry education and engagement.
“We are also seeking commitment to a 2 year post implementation review once the legislation is passed to ensure the key reforms are delivering as intended.
“Further, HIA would like to see the recently established ‘housing strike team’ set up post the Economic Reform Roundtable made permanent to ensure housing approvals get streamlined and fast tracked and to the clear the backlog of the 26,000 home projects stuck waiting approvals.
“It is pleasing to see the passage of these laws, as the current EPBC framework has been slow, unpredictable, and often duplicated state and territory processes.
“The critical task now for the government is to ensure these reforms deliver their stated objectives. Any additional obligations placed into the final laws or on how their interpreted and applied practice, must not make housing delivery slower or more costly,” concluded Ms Martin.
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