Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill 2025

Stage by Stage

Summaries in reported speech - not a transcript. In date order, both chambers.

1. Wednesday 27 August 2025 · House of Representatives

   Second Reading

   The debate concerned a technical amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The legislation aimed to ensure that boards of management for Commonwealth reserves could continue making decisions after a management plan expired, provided those decisions aligned with the expired plan. This measure sought to maintain traditional owner involvement in land management during the transition to new plans. The bill was introduced ahead of broader environmental reforms to preserve board functionality. The debate was adjourned without a final vote recorded in the transcript.

   Outcome: The debate was adjourned.

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2. Wednesday 3 September 2025 · House of Representatives

   Second Reading

   The debate concerned a bill to allow boards of management for jointly managed Commonwealth reserves to keep deciding matters once their management plans expire, preventing governance gaps in parks like Kakadu and Uluru-Kata Tjuta. Government members supported the measure as a necessary administrative fix that respects Indigenous custodianship and ensures continuity in reserve management. Opposition and independent members supported the specific bill but used the opportunity to criticise the government's broader environmental record, citing delays in EPBC reform, the South Australian algal bloom, and concerns over deforestation and fossil fuel approvals. The Greens moved an amendment calling for stronger cultural heritage protections and free, prior, and informed consent, which the government declined to support.

   Outcome: The bill was passed; the Greens' amendment was not supported by the government.

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3. Wednesday 3 September 2025 · House of Representatives

   Third Reading
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4. Thursday 4 September 2025 · Senate

   First Reading
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5. Thursday 4 September 2025 · Senate

   Second Reading

   Senator Tim Ayres introduced two bills to the Senate. The first bill amended the Defence Act 1903 to update the jurisdiction and operations of the Defence Honours and Awards Appeals Tribunal, including introducing time limits for reviews and restricting who could apply. The second bill made a technical amendment to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to allow Boards of Management for Commonwealth reserves to keep deciding matters once a management plan has ended. The debate was adjourned without a vote, and the bills were listed as separate orders of the day.

   Outcome: The debate was adjourned and the bills were ordered to be listed on the Notice Paper as separate orders of the day.

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6. Tuesday 28 October 2025 · Senate

   Second Reading

   The Senate debated a bill designed to prevent governance gaps in jointly managed national parks when management plans expire. The government and the Greens supported the legislation as a necessary technical fix to maintain Indigenous-led decision-making, while the Opposition supported it but criticised the broader environmental regulatory framework for causing investment uncertainty. Senator Waters moved an amendment highlighting the government's failure to implement cultural heritage protections, which was not recorded as passed in the provided transcript.

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