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

Continued the debate

Duniam supported the bill as a sensible reform that provides certainty for park boards of management. However, he argued that the legislation was a minor fix that did not address the broader failures of the government's environmental law reform process. Duniam claimed that three years of delay and closed-door negotiations had created regulatory uncertainty, causing businesses to offshore investment. Duniam cited the cancellation of the McPhillamys goldmine as an example of how disconnected environmental and heritage laws hinder economic activity.

Government response

Dowling argued that the bill was essential to prevent legal paralysis for the boards of management at Kakadu, Uluru-Kata Tjuta, and Booderee national parks. Dowling explained that without the amendment, boards would lose their authority to make decisions on fire management and visitor safety once current plans expired. Dowling emphasised that the bill strengthened Indigenous decision-making and respected traditional owners' custodianship. Dowling warned that failing to pass the bill would create significant legal uncertainty and disrupt vital environmental management.