Doorstop, Parliament House

MURRAY WATT, MINISTER FOR THE ENVIRONMENT AND WATER: Well, great to be back on the last day of this sitting fortnight.

Today will be a very important day for progress in our Environmental Protection Reform Bill. We expect that this Bill will pass the House with the support of all Labor MPs today. So that's another really important step forward in a journey for these reforms that has, frankly, been far too long.

It’s five years since Graeme Samuel tabled his recommendations about how we could fix our national environmental laws, that aren't working for the environment and aren't working for business. So to see that legislation pass through the House of Representatives is a really positive step forward. Of course, what we're also going to see with these reforms today is the Greens Party voting with Barnaby Joyce and other climate change deniers to block and oppose these very important reforms that will deliver for our natural environment. These laws contain very clear improvements for our environment; new National Environmental Standards, higher penalties for those who illegally damage our environment, the first ever National Environment Protection Agency that Australia has had, and many more.

And equally, we're going to see the Coalition team up with the Greens. As we've seen many times before, to block laws that will deliver much faster assessment and approvals timeframes for business, which they are crying out for.

So I think, you know, the Coalition and the Greens have got a lot of thinking to do over the next couple of weeks. We would have the opportunity to bring this bill on for debate and a vote in the Senate in the final sitting week of the year. And in between that, there will be 3 hearings by the Senate Committee which is investigating this bill. So there's lots of time for the Greens and the Coalition to have a closer look at this legislation and recognise that a very strong benefits for the environment and for business, and that's why they should get behind this rather than continuing to play games.

JOURNALIST: How concerned are you that the timeline to get this through before Christmas is diminishing?

MURRAY WATT: I make no apologies for the fact that we are moving with haste to get these reforms through, because it has been five years since Graeme Samuel tabled his recommendations, and in that time we've seen the environment go backwards. We've seen housing, renewables and other projects tied up in red tape when we need them, so we need to get on with this. Now, I think the challenge for the Coalition is can they focus over the next couple of weeks? We know they are incredibly divided when it comes to net zero, and that appears to be getting in the way of their ability to make a decision on what they think about these reforms. But they need to think about the national interest, not their own political interests. And equally, we need to see the Greens stop the blocking and spoiling that saw them suffer big defeats in the last federal election, and get behind reforms that will deliver real progress for our environment.

JOURNALIST: You say we need to get on with this, that's likely going to require some concessions from the Government. What areas are you willing to make those?

MURRAY WATT: I've said all through this that we're open to suggestions from people about what amendments would be required to gain their support. Throughout this process, I've said to all of the stakeholders, no one is going to get 100 percent of what they want. But if we're all prepared to be reasonable and give a bit of ground, we can deliver reforms that benefit the environment and business. And I've got to apply that to myself as well. You know, I'm prepared to make some changes to this bill in order to get it through. But fundamentally what I need to make sure of is that the final reforms do deliver gains for both the environment and for business. So we'll have those discussions, as we have been with the other parties. But I'm open to talking about whatever changes they might require as long as they will, in the end, deliver benefits for environment and business.

JOURNALIST: But specifically, what areas, are you any clearer on that after conversations this week?

MURRAY WATT: Look, I think as I say, I think the Coalition are struggling to come to a position on this because of their internal dysfunction at the moment, but it is becoming clearer that they do seek changes to some of the issues that business groups have been raising, whether that be around the definition of unacceptable impact, the role of the EPA. And equally, the Greens are seeking changes relating to climate change relating to forestry activities, so we'll give some thought to all of those options. You know, we've still got two weeks to go before we come back here and I know there'll be some intense negotiations between now and then.

JOURNALIST: Is it still looking more likely a deal with the Coalition will be done?

MURRAY WATT: No, I've said before that despite the reporting suggesting that, we remain open to passing these reforms either with the Coalition or the Greens. Whichever of them is able to come forward with a reasonable package of amendments and not seek to completely rewrite this bill, then that would be the party that we would go with. As I say, the principles here that we're applying are that it's got to deliver to both the environment and for business. We can't just have one or the other win. That wasn't what Graeme Samuel recommended. It's not what the Australian people want. And I want to make sure that that bill is a balanced set of reforms, very much like what we've done in the bill that we've introduced.

OK? Thanks all.