This current package of bills represents the ‘second stage’ of the Australian Government's Nature Positive law reforms. It proposes to establish the governance arrangements for implementing the broader Nature Positive reforms by:

• creating a new statutory agency known as Environment Protection Australia (EPA) to be led by a Chief Executive Officer (CEO);
• establishing a statutory Senior Executive Service (SES) position of Head of Environment Information Australia (HEIA) within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW); and
• amending nine environmental laws to provide the CEO with a range of powers and functions under those laws.

This report comprises five chapters:

• Chapter 1 provides background to the bills, including their purpose, and the conduct of the inquiry. It provides contextual information relevant to these bills, including background to the Nature Positive reforms. The chapter also discusses the general feedback received on the bills including views about the broader package of Nature Positive reforms.
• Chapter 2 outlines the key provisions of the bills.
• Chapter 3 discusses submitter views on the establishment of the EPA and related amendments in the Amendment bill.
• Chapter 4 outlines the views expressed about Environment Information Australia (EIA) and the HEIA.
• Chapter 5 provides an overview of other key issues raised during the inquiry. These include the new compliance and enforcement powers, proposed amendments to the ‘stop the clock’ provisions as well as suggested amendments with respect to powers to make National Environmental Standards.

Recommendations

The report makes five recommendations including:

• The committee recommends that the Australian Government undertake further consultation regarding the definition of 'nature positive' to ensure that it is consistent with Australia's international commitments, including the Global Biodiversity Framework.

  and

• The committee recommends, subject to the other recommendations found in this report, that the Senate pass the Nature Positive (Environment Protection Australia) Bill 2024, the Nature Positive (Environment Information Australia) Bill 2024, and the Nature Positive (Environment Law Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Bill 2024.

Additionally the package includes:

• 2 additional recommendations by the Coalition Senators and a dissenting report
• 2 additional recommendations by the Australian Greens and a dissenting report
• 9 additional recommendations by Senator David Pocock and a dissenting report
• 23 additional recommendations by Senator Lidia Thorpe and a dissenting report