Dear Senator Hon Murray Watt,

Congratulations on being appointed the federal Environment Minister. 

You are aware that Australians want to see their natural environments protected. The majority want to see the government continue its efforts to limit Australia’s contribution to further climate change.

You will also know that the approval by Federal Labor of a massive climate bomb gas project in the Barossa – just before the election – demonstrated that the government just doesn’t get the urgency of the need to switch off fossil fuel projects in favour of a full commitment to renewables, storage and efficiency.

You now have a chance to demonstrate that the newly elected government is willing to align policy commitments with action.

I urge you to demonstrate the federal ALPs environmental commitments by taking two key actions as you start your new role.

Firstly, we know that climate science is very clear that the time for new fossil fuel development is now over. All remaining fossil fuels need to stay in the ground if we are to have a hope of avoiding catastrophic global warming.

In the coming weeks you will need to make a decision about the proposed North West Shelf extension – Australia’s biggest fossil fuel project.

Allowing Woodside’s massive North West Shelf gas export terminal to run for another 46 years would mean 4.3 billion tonnes of emissions, equivalent to 12 new coal-fired power stations each year. 

Extending Woodside’s North West Shelf gas export project for almost 50 years will hurt our climate and Australian communities. 

To ensure the federal ALP demonstrates its commitment to meaningful climate action, it is essential that you reject this project extension.

Secondly, the ALP needs to deliver the nature law reform.

We welcome the fact that you are already working to restart the nature law reform process. Labor came into power in 2022 promising large scale law reform to reverse Australia’s alarming rate of biodiversity loss.

The reforms stalled in the Senate last term, following strong opposition from the WA Labor government and mining sector. It is now essential that the reforms happen as a matter of urgency.

When Tanya Plibersek announced Labor’s “Nature Positive Plan” in 2022, she committed to a massive overhaul of Australia’s Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act).

The ambitious plan involved creating an independent national Environment Protection Agency to enforce National Environmental Standards. Setting such standards was recommended by the 2020 Samuel Review of the EPBC Act. If legislated, the standards would shift decision-making under the act to being focused on ensuring outcomes for the environment.

We are heartened that you have said that you will “approach the reforms in the spirit of Graeme Samuel’s recommendations” and we urge you to act to deliver reforms as outlined in those recommendations, and to work with the progressive cross bench to deliver stronger national nature laws as a matter of urgency.