In addition to preparing our own policy statements, SCBO frequently signs or authors policy statements relating to issues that we think are important to our membership.
Here are two recent contributions:
Review of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010-2030 Comments on the National Biodiversity Strategy Secretariat’s five-year review of Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy.
SCBO’s key concern with the Strategy is that it appears to have made limited progress in meeting its 10 targets, and is unlikely to have made a discernible impact on reversing trends of biodiversity loss in Australia. It is also unclear how the Strategy aligns with other national and international policies.
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Standing) Bill 2015 Comments to the Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications.
SCBO strongly opposes the proposed Bill, which would repeal section 487 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act 1999. Section 487 currently provides standing to individuals and community groups to seek judicial review of decision sunder the EPBC act. We contend that all Australians are affected by impacts to Matters of National Environmental Significance, public participation is already extremely limited in national environmental matters, and that repeal of section 487 will likely increase project uncertainty and time required to approve developments.
If you have any questions regarding these statements or other policy submissions, please contact Megan Evans.