Speakers: NewsDay, Host Kieran Gilbert; Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Bran Black
Topics: EPBC reform, net zero
E&OE
Kieran Gilbert, NewsDay Host: The Business Council of Australia Chief Executive Bran Black joins me. Bran, you, the BCA, various other groups have written to both the Government and Opposition.
In simple terms, can you explain to our viewers what do you want? What does the business community want out of these environmental law reforms?
Bran Black, Chief Executive: Well, look, firstly, thanks for having me on the show. The key thing that we need to see at the end of the day with these reforms is an opportunity to deliver on the projects that this country needs.
So, we need more housing, we need more infrastructure projects, we need critical minerals. These projects can’t get off the ground sufficiently quickly right now, in large part, due to the fact that our EPBC system is so slow and so sluggish.
We know, for instance, that in 2023 and 2024 there were 76 renewable energy projects that went into the system, and not a single one has come out. That speaks to the sluggishness of the system.
So, what we’re saying is that we need to see some key amendments that are made by reference to the existing Bill that will help us secure the outcomes that deliver on those major projects that we know this country needs moving forward.
Kieran: You want some key amendments. One of them stands out to me, and that is on this proposed Environmental Protection Agency. You don’t want it to have too much power, basically, to be a primary decision maker when it comes to approving projects. Why is that the case?
Bran: Well, we think it’s really important that there is a strong regulator, and nobody takes any issue in that regard. But we think it’s critical that there is a distinction between the regulatory powers of an agency such as an EPA, and the powers with respect to project approval and assessment, and our view, very clearly, is that approval and assessment should sit with the department, because we consider that the department is better able to account for the balancing act required with respect to social, environmental and economic considerations, and that’s what you want out of any planning process.
Our position here is entirely consistent with the view that’s put forward by the OECD. When you’ve got these types of complexities, make sure that at the end of the day, they’re being addressed by an individual or an agency that is appropriately resourced and set up to give effect to that important but challenging balancing exercise.
Kieran: You want this compromise to be struck between the Government and the Coalition, the parties of government, not with the Greens. Do you have any sense of optimism that the Coalition is in a position to do that, given their recent difficulties and internal deliberations on net zero?
Bran: We’ve had very positive engagement with the Government with respect to these reforms, and we’ve also had very positive engagement with the Coalition on these reforms as well, and we remain hopeful and confident that the two major parties of government will be able to agree the sensible, the practical amendments that we’re proposing, such that we can ultimately achieve better outcomes for business and better outcomes for the environment that deliver those projects that I mentioned before, that we know are so critical.
And I do stress that it is so important that it’s the two major parties of government that come to an agreed position here because ultimately, business looks for certainty, it looks for confidence, and it looks for, in that respect, longevity of reform. And you know that you’re going to get that type of longevity of reform outcome when it’s the two major parties of government that come together to deliver that result.
Kieran: And what about on the net zero question itself? When you talk about that certainty, that long term certainty, how do you react to the events of the last week?
Bran: Well, business certainly does want to see certainty with respect to major policy, particularly in this instance, with respect to energy, and we are concerned that the Coalition’s position here will reduce certainty, and therefore that will have the impact of reducing investment.
From our perspective, we remain committed to net zero. We remain committed to delivering net zero by 2050, we think that that is an important objective. We think we need to make sure that, along the way, we do so affordably and reliably and by reference to ensuring that we remain competitive as a jurisdiction for the purposes of attracting investment.
And that’s why our focus is very much on working towards the development of the plans and the policies that roll out the net zero transition, which we know needs to take place, but which roll out that transition, as I mentioned, affordably and reliably and in such a way as ensures our competitiveness moving forward. But when you have a divergence of policy, and with this step away now from net zero, that does reduce business confidence.
Kieran: Business Council of Australia, Chief, Bran Black, thanks for your time.