This is a joint submission by the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association (APPEA), the Business Council of Australia (BCA) and the Minerals Council of Australia (MCA) to the House of Representatives Inquiry into Streamlining Environment Regulation, ‘Green Tape’, and One-Stop-Shops.

There does not need to be a trade-off between environmental outcomes and economic growth and industry development. Sensible reforms to current legislative and regulatory arrangements can reduce the regulatory burden while delivering equivalent or enhanced levels of environmental protection. Reforms need to occur at every level of government.

Over a number of years our organisations have published reports and provided submissions to numerous Senate and parliamentary inquiries into environmental regulation that demonstrate the inefficiencies and duplication inherent in how governments seek to regulate the environment.

This submission highlights the key issues around environmental regulatory reform of which we think the inquiry should be cognisant in forming its recommendations.

While strongly supporting the Australian Government’s leadership in establishing a ‘one-stop-shop’ for environmental approvals, it also highlights other areas that we consider warrant urgent attention and reform.