Australia’s critical environmental protection laws hang in balance as parliament session nears end

Australia’s long-awaited overhaul of federal environmental protection laws faces a critical deadline as Parliament prepares for its final sitting day of the year on Thursday. Prime Minister Anthony Albanese’s government is scrambling to secure a deal with the Greens party to pass reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act—legislation that governs how Australia protects its unique wildlife and ecosystems.

The current standoff marks a frustrating repeat of last year’s failed attempt to modernize the country’s primary environmental law. The EPBC Act, which has been widely criticized as outdated and ineffective at preventing habitat destruction, was supposed to be reformed as a key Labor campaign promise. However, disagreements between Labor and the Greens over the scope and strength of the new protections have repeatedly stalled progress.

In a last-ditch effort to break the deadlock, Labor has reportedly offered new concessions to win Greens support. While the specific details of these concessions remain under wraps, political insiders from across the spectrum—including industry representatives and environmental advocates—believe a compromise deal is still possible before Thursday’s deadline.

The stakes are high for Australia’s environment, which faces mounting pressures from climate change, urban development, and resource extraction. The current laws have been blamed for failing to prevent widespread habitat loss and species decline. If negotiations collapse again, it would represent a significant setback for environmental protection efforts and could delay crucial reforms for another year, potentially leaving vulnerable ecosystems and endangered species without adequate legal safeguards.