PROPOSED CHANGES TO AUSTRALIA'S ENVIRONMENT LAWS:
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* Immediately implement and develop national environment standards to provide clear rules and improve decisions
* The broad standards should include matters of national environmental significance, Commonwealth actions, Indigenous engagement, compliance and enforcement
* They should require development proposals to disclose full emissions of projects, and to explicitly consider how effective their mitigation measures would be against climate change scenarios
* Immediately establish and appoint an Environment Assurance Commissioner to oversee decisions
* The environment protection laws should require decision-makers to consider Indigenous views and knowledge
* The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment should take immediate steps to build strong relationships with Indigenous Australians and respectfully use their valuable knowledge
* Traditional owners should be more included in managing Australia's national parks
* States and territories should be given power for single-touch environmental approvals, underpinned by national standards and subject to "rigorous, transparent" oversight by the Commonwealth and independent watchdog
* More environmental protections in forestry agreements
* The laws should be changed to ensure there is more effective planning in response to climate change.
(Source: Independent review of the EPBC Act)
Australian Associated Press