SYDNEY, 26 JUNE 2024 — Greenpeace Australia Pacific has called for the Australian Parliament to vote in support of independent MP Sophie Scamps’ proposed forest protection amendments to the Albanese Government’s “stage 2” national nature law reform package.

The Member for MacKellar has proposed three key sets of amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) that would drastically reduce deforestation in Australia and protect endangered wildlife like the koala. This includes removing exemptions for the native forest logging industry and the agricultural sector, and setting a 20-hectare threshold above which any instance of bulldozing must be referred to the Australian Government for assessment.

Glenn Walker, Head of Nature at Greenpeace Australia Pacific, said that amendments to protect Australia’s forests and wildlife were urgently needed.

“Australia has one of the worst rates of deforestation in the world. Forest destruction is fuelling the extinction crisis in Australia, and threatened animals like the koala are being left homeless, injured or killed by deforestation.

“Currently, the EPBC Act does little to address or regulate deforestation. This means rampant bulldozing of threatened species habitat is falling through the cracks.

“Australia urgently needs strong, new environmental laws that will halt nature destruction and end the extinction crisis. With the full promised reforms stalled, it’s critical that the most urgent issues are addressed in the interim, and deforestation is right at the top of the list for action.

“We congratulate Sophie Scamps for showing leadership on this issue and urge all parliamentarians to vote in support of these critical amendments.”

—ENDS—

Notes:

High res images and footage of deforestation can be found here

For more information or to arrange an interview please contact Kimberley Bernard on 0407 581 404 or kbernard@greenpeace.org

Scamps’ EPBC forest protection amendments must be supported