Action item 7.3
Progress
Complete.
Approved by decision makers.
Recommendation implemented.
That the Australian Government amends the EPBC Act to apply the ‘water trigger’ to onshore shale gas development.
Completed
Action item update
Implementation
The Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (the EPBC Act) was completed in October 2020 by Professor Graeme Samuel AC. The Northern Territory Government provided a submission to the Review reiterating its expectation that the Australian Government review will include a response to Recommendation 7.3.
In December 2022, the Australian Government Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water responded formally to Professor Samuel’s review through the ‘Nature Positive Plan: better for the environment, better for business’. In this response, the Australian Government commits to a number of actions including the expansion of the existing water trigger to include all forms of unconventional gas (for example, shale and tight gas).
The Australian Government also commits in this response, to ensure decisions will be supported by independent expert advice, ensuring the environmental and water impacts of these proposed developments are managed.