David Moncrieff (Hughes, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

My electorate of Hughes has some of the most incredible natural landscapes in the world: the second-oldest national park in the world, the Royal National Park; the Heathcote National Park; the Georges River; and the Hacking River, in which we have a thriving platypus population after a 50-year absence.

Labor is the party of environmental reform. Those on this side of the chamber have delivered every single major environmental reform in Australia's history: Landcare, saving the Franklin, protecting Daintree and Kakadu, building the largest network of marine parks in the world and meaningfully addressing the threat of climate change. While those on the other side can't remember whether they believe in climate change from day to day, we on this side of the House are getting on with the job of addressing the clear and widely accepted need for environmental law reform to support productivity and deliver stronger environmental protections.

Our government has introduced real reform to the outdated legislation of the Howard government era to provide stronger environmental protection and restoration, more efficient and robust project assessments, and greater accountability and transparency in decision-making. We need to get these laws working to achieve other national priorities, like delivering the homes, jobs, clean energy and economic prosperity our country needs in the future. This is about getting the balance right: laws that are better for business and better for the environment. Those opposite need to get on board.

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