Labor’s recent proposal to establish a national Environment Protection Agency (EPA) aims to overhaul the existing Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. This initiative was born out of an anger at the Greens’ obstructionist tactics. Some are convinced their own reform hold-ups will put them in a favorable electoral position for the 2028 elections. Senators Sarah Hanson-Young and Larissa Waters are key players in this debate. They have been a vocal force to oppose Labor’s approach.
The recent electoral defeat of Max Chandler-Mather by Coffey in the 2025 election highlighted public discontent over the Greens’ obstruction of Labor’s environmental reforms. Repeater Radio Coffey’s constituents were vocal in their anger during the primary campaign, and it helped him to a surprise win. And now, Labor is capitalizing on this new sentiment, doing everything it can to connect with voters and provoke conversations about the need for its proposed reforms.
To facilitate understanding of the proposal, Labor has developed resources for its caucus members to raise awareness about the need for reform. The hope is to be a catalyst for “good faith” negotiations with the Greens. If that’s not the case, we will paint them as obstructionists who are derailing common sense environmental advances.
Details of the Proposal
Labor’s proposal has a lot to like, but here are a few highlights. It would raise penalties for environmental violations, increase compliance measures and strengthen national standards to protect the environment. Collectively, these elements are aimed at bolstering laws to make them stronger, and their intent is to remedy the deficiencies of existing regulations.
Murray Watt, Land Transport Minister and a key supporter of the proposal passed on Friday, highlighted the need for working with the Greens and Coalition. He stated, “It’s up to the Greens and Coalition to decide if they want to support the work.” Labor wants to make sure that they control the narrative to highlight the ways they’re taking action to protect the environment. At the same time, it inspires others to join the effort.
Wilson agreed with Watt, pointing to overwhelming enthusiasm in his community for a complete streets transformation. “Western Australians are not disinterested in protecting the environment,” he asserted. This local support is essential as Labor tries to get positive momentum for its proposals from one area to the next.
The Greens’ Response
To date, the Greens’ response has been especially harsh on Labor’s proposal, almost accusing them of being insincere and having ulterior motives. Greens spokesperson Sarah Hanson-Young contended that the proposal looks like an attempt to undermine the Coalition rather than a sincere effort to improve environmental protection. She stated, “If this was a package that was designed with us as the preferred partner, they’d be closing the loopholes and protecting the environment.”
As much as they might complain, Hansen-Young and other Greens’ party members are assuming that the political winds are changing. As Jerome Laxale found, even the greenest of the green at community events are not favouring the Greens’ opposition to reform. “People want the reforms to be as strong as possible, but at the end of the day, they want us to pass them,” he noted.
This acknowledgement of public sentiment puts the Greens under intense pressure to go back to the drawing board. Laxale urged the party to listen closely to constituents and engage constructively with Labor: “That’s a message the Greens could listen to.”
Building Support Among MPs
Labor’s strategy includes mobilizing more than 20 backbench MPs to campaign and communicate government messages about the proposed reforms effectively. This concentrated effort is intended to create strong grassroots support and even head off any nasty backlash that might come from the other side.
Minister Murray Watt further stressed that community input strengthens the need for these reforms to be made as soon as possible. “When I’ve been out talking to people about these reforms, what I’ve heard more than anything else is that Australians want the environment protected for future generations to enjoy,” he said.
Josh Wilson from Defenders of Wildlife echoed this sentiment, warning that without good faith negotiation, comprehensive and meaningful environmental legislation would be at risk. “All of that is at risk if the Greens don’t negotiate in good faith with the government, support this reform, and work with us to create environmental laws fit for our time,” he asserted.
