National Environmental Reform Urgently Needed to Unlock Investment and Protect Australia’s Future
August 6, 2025
News & Insights
Urgent environmental law reform is needed as a prerequisite for future prosperity said Ian Rollins, Managing Director of Niche Environment and Heritage.
“Australia’s fractured and outdated environmental laws are failing both nature and the economy,” Mr Rollins said.
Last month, Dr Ken Henry, delivered a similar warning at the at the National Press Club recently while speaking in his capacity as chair of not-for-profit Australian Climate and Biodiversity Foundation.
“Without a unified national approach, there’s inconsistency, uncertainty and confusion. This adds risk to investment and threatens our ability to reach biodiversity goals, net zero targets, and economic potential,” Mr Rollins said.
“At a time when global capital is actively seeking nature positive and low-emissions investments, Australia remains hamstrung by complex, inconsistent state-based regulations and schemes. For biodiversity, the regulatory landscape varies dramatically across jurisdictions—creating uncertainty, risk and delays,” he said.
“These inconsistencies not only impact project timelines, but they are also counterintuitive and result in ludicrous situations for biodiversity where for example, a koala in Queensland is considered differently to a koala in South Australia or New South Wales.”
Mr Rollins said he was hopeful the newly re-elected Government’s commitment to review nature laws would lead to much-needed clarity.
“Australia needs a standardised single framework with a clear set of rules for biodiversity compliance and nature positive voluntary actions alike—not more piecemeal and conflicting schemes added into the mix.”
“Investors, developers, and communities all want clear and consistent guidelines. A consistent national standard will drive the scale of action needed to deliver positive results for biodiversity, support a clean energy transition and secure a sustainable future for all Australians,” he said.
Mr Rollins said the reform needed was not a trade-off between the environment and economy—it was a prerequisite for future prosperity.
“Environmental reform makes good economic sense. In his recent speech at the National Press Club, Ken Henry also pointed out that report after report told the same story. So we need to stop admiring the problem and take action to fix it.”
“Protecting ecosystems, restoring landscapes, and meeting emissions targets will unlock billions of dollars of investment and de-risk projects,” Mr Rollins said.
Mr Rollins said he was hopeful the Treasurer, Jim Chalmers, would deliver bold and much needed reform from the August productivity roundtable.
Contact
Helen Darke
Public Relations Manager
Niche Environment and Heritage
Phone: 048 313 902
Email: hdarke@niche-eh.com
