The Albanese Government wants to make a new market for nature protection through the Nature Repair Market Bill, that they say will provide financial opportunities for landholders to protect and restore nature on their land.
However, Labor’s scheme risks becoming an avenue for government-endorsed greenwashing by allowing nature-wrecking companies like developers and mine operators to use the market to buy ‘offsets’ for the damage they do to nature.
You simply can’t call it a ‘nature repair market’ if it’s driven by habitat destruction.
That’s why we all need to speak up by making a quick submission to urge Labor to rule out allowing offsets under the Nature Repair Market, and to focus on the real priorities nature urgently needs the government to act, like strong new national nature laws and an independent authority to enforce the law.
Key talking points
Here are some key points to help you write your submission. Adding your personal perspective, and explaining why this matters to you, will increase your impact!
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The Committee should recommend that the Bill is amended to rule out allowing the Nature Repair Market to be used for offsets for nature destruction. Offsets do not repair nature, and they destroy at least as much as they protect. To solve the extinction crisis we have to stop habitat destruction at its source, not continue to allow it by allowing offsets to act as ‘compensation’.
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The government should prioritise reforms of our national nature laws. The critical reforms of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act must be done right and should take priority over the Nature Repair Market. Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s Nature Positive Plan, which committed to introducing new, overhauled national nature laws to Parliament by the end of 2023 should be the focus of government resources and parliamentary time.
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Land managers should be supported to protect and restore nature. Many of our most threatened species and ecosystems occur on private land, so incentivising land-holders to protect and restore habitat will help them recover. The government should lead the way with public funding to support landholders to protect and restore biodiversity rather than relying on private investment through the Nature Repair Market.
Banner image: Dale Cochrane