Chamber of Commerce and Industry WA’s Post

We're on our way to Canberra. The Senate Committee investigating the planned overhaul of Australia’s environmental approvals system has refused to hold any hearings in WA, so we're travelling east to make our case. CCIWA Chief Economist Aaron Morey will appear before the committee tomorrow to outline how the ‘Nature Positive’ Bill will negatively impact WA businesses. See our survey results> https://loom.ly/pwRqO8A #CCIWA #environmentalapprovals #naturepositive

Today (March 12) the European Parliament adopted the first reading position at today’s plenary vote for the proposed EU Green Claims Directive. Find out what the Directive means for you and your business in our latest flash update. 📘 Report on the proposal for a directive of the European Parliament and of the Council on substantiation and communication of explicit environmental claims (Green Claims Directive) | A9-0056/2024: https://lnkd.in/ekK_m-tu

Yesterday’s announcement by the WA Government to make major changes to the State’s environmental approvals process is a commonsense approach.  It’s now time for the Federal Government to consider a similar path.  Read more > https://lnkd.in/g9jh3kfD Aaron Morey #CCIWA #approvals #stategovernment #federalgovernment

This week the NSW Government introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Vibrancy Reforms) Bill 2024. The Minister, in his second reading speech, stated this is a simple bill with a clear purpose. It will make sure that councils and other consent authorities consider the Government's vibrancy agenda as an integral part of the merit assessment process for applications to extend trading hours. The bill will introduce special provisions to schedule 8 to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979. The provisions will require a consent authority, when determining an application for extended hours of operation, to have regard to new vibrancy guidelines, to enable venues to achieve their full social, business and cultural potential, particularly as part of the night-time economy. The guidelines will be issued by the planning secretary after consultation with the 24-Hour Economy Commissioner. They will provide for various matters to be considered in determining particular applications for extended trading hours. It is important to note that the vibrancy guidelines will not override all other planning considerations, and they will not lead to applications being automatically approved or refused.  It is the Government's intention to encourage venues to consider later trading hours and, to this end, the bill deals specifically with amendments that enable this outcome. As such, the Government will not consider amendments that seek to go beyond the intent of the bill.  Jeff Mead Sophie Perry Troy Loveday

Want to know more about the new National EPA and other Stage 2 EPBC Act reforms? Then this is the seminar for you …

#AuditAnalytics examined environmental, social and governance notes in critical audit matters. Check them out here. #riskassessment #regulations #financialreporting

Government announces ambitious programme for RMA Reform https://lnkd.in/gkNqe47t Today, the Hon Chris Bishop, the Minister for RMA Reform, and Simon Court, the Parliamentary Under-Secretary, announced the next steps in the Government’s plan to replace the Resource Management Act 1991. An ambitious timetable has been proposed with the Government intending for new legislation to be in place before the next election. While New Zealand needs an enduring planning and environmental framework to provide certainty to businesses and local government to invest in projects, and to enable our limited resources to be used on implementation and delivering outcomes for our communities, effective engagement will be key to meeting the compressed timetable and achieve the Government’s goal of creating “an enduring system by getting the fundamentals right.” Natasha Garvan, Partner Laura Lincoln, Senior Associate Lisa McLennan, Senior Associate #Environment | #Climate | #Sustainability | #ESG | #Projects | #RealEstate | #Government | #PublicLaw | #Māori | #NewZealand | #BellGully

Its vital, for the future prosperity of our State, that our business community can get their approvals in a timely manner. The red/green tape reform announced by leader Libby Mettam is measured and well considered and will meaningfully reduce unnecessary delays and uncertainty which is impacting on Capital Investment in our State. WA Labor has never exceeded the record levels of private investment achieved under the WA Liberal led Government 2008-2017 because its too risky under Labor. And yet it was the Barnett era investment that has resulted in a doubling of State revenue over a period of 7 years - revenue which has sadly been directed to the Transport Minister's costly Metronet and other massive ticket item projects. 1. A Liberal led Government in 2025 will guarantee future private investment. 2. A Liberal led Government in 2025 will focus community priorities of Health, Community Safety (Law and Order) and Housing.

EPA points to a year of significant accomplishments in 2023 In 2023, the Environmental Protection Agency moved further and faster than ever before to deliver on its mission and protect human health and the environment, says a recent news release from the agency. The EPA stated that more than 50 proposed or final rules were approved in 2023. Moreover, the agency has been involved in delivering more than $16B in investments from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law and in excess of $41B from the Inflation Reduction Act. Together, these laws aim to reduce pollution, build a clean energy economy, lower costs for American households and businesses, create good-paying jobs, and advance environmental justice across the country, noted the agency. This story can be read in its entirety (no paywall) on the Wolters Kluwer Vital Law site at  https://lnkd.in/gkRZQnh3. As reported by Brad Rosen. #EPA #InflationReductionAct #BipartisanInfrastructureLaw #CleanEnergy #PollutionReduction #EnvironmentalJustice

Re Fast Track Approvals Bill: Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment Simon Upton in his submission on the bill: Getting stuff done and doing things differently should not mean discarding the need for high quality information and a clear understanding of the costs as well as the benefits of proposed activities. The Bill does nothing to improve the parlous state of environmental information that afflicts resource management processes and imposes so much cost. On the contrary, its solution appears to be to limit the opportunities for environmental scrutiny. I consider that it poses significant risks to the environment …