Federal environmental reform: recasting the EPBC Act

Timeline of key dates

Australia's national environmental law, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is 25 years old and undergoing once-in-a-generation reform.

The spark for change was the release of the Second Independent Review into the EPBC Act by former ACCC chair Professor Graeme Samuel AC and an expert panel. In response, the Government released its Nature Positive Plan, which was partly implemented before being shelved prior to the Federal Election.

A suite of seven bills was introduced to the House of Representatives on 30 October 2025. The bills have been referred for inquiry by the Environment and Communications Legislation Committee, for submissions to be received by 5 December 2025, and for reporting to the Senate by 24 March 2026.