Submission on the Draft National Environmental Standards: Matters of National Environmental Significance and Offset Costs

The Australian Local Government Association (ALGA) has made a submission responding to the Draft National Environment Standards: Matters of National Environmental Significance and Offset Costs.

Following reforms to Australia’s environment protection laws, the Australian Government is now developing National Environmental Standards to provide more clarity about what proponents must do to navigate an environmental assessment and approvals process.

The first two Standards relate to Matters of National Environmental Significance and Offsets.

As detailed in ALGA’s submission, ALGA believes these draft Standards represent an improvement, particularly in setting out an impact mitigation hierarchy, but greater specificity in terms, definitions and principles is needed, along with safeguards on exercise of ministerial discretionary powers.