The Property Council of Australia has welcomed the agreement to progress long-overdue reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, expected to pass the Senate today.

Property Council Group Executive Policy and Advocacy Matthew Kandelaars said passage of the reforms will boost the supply of homes and industrial precincts and strengthen environmental protections.

“A broken system without friends is behind us.

“This reform ends years of uncertainty and delivers the most significant overhaul of environmental laws in a generation.

“Large-scale housing projects that turn the dial on national supply will no longer languish in years-long approval queues.

“This is a win for business, a win for investment and a win for the environment.

“The new laws create a balanced framework that gives businesses greater certainty, supports better environmental outcomes and speeds up housing supply.

“The property sector is the largest user of the EPBC Act, covering everything from new housing to commercial and industrial projects. The industry has long called for reform, and a deal to pass these laws today marks a significant step forward.

“We are pleased that government has listened and will deliver important refinements to improve the clarity of ‘unacceptable impact’ definitions before the bills pass later today.

“We look forward to balanced engagement on the drafting of new National Environmental Standards, but the next immediate step is to continue the housing taskforce already in place to clear the housing approvals backlog through to the end of the National Housing Accord period.

“Over 26,000 homes were found to be caught in unnecessary green tape, and we should continue to build momentum by keeping in place the taskforce that is a blessing for housing supply and is having a real impact.

“Building more homes is the only answer to our national housing affordability crisis, and this productivity boosting policy is a no-brainer.”

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