Tanya Plibersek, who looks furious as she reads her speech continues:

“The bill recognises that established and lawfully operating an established and lawfully operating project where proponents did the right thing and referred their action to the environment minister, and which have been investing and operating for five years or more on the basis of that decision should not be put at risk, the bill would only capture a very small subset of decisions that can be reconsidered and that they are in that category, not controlled action if undertaken in a particular manner or EBPC decisions. These decisions are made when the minister decides that an action does not require approval because the action would be undertaken in the particular manner described. The bill would also recognise the important role that states and territories play in managing environmental impacts through their own plans, policies and laws, the amendment specifies that a project must have a state or territory management arrangement specified in that particular manners that meet to meet the criteria.

The Australian Government is committed to working in partnership with industry, communities and states and territories to protect our environment and support the conservation and recovery of our threatened species.”