Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025, National Environmental Protection Agency Bill 2025, Environment Information Australia Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Customs Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Excise Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (General Charges Imposition) Bill 2025, Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Restoration Charge Imposition) Bill 2025

Senator PAYMAN (Western Australia—Australia's Voice Whip) (19:06): by leave—My support for both as well, thank you. The CHAIR: I will now deal with the amendments circulated by the Nationals. The question is that the amendments on sheet 3557 be agreed to.

Senator Canavan's circulated amendments to the Environment Protection Reform Bill 2025 — (1) Schedule 1, page 12 (after line 18), after item 60, insert: 60A After Subdivision FB of Division 1 of Part 3 Insert: Subdivision FC — Protection of environmental land from large-scale wind and solar energy projects 24F Requirement for approval of all large-scale wind and solar energy projects (1) A constitutional corporation, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth agency must not take an action if: (a) the action involves: (i) large solar energy development; or (ii) large wind energy development; and (b) the action: (i) has or will have a significant impact on the local environment; or (ii) is likely to have a significant impact on the local environment.

Civil penalty: (a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units; (b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units. (2) A person must not take an action if: (a) the action involves: (i) large solar energy development; or (ii) large wind energy development; and (b) the action is taken for the purposes of trade or commerce: (i) between Australia and another country; or (ii) between 2 States; or (iii) between a State and Territory; or (iv) between 2 Territories; and (c) the action: (i) has or will have a significant impact on the local environment; or (ii) is likely to have a significant impact on the local environment.

Civil penalty: (a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units; (b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units. (3) A person must not take an action if: (a) the action involves: (i) large solar energy development; or (ii) large wind energy development; and (b) the action is taken in: (i) a Commonwealth area; or (ii) a Territory; and (c) the action: (i) has or will have a significant impact on the local environment; or (ii) is likely to have a significant impact on the local environment.

Civil penalty: (a) for an individual—5,000 penalty units; (b) for a body corporate—50,000 penalty units. (4) Subsections (1) to (3) do not apply to an action if: (a) an approval of the taking of the action by the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth, Commonwealth agency or person is in operation under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or (b) Part 4 lets the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth, Commonwealth agency or person take the action without an approval under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or (ba) there is in force a determination under section 79E that the action may continue to be taken and the action is taken in accordance with the conditions (if any) specified in the determination; or (c) there is in force a decision of the Minister under Division 2 of Part 7 that this section is not a controlling provision for the action and, if the decision was made because the Minister believed the action would be taken in a manner specified in the notice of the decision under section 77, the action is taken in that manner.

(5) A person who wishes to rely on subsection (4) in proceedings for a contravention of a civil penalty provision bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in that subsection. (2) Schedule 1, page 20 (after line 20), after item 85, insert: 85A Section 34 (after table item 13J) Insert: 13K section 24F the local environment (3) Schedule 1, item 588, page 353 (after the table item dealing with section 24E), insert: section 24F the local environment a significant impact that the Minister is satisfied is unacceptable because it will seriously impair the local environment