Portfolio — 11 May 2026

Minister Watt used the 2026–27 Budget to announce over $500 million to accelerate environmental approvals for housing, energy and critical-minerals projects — the centrepiece of a coordinated package that also establishes a National Environmental Protection Agency ($250 million over two years from 1 July 2026) and funds AI-driven assessment tools ($105.9 million over four years).

The portfolio frames these measures as the operational delivery of historic environmental-law reforms, using bilateral state-and-territory agreements to eliminate duplicate assessments while preserving environmental standards. Watt explicitly linked the approvals agenda to Treasurer Chalmers' $2 billion essential housing infrastructure commitment, signalling deliberate cross-portfolio coordination between Environment and Treasury.