Weak safeguards and governance
Critics said the scheme was undercooked, with too little detail, weak governance and unclear standards, so the market could start before there were reliable protections to ensure genuine environmental gains.
Nature Repair
Current status
This bill became law on Dec 14th, 2023.
Policy area
Climate, energy & environment
What does this bill do?
Australia now has a voluntary national market where landholders and others can run approved nature projects and receive a tradable biodiversity certificateA tradeable certificate issued for an approved project that is meant to show a real biodiversity gain from the work done. to attract private funding.
Why was it introduced?
Australia lacked a national, trusted way to measure biodiversity gains and channel private money into genuine nature repair projects. The bill creates a voluntary market with biodiversity certificates, public tracking, native titleA legal recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in land or waters, which gives native title holders a key say over projects on those areas. consent rules and compliance checks to fund extra repair work with integrity.
Broader context
Australia already had worsening biodiversity loss, with the 2021 State of the Environment report describing the environment as poor and showing that nature repair needed far more than public funding alone. After an earlier coalition biodiversity stewardship bill in 2022 did not become law, the Albanese government introduced the Nature Repair Bill in March 2023 to create a trusted voluntary national market for biodiversity certificates, and Parliament passed it in December 2023 before Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. turned it into law.
Key criticism
The main criticism was that the bill was too vague and weakly governed, creating a risk of greenwashing or a de facto offset market without strong enough rules to guarantee real biodiversity gains. That case was raised most sharply by the Greens, some crossbenchers and Coalition speakers, while several independents said their support depended on tighter safeguards, oversight and links to broader environmental reform.
Who supported it?
Hon Tanya Plibersek MP introduced this bill. It passed with support from Labor, some crossbench members; opposed by Liberal Party, Nationals, Greens, some crossbench members.
Introduced in House 29 Mar 2023
Passed House 21 June 2023
Passed Senate 05 Dec 2023 Aye 28 No 25
Became law 14 Dec 2023
Did it become law?
Yes
Became law 14 Dec 2023
Final passage
Recorded final vote
1 counted final-passage vote was recorded.
Passage speed
260 days
From introduction to the latest recorded parliamentary step
Meaning
What does this bill do?
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Australia now has a voluntary national market where landholders and others can run approved nature projects and receive a tradable biodiversity certificateA tradeable certificate issued for an approved project that is meant to show a real biodiversity gain from the work done. to attract private funding.
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Native titleA legal recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in land or waters, which gives native title holders a key say over projects on those areas. holders must have the final say before biodiversity projects go ahead on native titleA legal recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in land or waters, which gives native title holders a key say over projects on those areas. land or waters, which gives stronger control over what work happens there.
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Biodiversity certificates cannot be used to meet environmental offset requirements, so the market is for extra nature repair rather than approving damage elsewhere.
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A public Biodiversity Market RegisterThe public register that records biodiversity projects and tracks who owns, transfers, gives up, or loses certificates. will track projects and certificate ownership, transfers and cancellations so buyers and the public can see what is happening.
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The Clean Energy RegulatorThe agency that administers the market, checks compliance, audits projects, and can cancel projects or certificates for rule breaches. can audit projects, investigate breaches, issue penalties, cancel projects and force certificates to be given up when rules are broken.
Show source excerpts
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The Nature Repair Market Bill 2023 (the Bill) would provide a framework for a voluntary national market that delivers improved biodiversity outcomes. Eligible landholders who undertake projects that enhance or protect biodiversity would be able to receive a tradeable certificate that will be tracked through a national register. This framework would facilitate private investment in biodiversity, including where carbon storage projects have biodiversity co-benefits.
Nature Repair explanatory memorandum -
The requirement at paragraph 15(6)(b) would apply to both exclusive possession native title areas and non-exclusive possession native title areas. In practice, this means that all biodiversity projects to be carried out on native title land or waters would need either to be undertaken by the relevant native title holders, or would require the consent of the relevant native title holders before the project could be registered. This would ensure that native title holders have the final say on whether, and what kind of, biodiversity projects are carried out on or in native title areas.
Nature Repair explanatory memorandum -
76A Biodiversity certificates not to be used for environmental offsetting purpose 99
Nature Repair Act 2023 final Act text -
To ensure transparency, accountability and that information is publicly available, a public register (to be named the Biodiversity Market Register) would be established under the Bill. The register would be maintained by the Regulator. It would track biodiversity projects and the issuance, ownership, transfer, relinquishment and cancellation of biodiversity certificates.
Nature Repair explanatory memorandum -
Assurance and enforcement processes would be managed by the Regulator throughout the project. To deter conduct that would reduce confidence in the market, and to ensure effective enforcement, the Bill would provide for a range of powers that can be exercised by authorised officers, including those triggered under the Regulatory Powers (Standard Provisions) Act 2014. Regulatory powers include monitoring, investigation, civil penalties, infringement notices, enforceable undertakings, and injunctions. The Bill allows for cancellation of biodiversity projects and relinquishment of certificates in response to specific circumstances of non-compliance.
Nature Repair explanatory memorandum
Context
Broader context for this bill
Australia already had worsening biodiversity loss, with the 2021 State of the Environment report describing the environment as poor and showing that nature repair needed far more than public funding alone. After an earlier coalition biodiversity stewardship bill in 2022 did not become law, the Albanese government introduced the Nature Repair Bill in March 2023 to create a trusted voluntary national market for biodiversity certificates, and Parliament passed it in December 2023 before Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. turned it into law.
- 2021
State of the Environment report warns biodiversity is declining
Speakers backing the bill pointed to the 2021 State of the Environment report as evidence that Australia's environment was in poor condition and needed stronger repair efforts.
Hansard ↗ - 2022
Earlier biodiversity stewardship bill shows the policy idea was already in play
Debate on the bill recorded that the coalition had previously brought forward the Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill 2022 after consultation with farmers, environmental groups, industry and Indigenous Australians.
Hansard ↗ - 29 Mar 2023
Government introduces a national nature repair market bill
The government introduced the bill as a framework for a voluntary national market that would let approved projects earn tradable biodiversity certificates and attract private investment.
Hansard ↗ - 07 Dec 2023
Parliament passes the bill
Both houses agreed on the same text, completing passage of the bill and clearing the way for the new biodiversity certificateA tradeable certificate issued for an approved project that is meant to show a real biodiversity gain from the work done. market to be established in law.
Parliamentary timeline ↗ - 14 Dec 2023
Nature Repair Act receives Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament.
Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament. turned the bill into an Act, formally creating the legal basis for the voluntary national market and its register, consent rules and compliance powers.
Parliamentary timeline ↗
Legislative route
How did it move through Parliament?
House Senate
Introduced 29 Mar 2023
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 29 Mar 2023
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (04/12/2023) review 30 Mar 2023
Referred to Committee (30/03/2023): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (04/12/2023)
Referred to committee
APH bill page notesSecond reading debate 13 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 14 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 15 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 19 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Second reading debate 21 June 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
House second reading agreed Aye 82 No 55 21 June 2023
Recorded vote: 82 to 55.
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
House agreed to amendment packages 21 June 2023
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Consideration in detail debate
House third reading agreed 21 June 2023
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber. Later message exchanges with the other chamber were still recorded afterwards.
Third reading agreed to
Introduced 31 July 2023
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
Introduced and read a first time
Second reading opened 31 July 2023
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
Second reading moved
Second reading debate 05 Dec 2023
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
Senate second reading agreed 05 Dec 2023
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
Second reading agreed to
Senate agreed to amendment packages 05 Dec 2023
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
Committee of the Whole debate
Senate third reading agreed Aye 28 No 25 05 Dec 2023
Recorded vote: 28 to 25.
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
Third reading agreed to
House agreed to Senate amendments on Senate review 07 Dec 2023
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form. The main amendments were: Observed text changed from "(3) The Minister must ensure that at all times at least one Nature Repair Market CommitteeThe expert committee that advises on the methods and is meant to help keep the market scientifically credible. member has: (4) The Minister…" to "(3) The Minister must ensure that at all times at least one Nature Repair Committee member has: (4) The Minister must e…". Observed text changed from "8 Vacancy in the office of a Nature Repair Market CommitteeThe expert committee that advises on the methods and is meant to help keep the market scientifically credible. member 18 9 Electronic notice transmitted to the Regulator…" to "8 Vacancy in the office of a Nature Repair Committee member 18 9 Electronic notice transmitted to the Regulator 19 Part…".
Consideration of Senate message
Passed both houses 07 Dec 2023
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
Finally passed both Houses
Assent 14 Dec 2023
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Key criticism
The main case against this bill
The main criticism was that the bill was too vague and weakly governed, creating a risk of greenwashing or a de facto offset market without strong enough rules to guarantee real biodiversity gains. That case was raised most sharply by the Greens, some crossbenchers and Coalition speakers, while several independents said their support depended on tighter safeguards, oversight and links to broader environmental reform.
Most criticism focused on safeguards and implementation, not opposition to repairing nature itself.
Greenwashing and offset-style misuse
Opponents warned biodiversity certificates could be used to give polluters or developers environmental credibility without enough real repair, effectively turning the market into a backdoor offsettingA policy idea where harm in one place is balanced by supposed benefits somewhere else; the page stresses that these certificates are not meant to be used that way. scheme unless tighter guardrails were added.
Regional land-use and farmer impacts
Some Coalition and Nationals speakers argued the bill could lock up productive farmland for long periods, weaken protections for farmers and regional industries, and create uncertainty for forestry, fishing and leasehold land users.
Further sources
Votes
Recorded votes
How the bill itself passed
The chamber-passage votes come first. Expand a vote to see the party breakdown.
Passed House passed the bill
House agreed to the bill's third reading on the voices, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes for final passage in that chamber.
Passed
House passed the bill
Passed on the voices
In a voice vote, members call out Aye or No and the presiding officer judges which side has it. Individual names are only recorded if a formal division is called.
Carried Senate passed the bill
Passed 28 to 25. Support came from Greens, Labor, and Jacqui Lambie Network. Opposition came from Liberal Party, UAP, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents.
Carried
Senate passed the bill
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Labor 19 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 2 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 15
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 6
Unknown 0 / 1
Independent 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Earlier bill-stage votes
Carried House cleared second reading
Passed 82 to 55. Support came from Labor. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Nationals, and Greens. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried
House cleared second reading
Party Aye / No
Unknown 12 / 25
Labor 63 / 0
Independent 7 / 1
Liberal Party 0 / 17
Nationals 0 / 11
Greens 0 / 1
Amendments at a glance
Amendments grouped by chamber. Where APH reports aggregate counts, the package card summarizes the matching public amendment sheets by source theme.
House
Carried House passed the bill
Passed 82 to 49. Support came from Labor, Centre Alliance, Greens, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party and Nationals. Minor-party and independent votes were split.
Carried
House passed the bill
This completed agreement between the two chambers, allowing the bill to pass Parliament in the same form.
Party Aye / No
Labor 62 / 0
Unknown 12 / 20
Independent 6 / 0
Centre Alliance 1 / 0
Greens 1 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 18
Nationals 0 / 11
Carried House accepted all Senate amendments
The House agreed to the amendments made by the Senate, so the bill could pass both chambers in the same form.
Carried
House accepted all Senate amendments
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Carried Crossbench package: 23 amendments
Crossbench amendments would broaden the bill's objects, refer to the Biodiversity Convention, and add a domestic goal of no new extinctions, delay commencement if needed and require the Regulator and Secretary to prepare, give, publish, and table activity and purchase reports, require the Regulator to include members with agriculture or ecological expertise, limit delegation of Commonwealth purchase powers, and shorten the review period and let the Secretary publish market information and expand the Regulator's functions to help Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders, individuals, and small businesses participate.
Carried
Crossbench package: 23 amendments
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.
- These amendments would broaden the bill's objects, refer to the Biodiversity Convention, and add a domestic goal of no new extinctions
- These amendments would delay commencement if needed and require the Regulator and Secretary to prepare, give, publish, and table activity and purchase reports
- These amendments would require the Regulator to include members with agriculture or ecological expertise, limit delegation of Commonwealth purchase powers, and shorten the review period
- These amendments would let the Secretary publish market information and expand the Regulator's functions to help Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders, individuals, and small businesses participate
- These amendments would define environmental offsetting purpose, require certificates to state when they cannot be used for offsetting, and allow certificates to be varied for that purpose
- These amendments would define offsetting and limit biodiversity certificates to offset only impacts on the same species and ecological community, with matching relinquishment rules
Senate
Carried Government water-trigger amendments carried
Passed 29 to 23. Support came from Greens, Labor, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, UAP, Nationals, One Nation, and minor parties and independents.
Carried
Government water-trigger amendments carried
The proposed change was agreed.
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Labor 18 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 2 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 14
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 6
Unknown 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated Require First Nations input and stronger goals
Defeated 11 to 35. Support came from Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Labor, UAP, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Require First Nations input and stronger goals
These amendments would have added First Nations representation and stronger nature-protection objectives to the bill, but they were defeated.
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 2 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Labor 0 / 18
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 3
Unknown 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated Extend judicial review standing
Defeated 12 to 34. Support came from Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, One Nation, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Labor, UAP, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Extend judicial review standing
The bill kept the narrower standing rules because the proposal to broaden access to enforcement and judicial review was defeated.
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 2 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
One Nation 1 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Labor 0 / 18
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 3
Unknown 0 / 1
Defeated Require First Nations consultation
Defeated 11 to 35. Support came from Greens, Jacqui Lambie Network, and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Labor, UAP, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Require First Nations consultation
The bill did not gain the proposed consultation safeguard for First Nations communities in the committee's advice process.
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Jacqui Lambie Network 2 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Labor 0 / 18
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 3
Unknown 0 / 1
One Nation 0 / 1
Defeated Respect Indigenous knowledge rights
Defeated 9 to 38. Support came from Greens and minor parties and independents. Opposition came from Liberal Party, Labor, UAP, Nationals, and minor parties and independents.
Defeated
Respect Indigenous knowledge rights
The bill did not adopt the proposed consent requirement for using Indigenous knowledge in the nature repair market framework.
Party Aye / No
Greens 7 / 0
Independent 2 / 0
Liberal Party 0 / 11
Labor 0 / 18
UAP 0 / 1
Nationals 0 / 4
Unknown 0 / 1
Jacqui Lambie Network 0 / 2
One Nation 0 / 1
Carried Remove offsettingA policy idea where harm in one place is balanced by supposed benefits somewhere else; the page stresses that these certificates are not meant to be used that way. use of certificates
The Senate agreed on voices to changes that would rename the bill and committee, tighten certificate rules, and stop biodiversity certificates being used for environmental offsettingA policy idea where harm in one place is balanced by supposed benefits somewhere else; the page stresses that these certificates are not meant to be used that way..
Carried
Remove offsettingA policy idea where harm in one place is balanced by supposed benefits somewhere else; the page stresses that these certificates are not meant to be used that way. use of certificates
Carried on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Defeated Make ministerial directions subject to disallowance
The Senate rejected on voices changes that would have allowed ministerial directions under the bill to be disallowed and removed notes pointing away from that control.
Defeated
Make ministerial directions subject to disallowance
Defeated on voices
The chamber decided this amendment without a counted division, so there is no list of individual Aye and No votes.
Carried Australian Greens package: 11 amendments
APH records 11 Australian Greens amendments agreed on the voices. The public amendment list groups them into 1 amendment sheet, so this page summarizes the package by source theme.
Carried
Australian Greens package: 11 amendments
Passed on the voices
The chamber agreed to this amendment package without a counted vote. APH records the agreed count by amendment, while the source documents are grouped into amendment sheets.
This list includes amendment votes, procedural votes and votes on the bill itself.
Parliamentary debate
Who spoke, and what they said
Start here — lead voices
Sponsor speech Supports
Tanya Plibersek
Plibersek supports the bill and says it will create a new nature repair market that channels private investment into restoring damaged habitats, especially on private land.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead opposing voice Opposes
Matthew Canavan
Matthew Canavan opposes the bill, arguing that nature-offset markets are corrupt, bureaucratic and ineffective, and that they will raise costs for families and businesses while helping big business instead of the environment.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead supporting voice Supports
Kylea Tink
Tink supports the Nature Repair bill, but says it must be strengthened so it sits alongside stronger nature laws, a national environment protection agency and enforceable standards.
Read in Hansard ↗ Lead non-major voice Mixed
Kate Chaney
Chaney supports the Nature Repair Bill in principle, saying a voluntary market could be a useful part of the government's response, but she argues it needs stronger national standards, expert oversight and alignment with the EPBC reforms.
Read in Hansard ↗All speeches by bloc
Labor
45 speakers · 50 contributions · 45 support
Labor
45 speakers · 50 contributions · 45 support
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Josh Wilson Josh Wilson strongly supports the bill, saying it is a key part of Labor’s plan to repair Australia’s damaged environment and create a world-first nature repair market.
“I'm very glad to speak in support of the Nature Repair Market Bill and the Nature Repair Market (Consequential Amendments) Bill. They deliver a key feature of the Albanese government's commitment to take a very different approach to Australia's environmental condition and biodiversity. We are not going to sit idle while Australia's environment continues on a trajectory of deterioration, especially when we know that risks and threats are increasing in the form of climate change, biosecurity impacts and natural disasters.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Fiona Phillips Fiona Phillips supports the Nature Repair bill and says it will help drive investment, jobs and income streams for landholders while helping Australia become nature positive.
“In conclusion, the establishment of the Nature Repair Market is a transformative step towards a nature-positive future. It aligns with our international commitments, generates investment and job opportunities, and creates new income streams for landholders, including Aboriginal people, Torres Strait Islanders and farmers. It represents a clear break from the neglect and environmental degradation of the past. I urge all members of this House to support this crucial legislation. Let us stand together to repair and protect our precious natural environment for the sake of future generations. I commend this bill of the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Kate Thwaites Kate Thwaites supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will give landholders, farmers and First Nations communities a practical market mechanism to restore nature.
“This bill will support landholders, farmers and First Nations communities to do those things that many of them are already doing off their own bat. This will provide the mechanism and the market to do the work and to have more people get involved, things like planting native species, repairing damaged riverbeds and removing invasive species.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Matt Burnell Matt Burnell supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will help people invest in projects that repair nature, create jobs, and protect Australia’s biodiversity for future generations.
“I commend these bills to the House and I encourage those opposite to join us in passing these bills. I say that particularly to the moderates on the other side of the chamber. If you're afraid of seeming woke in your party rooms by supporting a bill that is supporting our environment, there'll be plenty of teals eyeing you off come time for the next election. I'd encourage you to look at it as being one of those 'from the frying pan into the flames' moments. Then maybe your self-interest and instincts for survival might kick in to save the day. There are a lot of Australian flora and fauna that are hoping that your survival instincts will safeguard their survival moving forward. If that's not enough to convince those opposite, I'd encourage everyone just to close your eyes for a moment and just think of your happy place, a place where you, in nature, like to go to and relax with your family, by yourself, with your partner or with your dog. Imagine, when you open your eyes, that that place is no longer there. That's what this bill is here to safeguard and protect. That is the importance of this bill. That's why it is so important that we get this bill passed through this House, if not for me, for our children, for our grandchildren and for our great-grandchildren. I thank the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Julian Hill Hill supports the bill and says it is a practical way to create a nature repair market that will help reverse environmental decline by attracting investment into projects on private land.
“This bill is a key part of delivering on the government's positive nature repair plan, with the establishment of a nature repair market. Why? It will make it easier for people to invest in activities that actually help to reverse that decline and repair nature.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Shayne Neumann Shayne Neumann strongly supports the bill and says it will create a world-first voluntary biodiversity market to bring private investment into nature repair, with proper integrity and regulation.
“I'm so optimistic about this legislation. I fully support it and I commend it to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Alicia Payne Alicia Payne strongly supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will help farmers, First Nations communities and other landholders invest in protecting and restoring biodiversity.
“I rise today in support of the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023. I was in here listening to the member for Dawson just now talking about farmers. I agree with him that farmers do a lot to take care of the land on which they have their farms. I see that with the farmers in my own family, and I know that's important. But this bill is about making it easier for farmers to invest in protecting the land they use. It's about rewarding people for looking after parts of their land, protecting areas, removing weeds, improving waterways, all those sorts of things. So it's about working with farmers and First Nations communities to improve our land. It's a really important bill.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Tanya Plibersek ★ 2 contributions Plibersek supports the bill and says it will create a new nature repair market that channels private investment into restoring damaged habitats, especially on private land.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Tanya Plibersek on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Minister's second reading speech
Plibersek supports the bill and says it will create a new nature repair market that channels private investment into restoring damaged habitats, especially on private land. She argues the scheme will make environmental projects easier to fund and deliver more practical repair work across Australia.
“This bill will establish a new nature repair market in Australia—the first of its kind in the world.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Plibersek strongly supports the Nature Repair Bill and urges it to pass, saying it will unlock private and philanthropic investment to restore habitats, protect species, and reward landholders and First Nations communities. She argues it is a needed first step that is backed by strong integrity settings and can be refined through further environmental law reform.
“I specifically thank the members for Curtin, Goldstein, North Sydney, Clark, Warringah, Wentworth and Calare for their very active engagement on the Nature Repair Market Bill, for their proposed amendments and, I hope, for their support for this important bill. I thank all members for their contributions and I commend the bill to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗ -
David Smith David Smith strongly supports the Nature Repair bill, saying it will make it easier for landholders, First Nations communities, businesses and others to invest in restoring nature with proper integrity and transparency.
“At its core, this bill is pretty simple. The Albanese Labor government is making it easier for people to invest in activities that help repair nature. We on this side want to leave nature better off for our kids and grandkids. That's why we're delivering legislation that supports landholders, including farmers, First Nations communities and community groups do to things like plant native species, repair damaged riverbeds or remove invasive species. This bill will establish a new market for investing in nature-positive outcomes. It creates the nature repair market with proper integrity and transparency, giving business and philanthropists a way to invest in nature with confidence. The market will make it easier for businesses, organisations, governments and individuals to invest in projects to protect and repair nature.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Josh Burns Burns supports the Nature Repair Bill and says it will give landholders a voluntary way to earn credits for approved biodiversity projects, putting real value on restoring nature.
“The Nature Repair Market Bill is an essential part of environmental management because it is all about putting an intrinsic value on our environment and putting an intrinsic value on our biodiversity—putting a value on the precious parts of our Australian wildlife and ecosystems that is essential to protecting them and preserving them for future generations.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Meryl Swanson Swanson supports the bill and says it will help reverse environmental decline by creating a science-based market that lets businesses, landholders and communities invest in nature repair.
“Our government will make it easier for people to invest in activities that help reverse environmental decline and ensure nature repair. It simply won't be enough to stem the tide. We must start reversing the decline and ensuring positive repair to our environment. Every one of us should want to leave the environment in a better place for our next generation than it was when we inherited it. The Nature Repair Market Bill will make it easier for businesses, organisations and individuals to invest in projects to protect and also repair and reinstate nature. This is a significant opportunity, and I'm so pleased to be speaking on it today.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Rob Mitchell Mitchell strongly supports the Nature Repair Bill and says it will help landholders, First Nations communities and private investors restore biodiversity, while creating jobs and stronger environmental outcomes.
“With this, I commend the bill to the House.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Susan Templeman Susan Templeman supports the Nature Repair Bill because she says it will create a new market to protect and restore habitat, including in the Blue Mountains and Hawkesbury.
“I'm very pleased to be standing here to support the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023 because it offers something new, and I think we so desperately need that.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Luke Gosling Gosling supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will help create a nature repair market that attracts investment, supports jobs, and delivers real environmental gains.
“With these commitments, as with the nature repair market that will be created if this bill passes, and I hope it does, our government is showing that it has a clear, nature-positive plan and that it is getting on with the job of delivering it.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Daniel Mulino Mulino says Labor supports the bill and sees it as an important step toward nature repair because it creates the right market framework to connect landholders with those seeking biodiversity outcomes.
“I'm pleased to rise to speak in support of the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023. Sometimes people might recoil at the notion of markets being deployed in policy areas such as the environment or the promotion of biodiversity. In those contexts, we are perhaps more used to using other regulatory mechanisms such as setting standards or limiting damage. But markets can have a very important role. In my contribution I want to talk about the ways in which this bill sets up extremely important architecture that will benefit our environmental protection policies more broadly.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Andrew Charlton Andrew Charlton supports the Nature Repair bill and says Labor is using it to help repair Australia’s damaged environment through a voluntary biodiversity market.
“I rise to support the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023. Let's get something clear. This government was elected to act on climate change, we were elected to stop the decade of damage to our country's unique natural environment caused by successive coalition governments, and we were elected to repair our natural environment with a whole-of-community effort, bringing together businesses, organisations, governments and grassroots groups to tackle this existential threat to our way of life.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Lisa Chesters Lisa Chesters backs the bill, saying it will reward landholders, farmers and First Nations people who restore nature and create real environmental improvements.
“It's a good bill, and I can't wait to see it pass the parliament so it can help people in our communities do more of the good work they're already doing.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗ -
Andrew Leigh Leigh supports the bill and says it will give farmers, First Nations people, conservation groups and others a transparent market to repair nature while earning tradable certificates.
“I was pleased to be part of a government that voted for significant climate action in this parliament last year, and I'm pleased now to be standing up on the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023, a bill that will make a tangible difference to communities across the country, allowing farmers and First Nations peoples to carry out environmental remediation, allowing corporations to be part of the acquitted positive environmental impact and allowing philanthropists to step up to the plate with the confidence that, if they're paying for environmental repair, that environmental repair will be delivered. The transparency that backs it is the same transparency that has led the Albanese government to put in place a National Anti-Corruption Commission. We are committed to good government and committed to the environment. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Zaneta Mascarenhas Mascarenhas समर्थन the bill and says it will be transformative because it puts a value on biodiversity to drive conservation investment.
“Today, I'm proud to speak on a bill that will be transformative in addressing conservation issues in Australia. I remember speaking to a girlfriend who's a passionate economist. I complained about how we don't value our environment enough and that we have progressed at the expense of our planet. She pointed out that what it really means is that the economists haven't priced the externalities correctly. In many ways, this bill is doing exactly that.”
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Sharon Claydon Claydon supports the bill and says it will create a world-first nature repair market that pays landholders to restore biodiversity while keeping strong regulation and accountability.
“That's the subject of today's bill. That's what I seek support for from everybody in this House. We want to be a country that stops environmental decline and does the heavy lifting of repairing our nature now.”
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Steve Georganas Georganas supports the bill and says it is an important way to make it easier for businesses, landholders and First Nations communities to invest in repairing nature.
“I commend this bill to the House. It's very important. I assure you that I will be supporting it, and I hope everyone else will also be supporting it, because it is our absolute obligation to the next generation of Australians.”
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Sam Rae Sam Rae supports the Nature Repair bill and says it will create a market-based mechanism that gives biodiversity an economic value, encouraging investment in restoration while supporting jobs and First Nations participation.
“This is what this bill does. This bill recognises biodiversity as an asset for our community, an asset for our society and, indeed, an asset now for our economy. It now creates the conditions for investment in environmental biodiversity. Those businesses or community groups that go about improving biodiversity in their local environment can now generate an economic return to fund that activity, to fund those improvements. That's a really critical component here.”
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Karen Grogan Grogan supports the Nature Repair Bill and says it should pass because it creates a regulated market to attract private investment in restoring biodiversity and protecting nature.
“It is in the view of the committee, in its printed report, that following the passage of the legislation there will be a lengthy period of design of methodologies that will underpin this repair market. We're confident that that will be a great process to develop what will be a world first and, I think, a fundamentally changed position for our country and for our natural environment: to protect nature.”
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Peter Khalil Peter Khalil backs the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates., saying it will help repair ecosystems, reverse species decline, and open up investment and jobs in a nature-positive economy.
“This bill helps us to collaborate, ensuring that we make it easier for people to repair the environment. This bill also creates a new market for investing in nature-positive outcomes. It will support our commitment to repair ecosystems and reverse species decline and extinction. It also creates more investment and employment opportunities for a nature-positive economy. This will be a world-first scheme.”
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Brian Mitchell Brian Mitchell supports the bill and says it will help attract investment to repair nature, protect threatened species, and meet environmental obligations.
“Our government is taking the strong action that's needed to seize this great economic opportunity. The goals of these bills to increase investment in environmental protection and repair, and to meet our global obligations, reinforce the findings of the 2021 State of the environment report, which told a story of environmental degradation, loss and inaction. It showed Australians, as many have known for years now, that for a decade the Liberals completely failed the environment. We are committed to ensuring a strong future with a clean environment for our children and grandchildren, and we will ensure a healthy environment right across Australia. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Jerome Laxale Jerome Laxale supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will help create a voluntary biodiversity certificateA tradeable certificate issued for an approved project that is meant to show a real biodiversity gain from the work done. market that channels private investment into restoring and protecting nature.
“I commend these bills to the House.”
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Louise Miller-Frost 2 contributions Louise Miller-Frost supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it is an important, necessary step to protect and restore the environment for future generations.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Louise Miller-Frost on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Louise Miller-Frost supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates., saying it will help make Australia nature positive by creating a biodiversity market that drives environmental repair, investment, and better outcomes for landholders, communities, and First Nations people. She argues the scheme has strong integrity and transparency safeguards and should leave nature better off for future generations.
“This legislation allows for investment in the environment for a nature-positive future and to protect these precious areas, empowering community groups as well as business and private sector investment.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Louise Miller-Frost supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it is an important, necessary step to protect and restore the environment for future generations. She backs the bill because it creates a regulated market for biodiversity certificates that can bring private money into conservation alongside government funding.
“That's what this bill does: it builds a bridge between environmental goodwill and positive environmental outcomes. It is the means by which investors can invest in these positive outcomes without owning a plot of land directly and without having to enter into costly contractual arrangements. It allows investors to put their money behind projects that have the confidence of regulators. This leads me to the other important part of this bill: it will introduce the oversight and regulation necessary for this market to function. This is particularly important given the lessons of the Chubb review. I want to commend the bill to the House because I think it's important that we all get behind protecting and restoring our environment.”
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Mike Freelander Freelander supports the bill and says it will create a new market to fund nature repair, strengthen transparency, and help protect threatened species and ecosystems.
“Overall, this bill will establish a new market for investing in nature-positive outcomes and environment-positive outcomes. It will support Australia's international commitments to protect and repair ecosystems and reverse species decline and extinction. I am very fond of our local species, particularly our koalas. I have encouraged a proposal to make a Twin Rivers national park in the Macarthur area, connecting up the Georges and Nepean rivers in a koala protection area, that will connect up with the Dharug National Park, which has very important Indigenous heritage and Indigenous artefacts in the park. I really would like that to be preserved as a further extension of our local national parks. All of this will happen only with commitment from all forms of government, local, state and federal. I am very proud to be part of an Albanese Labor government that is supporting this environmental plan for our future, our children’s future and the generations that follow in the future. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Joanne Ryan Joanne Ryan supports the Nature Repair bill and says it will help repair degraded land and water by creating a market that draws in private investment, landholders, businesses and philanthropists.
“I want to commend the member for Sydney for the work she has done in broadening the scope of her deliberations, in broadening the scope of the public hearings and consultation that has occurred, and in landing for us a bill that will see the development of a nature repair market and the regulations set around that to ensure we get this investment right. This bill will ensure we attract private investment and make it easier for businesses and philanthropists to invest in efforts of nature repair. This bill supports landholders including farmers and First Nations communities to do things like plant native species, repair damaged riverbeds and remove invasive species. These are incredibly important things.”
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Tracey Roberts Tracey Roberts supports the bill and says it will create a nature repair market to help landholders, businesses and First Nations communities invest in restoring biodiversity.
“This bill will establish a new market for investing in nature-positive outcomes. It will support Australia's international commitment to protect and repair ecosystems and reverse species decline and extinction. It will generate investment and job opportunities for a nature-positive economy whilst also creating new income streams for landholders. I commend this bill to the House.”
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Peta Murphy Murphy supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it is a practical way to restore damaged habitats, not just protect what remains.
“It's why I'm really pleased about this government's Nature Positive Plan and the establishment of the Nature Repair Market. If anybody embodies the saying 'hit the ground running', it has to be the Minister for the Environment and Water, who hasn't wasted a minute getting on with the job of saying: 'What legislative measures do we need? What oversight measures do we need? What role can we play in the international community to not just protect what we have left but try to restore some of what we've lost?' That's what's really important. This Nature Repair Market doesn't just protect what we've got; it also helps us restore what we've lost, harnessing business and private sector investment, working so that landholders, farmers and First Nations communities can play their roles in planting native species, repairing damaged riverbeds and removing invasive species.”
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Libby Coker Coker supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates., saying it is long overdue and will help landholders, conservation groups and businesses work together to restore habitats and protect native species.
“That's why I rise with much passion to support the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023. This bill gives us all hope for the future of our environment and is a reminder that we've waited too long under the former Liberal government for action—action to better protect and nurture our flora and fauna.”
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Ged Kearney Kearney supports the bill and says it is a necessary, integrity-focused market to help landholders and investors repair and restore nature.
“So you see, the Labor government is absolutely committed to making sure that our environment is protected, not only for the wonderful burghers of my electorate in Cooper, who, as I mentioned, care so much about these issues but for my grandchildren, for their children and for future generations to come, and for our First Nations people as well to make sure that we respect the land as they have done for 60,000-odd years. This is an incredibly important bill. It's one that we must support. It's one that we cannot let slip by. It is there for the future of all to enjoy this country.”
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Tim Ayres Ayres supports the bill and says Labor wants to pass it as a world-leading reform that gives farmers and private landholders incentives to protect biodiversity.
“I look forward to the amendments and to working across the chamber to make sure that this piece of legislation is passed. I hope that we will continue to watch its progress closely and make sure it delivers in the national interest in the way that it should.”
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Graham Perrett Graham Perrett supports the Nature Repair Bill 2023The bill that set up the national biodiversity market and the rules for earning and trading biodiversity certificates. and says it will create a world-leading voluntary market to fund biodiversity repair, backed by science, transparency and strong integrity rules.
“This bill will establish a new market for investing in nature-positive outcomes. It will support Australia's international commitments to protect and repair ecosystems and reverse species decline and extinction—long overdue. It will generate investment and job opportunities for a nature-positive economy and create new income streams for landholders, including First Nations peoples and farmers, and I commend the legislation to the House.”
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Michelle Ananda-Rajah Michelle Ananda-Rajah supports the Nature Repair bill and says it is needed to help reverse environmental decline by attracting private investment into restoring biodiversity.
“We want to incentivise the restoration of nature by mobilising private investment. The demand is there and we're now providing the framework to enable those green shoots to emerge and grow. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Maria Vamvakinou Maria Vamvakinou supports the bill and says it gives government the right tools to protect and repair nature through a market for biodiversity certificates.
“These are issues which concern people amongst our communities who expect government to have a role in creating the mechanisms to invite and to repair and to not only protect what is damaged but create the natural conditions for a habitat to exist where it would otherwise have perished. The government are not just committed to doing things differently; we're committed to doing things right, however difficult things might be. I commend this bill to the House.”
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Anne Stanley Stanley supports the bill and says it is needed to help repair Australia's environment after years of decline.
“It is time that we not only protected our natural environment but repaired it for future generations. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Tony Zappia 2 contributions Tony Zappia supports the Nature Repair Bill because he says it is a practical step toward biodiversity repair and will encourage real environmental action rather than tokenism.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Tony Zappia on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Zappia supports the bill and says Labor has got it about right, despite criticisms from the coalition and the Greens. He treats it as a sensible environmental measure in response to widespread nature loss.
“The Nature Repair Market Bill 2023 is another demonstration of the Albanese Labor government's commitment to the environment. I've listened to much of the debate from the members who have already spoken. Having heard the criticisms of it from some members of the coalition and some of the Greens gives me the view that we, the Labor side, have got this bill about right.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Tony Zappia supports the Nature Repair Bill because he says it is a practical step toward biodiversity repair and will encourage real environmental action rather than tokenism. He accepts it is not the sole solution, but argues it should pass now so Australia can start improving biodiversity outcomes.
“There is no good reason for delaying this legislation. On the contrary, the sooner it is passed the sooner we can get on with the task of biodiversity repair.”
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Nita Green Nita Green supports the Nature Repair Bill and says Labor will pass it because it creates a world-first voluntary nature repair market that will help landholders, businesses and others invest in protecting and restoring nature.
“Labor today, in supporting this bill's passage through the Senate, is creating a world-first nature repair market. The Nature Repair Market Bill will see the introduction of a world-leading voluntary market framework to support landholders in protecting and restoring nature. This will make it easier for businesses, organisations, governments and individuals to invest in projects to protect and repair nature, because we don't want just to stop environmental decline; we want to repair it. We must. We need to right now.”
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Carina Garland Garland supports the bill and says it is a necessary first step to create a voluntary nature repair market that can channel private investment into restoring and protecting Australia’s environment.
“I rise in support of this important piece of legislation. The Nature Repair Bill 2023 is groundbreaking legislation that presents a significant milestone in our mission to protect and repair Australia's precious natural environment.”
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Alison Byrnes Byrnes supports the Nature Repair bill and says it will create a credible voluntary market that channels private investment into protecting and restoring nature.
“The Nature Repair Market will be based on science and enable Aboriginal peoples and Torres Strait Islanders to promote their unique knowledge on their terms. Many speakers before me have outlined the unique role that First Nations people will have in participating in this market and the clear crossover it has with the Indigenous ranger program and the work rangers undertake in weed management, controlling feral animals, fire management, saving species and ensuring the health of our waterways and seas.”
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Matt Thistlethwaite 2 contributions Thistlethwaite supports the bill because he says it will create a transparent, well-regulated nature repair market that gives investors confidence while delivering real biodiversity outcomes.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Matt Thistlethwaite on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Thistlethwaite supports the bill because he says it will create a transparent, well-regulated nature repair market that gives investors confidence while delivering real biodiversity outcomes. He presents it as part of Labor's plan to protect and restore ecosystems, with public consultation, expert oversight, and strong integrity measures.
“By establishing an integral and transparent nature repair market, we will ensure that businesses and philanthropists can confidently invest in nature into the future. They will have the ability to purchase quality, well-regulated nature repair certificates and ensure that their investments in protection and restoration yield significant yet lasting environmental benefits. I commend this bill to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Matt Thistlethwaite supports the Nature Repair bill and says it will let government, businesses, landholders and First Nations Australians all help restore the environment through a regulated biodiversity market. He argues the bill will protect integrity, attract investment and create jobs while backing practical nature repair projects.
“By legislating the market, we'll secure its ongoing integrity, stimulate investment in nature and inspire environmental enhancements across Australia.”
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Tania Lawrence Tania Lawrence supports the Nature Repair Bill and says it will create a voluntary nature repair market that complements stronger environmental protection by helping landholders, businesses and community groups invest in restoring nature.
“This bill for a nature repair market seeks to allow more people to engage positively with nature through the economy, by making the repair of nature more visibly and actively an economic good.”
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Dan Repacholi 2 contributions Dan Repacholi supports the bill and says it is needed now to create a science-based Nature Repair Market that will draw investment into conservation, restore public accountability, and deliver jobs and environmental benefits.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by Dan Repacholi on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Dan Repacholi supports the bill and says it is needed now to create a science-based Nature Repair Market that will draw investment into conservation, restore public accountability, and deliver jobs and environmental benefits. He argues it gives landholders, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, business and conservation groups a practical way to repair nature.
“This bill is another step in this journey, and I commend this bill to the House.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Repacholi supports the bill and says it will make it easier to invest in repairing nature, including practical work by landholders, farmers and First Nations communities. He backs it as part of Labor's Nature Positive Plan and uses the speech to attack the former government for neglecting the environment.
“We're supporting landholders, including farmers and First Nations communities, to do practical things that will make a real difference in the preservation of our natural world, things like plant native species, repair damaged riverbeds or remove invasive species. We're also making it easier for businesses and philanthropists to invest in those efforts, because anyone who wants to help the environment should, and now they will have more ways to make a difference through these simple, achievable measures.”
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Coalition
14 speakers · 14 oppose
Coalition
14 speakers · 14 oppose
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Jonathon Duniam Duniam opposes the Nature Repair bill and says coalition senators will vote against it because it is bad legislation rushed through with too little scrutiny.
“It was clear from the contributions by many in the Senate committee hearings and based on indications made publicly that the bill would be opposed. The Senate committee report was provided to senators at the end of last week, with roughly a day to respond. Interestingly, there are two dissenting reports: one from coalition senators which clearly indicates we will be opposing this legislation because it is bad legislation, and one from the Australian Greens political party. I'll be interested to see whether the Australian Greens stick to their dissenting report, or whether it was just words at a point in time which can be easily expunged from the record. We will see though.”
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Darren Chester Darren Chester says he cannot support the Nature Repair bill because he thinks it could lock up productive land, create poorly managed biodiversity reserves, and harm regional communities and agriculture.
“So I do have great concerns with the legislation before the House, notwithstanding the fact that I do see some benefits for farmers, in particular, if they can be paid to be part of the biodiversity and conservation challenge. I do see some benefits, indeed, but the bill before the House raises more questions for me than answers. And I'm unconvinced that this government, taking orders from the Greens, is properly placed to make the right decisions.”
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Anne Webster Anne Webster says the coalition cannot support the Nature Repair bill because Labor has turned a workable coalition pilot into a muddled scheme with extra government involvement and broader land coverage.
“There's an old saying, 'If it ain't broke, don't fix it,' yet this Nature Repair Market Bill tinkers with a pilot program that the coalition put forward in its Agriculture Biodiversity Stewardship Market Bill. This repair attempt has created a mess. For those reasons, at this stage, the coalition cannot support this bill. Former agriculture minister and Nationals leader David Littleproud introduced the agriculture focused bill in February 2022, but it lapsed due to an election and a change of government.”
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Michael McCormack McCormack opposes the Nature Repair bill, saying Labor has misnamed it and hidden bad detail behind a sound-good title.
“So this legislation, the Nature Repair Market Bill, is, like most things with Labor, a doozy. It's ill-named. You've got to read the detail before you think, 'Well, is this worth supporting?' As with everything that this government brings forward, it's probably not, because the devil is in the detail. We want to have the best soils—and the member for Paterson and I are co-chairs of the Parliamentary Friends of Soil—and we want the best outcomes, but they have to be practical. Locking up land and leaving it isn't doing the trick.”
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Mark Coulton Mark Coulton says he opposed the bill because he thought it went beyond the earlier version he could support and would damage productive farming and regional communities in the long term.
“I'm opposed to this bill. I'm sorry that I have to be, because in its original form, as put up by the last government, it would have been a positive one. Now I'm afraid to say it is potentially dangerous in the longer term for this country, and I no longer will support it.”
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Colin Boyce Colin Boyce opposes the bill because he says it could lock up agricultural and other productive land for decades, give native titleA legal recognition of Indigenous rights and interests in land or waters, which gives native title holders a key say over projects on those areas. bodies a veto over projects, and damage key industries without delivering real environmental gains.
“To sum this bill up, the government is proposing to create a system of voluntary biodiversity credits on Australian agricultural land that could possibly see it locked up for 100 years. This, in theory, will help big industry and the wealthy achieve the government's 43 per cent emissions reduction target by 2030 and net zero emissions by 2050. The bill also gives right of veto or consent to a small group of Australians, eroding the rights of others. In effect, agricultural Australia, if they choose to take up these biodiversity agreements, will, in some cases, be in the position of having to pay rent to Aboriginal land councils. Once again, it's agriculture, mining, resources, fisheries and forestry that will pay the cost of zero net carbon policy, which, in terms of the rest of the world, is achieving absolutely nothing. It's for these reasons that I oppose the bill.”
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David Gillespie David Gillespie opposes the Nature Repair Bill, arguing it would create a speculative certificate market that could tie up land for decades, raise costs, and divert attention from more effective biodiversity work like controlling feral pests.
“So, buyer beware! If I was an owner of land, I wouldn't be signing up for this. A lot of people I know who have had vast tracts of land that have been hard to work but have been very productive see this as money for jam. But once it's there, everyone will be feeding off it. You will be encumbered and that property will be encumbered for up to 100 years. It's voluntary at the moment, but the gods of environmentalism that deem these things the solution to a problem will be urging them to become mandatory.”
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Andrew Willcox Andrew Willcox says he will oppose the bill and wants it voted down because he believes it will hurt farmers, landholders and the natural environment, especially by adding complexity and locking up productive land.
“I believe this bill has enormous potential to have a negative impact on farmers, landholders and our natural environment. Ultimately, all Australians will pay. All Australians will be worse off if this bill goes through. We need to support our farmers. They provide the food and fibre for all of us. If we don't have food and we don't have energy—because, clearly, the Albanese Labor government's energy policy isn't working—then we could be subject to a takeover. Let's get behind our farmers. Let's support them. Let's vote this bill down. I strongly oppose this bill.”
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Perin Davey Davey says the opposition will not support the bill.
“I understand, and I take Senator Grogan's point, that the NFF has made some welcoming noises about the bill and about the intention of the bill. As I said, from the outset we supported the intention of the bill, but in the way this bill is drafted it has far too many red flags, far too many concerns and certainly not enough clarity about how it actually will be implemented, how it will operate and how robust the assessment and accreditation scheme will be. As I said before, despite the very good work the coalition did with the ANU and the robust, world-leading accreditation proposal that we had put forward, Labor have gone off on their own track: 'We know better. We just don't know how we know better, because we haven't got there yet. There's still work to be done on design and methodology, and we'll duck-shove that to delegated legislation. Trust us—it'll all be okay.' Well, I can tell you regional Australia doesn't trust this government, agricultural industries don't trust this government, the mining sector doesn't trust this government and I don't think the Senate should trust this government. I do not think we should be supporting this bill.”
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David Littleproud Littleproud says the Nationals will not support the bill because it strays too far from their earlier biodiversity stewardship model and कमजोरens protections for farmers, regional communities, and agricultural land.
“I rise tonight as the Leader of the Nationals to advise the House that we're unable to support the Nature Repair Market Bill 2023 and the associated legislation. This bill has diverged far too far from our biodiversity bill, which was introduced in this parliament in February last year. There are significant differences in this bill. Disappointingly, this government has let their ideology take away the practical reality and the safeguards that are required for Australian agriculture and farming families in regional communities.”
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Melissa Price Melissa Price says the opposition supports the idea of a biodiversity market, but will not back this bill because it is too vague, expands the market too broadly, and leaves too many consent, standards, and assessment issues unresolved.
“The opposition will reserve its final position on these bills until we see and hear what emerges from that committee process, but as things currently stand we have sufficient doubts about the veracity and quality of this legislation to not vote in support of it.”
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Keith Pitt Keith Pitt opposes the Nature Repair bill, arguing it would lock up productive agricultural land for long periods and reduce food production, jobs, and economic activity.
“Every single landholder in this country should be terrified of bills like this one, because it takes away their potential to earn a living, to drive the local economy, to employ people, potentially their own kids, to give them a future because their land will be locked up for 100 years under these types of agreements and protocols—a century!”
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Ted O'Brien Ted O'Brien says the coalition cannot support the bill’s passage at this stage, because it still has too many gaps, too little detail, and unresolved concerns for key stakeholders.
“In closing, I think anyone closely following this debate will not be surprised to see the coalition reserve our final position on these bills until after the Senate committee process concludes. It may also be that we seek to encourage the government to make changes to the bills or that we seek to make some amendments of our own when the bills reach the Senate. In principle, at this point, and in keeping with all the work we have previously done in this area, the coalition cannot support the passage of either of these bills. There are too many gaps. There is too much missing detail. Accordingly, there are too many concerns from a number of key stakeholders for the bills to receive our endorsement.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Greens
3 speakers · 3 oppose
Greens
3 speakers · 3 oppose
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Adam Bandt Bandt opposes the bill, arguing it turns nature protection into a market scheme that lets developers keep destroying habitat if they buy offsets.
“This bill, that attempts to allow developers and others to make some money out of some offsets, that allows the destruction of the environment to continue, does not put in place the protections that are needed.”
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Elizabeth Watson-Brown Watson-Brown opposes the Nature Repair bill because she says it hands environmental protection to private markets and will enable greenwashing rather than real repair.
“The Greens are not alone in opposing this bill. Many environmental groups have raised their concerns, only to be ignored by the government. The Wilderness Society has urged the government not to pass the bill in its current form, describing it as a market in the absence of clear objectives or any caps or limits on environmental damage and, at best, a scheme for habitat loss trade-offs.”
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Stephen Bates Stephen Bates says the Greens oppose the Nature Repair Bill because it turns environmental protection into a market scheme that could let big polluters offset damage instead of fixing it.
“This is a reheated version of a bill the LNP introduced when they were in government. The LNP have said they might support the passage of this bill through parliament—and why wouldn't they when they wrote the original? This Labor government has committed to establishing an independent environmental watchdog and reviewing the outdated Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conversation Act. These are welcome commitments, but Labor has gone into radio silence on them. It is nonsensical to introduce this Nature Repair Market Bill before these sorely needed reforms. This is policymaking on the run, and it should be condemned. This bill is so rushed that it proposes the Clean Energy Regulator will have to approve the unique biodiversity certificates. This will require the regulator to assess environmental projects, something completely outside of their original remit.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Minor parties and independents
11 speakers · 12 contributions · 6 support · 2 oppose · 3 mixed
Minor parties and independents
11 speakers · 12 contributions · 6 support · 2 oppose · 3 mixed
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Kylea Tink ★ Tink supports the Nature Repair bill, but says it must be strengthened so it sits alongside stronger nature laws, a national environment protection agency and enforceable standards.
“I support the intent of the bill, but, in order to ensure optimal outcomes for people and nature, the bill must be strengthened.”
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Kate Chaney ★ Chaney supports the Nature Repair Bill in principle, saying a voluntary market could be a useful part of the government's response, but she argues it needs stronger national standards, expert oversight and alignment with the EPBC reforms.
“In conclusion, the idea of creating a voluntary market to repair nature is a small but useful part of the government response. It will need to tie in with the very important EPBC Act and be guided by clear national standards. Getting it to work effectively will require clear objectives and carefully drafted regulation, guided by experts, and may also require investment from government to kick-start the market.”
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Zali Steggall Steggall supports the bill and says it is a step toward a nature-positive Australia, but argues it needs stronger accompanying reforms, funding and safeguards to have real impact.
“I rise to speak on the Nature Repair Market Bill and the related bill. I welcome these bills, which represent a step towards achieving a nature-positive Australia. I also acknowledge the government's professed commitment to protecting 30 per cent of Australia's land and seas by 2030. However, I call on the government to be bolder and to state clearly and definitively that it is committed to achieving a nature-positive Australia at a minimum by 2030. To this end, there are more actions that need to be taken. For example, we must, without delay, stop all native forest logging, and we must protect rainforests, particularly in incredible areas like the Tarkine in Tasmania. These must be protected. We can't talk about biodiversity loss and conservation and continue to ransack pristine and important ecosystems and environment. It's my hope that this bill is a step towards that and that we're going to do better.”
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Helen Haines Haines supports the bill and says a nature repair market is part of the solution for restoring biodiversity.
“I support this bill but I also hear concerns from local and national environmental groups, including the Environmental Defenders Office and the Landcare groups in my electorate. I hear concerns about whether the new nature repair market will be used to offset biodiversity loss from proposed developments and projects.”
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Zoe Daniel Zoe Daniel supports the bill in principle, but says it needs stronger safeguards so the nature repair market cannot become an offsettingA policy idea where harm in one place is balanced by supposed benefits somewhere else; the page stresses that these certificates are not meant to be used that way. scheme and is regulated by the right authority.
“I support the goals of the Nature Positive Plan, and I support the government's pursuit of getting us on track to protect and restore Australia's environment. I believe that these modest amendments will go some way to improve the shortcomings of the carbon market and the government's functions of the nature repair market.”
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Allegra Spender Spender says she will not oppose the Nature Repair bill, but only if it is backed by stronger environmental reforms first, especially changes to the EPBC ActThe main federal environment law, which some speakers wanted to reform alongside this bill before the market fully started. and an end to native forest logging.
“It is clear that we need vastly increased investment in nature if we are to protect and preserve our natural environment. It is also clear that we need to try new and innovative ways of achieving this, because the status quo is just not working. I'm not opposed to the idea of this market in principle, but there are improvements that should be made to this bill. Even more importantly, before we experiment with trading in this market, we must legislate reforms to the EPBC and put an end to native forest logging.”
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David Pocock 2 contributions Pocock says he can see what the government is trying to do with the bill, but he wants stronger safeguards, First Nations governance, and a clear government investment strategy before a biodiversity market can work properly.
Hansard records 2 separate contributions by David Pocock on this bill. They are grouped here so the speaker is listed once.
Second reading speech
Pocock says he can see what the government is trying to do with the bill, but he wants stronger safeguards, First Nations governance, and a clear government investment strategy before a biodiversity market can work properly. He will move second reading amendments, so his support depends on those changes.
“I can see what the government is trying to do with this bill but, again, as such a wealthy country, we've got to start to fund biodiversity and threatened species, rather than not giving them funding but pointing to a market mechanism where there may be some demand but where, from all the consultation I've done, it's very unclear just how much demand there will be. On top of that, we don't have a firm commitment that the government will kickstart demand with funding for that, as they did with the carbon market.”
Read this contribution in Hansard ↗Second reading speech
Pocock supports the Nature Repair bill, but only with an amendment calling on the government to back it with a biodiversity investment strategy, nature-related disclosure reforms, and a review of the market's governance. His position is that the bill can only achieve its aims if those extra steps are taken.
“At the end of the motion, add ", but the Senate notes that to achieve the aims of the bill in enhancing and protecting biodiversity, the Government must:”
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Monique Ryan Ryan opposes the bill, saying the nature repair market is too vague, undercooked and weak on governance to guarantee real biodiversity gains.
“This bill in its current form is undercooked and underwhelming, and it is very difficult to commend it to the House.”
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Lidia Thorpe Thorpe opposes the bill and says it should be delayed until the EPBC reforms and an environmental protection authority are in place.
“This is why I cannot support the bill as it is before us today, and it's why I think the Labor and the Greens coalition is gammon. I move the second reading amendment standing in my name:”
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Andrew Gee Andrew Gee supports the Nature Repair bill, saying it gives farmers and landholders a practical way to protect biodiversity while earning income.
“We live in an incredible country, and I want it to be just as incredible for the many generations to come. That is why I'm supporting this bill and supporting its objective to give farmers and landholders a tangible benefit for protecting or enhancing the biodiversity make-up of their land. I commend the National Party and the opposition for developing the key components of this bill. It is great work. I hope they can swing in behind it. And I think the minister's office for their engagement in this important legislation. I commend the bill to the House.”
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Rebekha Sharkie Sharkie supports the bill because she says it gives landholders a sensible, market-based way to repair and restore nature while being fairly compensated.
“This bill is just one tool and complements the suite of other environmental legislation that seeks to preserve our natural habitat. This bill will foster a sense of stewardship and promote sustainable practices, and it will inspire individuals and communities to actively participate in the protection of endangered species and their habitats beyond present levels.”
Read the full speech in Hansard ↗
Record
Full record
- Act title
- Nature Repair Act 2023
- Act number
- Act No. 121, 2023
- Became law
- 14 Dec 2023
- Takes effect
- The whole of this Act 15 Dec 2023
- Registered
- 15 Dec 2023
- Administered by
- Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water
- Final law metadata was collected from the APH progress table; commencement rows were parsed from the bill text.
- Status
- Act -- Collected from the APH bill page.
- Originating house
- House of Representatives
- 29 Mar 2023
House · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 29 Mar 2023
House · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 13 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 14 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 15 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 19 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 21 June 2023
House · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 21 June 2023
House · Second reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 82 to 55.
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 21 June 2023
House · Consideration in detail: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
- 21 June 2023
House · Third reading agreed to
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 31 July 2023
Senate · Introduced and read a first time
Introduced
The bill was formally presented to the chamber and read a first time, which starts its parliamentary journey.
- 31 July 2023
Senate · Second reading moved
Second reading opened
A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.
- 05 Dec 2023
Senate · Second reading debate
Second reading debate
The bill reached this recorded parliamentary step.
- 05 Dec 2023
Senate · Second reading agreed to
Second reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at second reading, meaning it accepted the bill in principle and allowed it to continue.
- 05 Dec 2023
Senate · Committee of the whole: amendments considered
Amendment packages agreed
The chamber considered amendments before the bill moved to the next stage.
- 05 Dec 2023
Senate · Third reading agreed to
Recorded vote: 28 to 25.
Third reading agreed
The chamber agreed to the bill at third reading, which completed passage through that chamber.
- 07 Dec 2023
House · Consideration of Senate message
House agreed to Senate amendments
The House dealt with Senate amendments or requests so both chambers could settle the bill in the same form.
- 07 Dec 2023
Parliament · Finally passed both Houses
Passed both houses
Both houses passed the bill in the same form, completing parliamentary passage.
- 14 Dec 2023
Assent · Assent
Assent
The Governor-General gave Royal AssentThe final step that turns a passed bill into an Act of Parliament., turning the bill into an Act.
Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (04/12/2023)
Referred to committee
Referred to Committee (30 Mar 2023): Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Committee report (4 Dec 2023)
APH bill page notes