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Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future)

Current status

This bill is currently before Parliament.

Policy area

Climate, energy & environment

What does this bill do?

The bill would remove federal blanket bans that stop certain nuclear installations being considered under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998A Commonwealth law regulating radiation safety and nuclear-related facilities; this bill would repeal its section 10 restriction on certain nuclear installations. and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Australia’s main federal environment law; this bill would remove several EPBC Act prohibitions on approving or considering certain nuclear facilities..

Why was it introduced?

Senator Hume introduced the bill to remove Commonwealth legal barriers that stop nuclear energy from being considered in Australia, and to make federal clean-energy support and investment bodies able to consider civil nuclear technology. The stated reason was to keep emissions-reduction policy technologically neutral while maintaining environmental and radiological approval requirements.

Broader context

The bill sits in the long-running argument over whether Australia should keep federal restrictions on nuclear power while pursuing emissions-reduction targets under the Paris AgreementThe international climate agreement cited by the bill’s explanatory memorandum and second-reading speech as the emissions-reduction context for the proposal.. Its sponsor framed the measure as a technology-neutral climate and energy proposal: remove legal bans, allow Commonwealth agencies to consider nuclear technology, but leave project approvals and safety regulation in place.

Key criticism

The collected bill-specific record contains no opposition speeches, committee scrutiny entries, proposed amendments, or recorded divisions for this bill. That means this page cannot identify a substantive criticism of the bill from the scoped source corpus.

Who supported it?

Senator Jane Hume introduced this bill. Supportive speeches so far have come from Liberal Party.

Introduced in Senate 29 Oct 2025
At second reading in Senate 29 Oct 2025
Not yet reached House —
Not yet law —

Did it become law?

Not yet

Final passage

No final vote yet

The bill has not yet completed passage through Parliament.

Days since introduction

224 days

Updated 10 June 2026.

Official record

View on APH

Parliament of Australia bill page

Meaning

What does this bill do?

  1. The bill would remove federal blanket bans that stop certain nuclear installations being considered under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998A Commonwealth law regulating radiation safety and nuclear-related facilities; this bill would repeal its section 10 restriction on certain nuclear installations. and the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Australia’s main federal environment law; this bill would remove several EPBC Act prohibitions on approving or considering certain nuclear facilities..

  2. Even with those bans removed, proposed nuclear installations would still need environmental approval as “nuclear actions” under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999Australia’s main federal environment law; this bill would remove several EPBC Act prohibitions on approving or considering certain nuclear facilities. and would still be regulated as “controlled facilities” under the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998A Commonwealth law regulating radiation safety and nuclear-related facilities; this bill would repeal its section 10 restriction on certain nuclear installations..

  3. The bill would expand the Australian Renewable Energy AgencyA Commonwealth agency that supports renewable energy technology; this bill would expand its functions to include clean-emissions technologies such as civil nuclear technology.’s role so it can support and advise on “clean emissions energy technologiesA new category used in the bill to cover civil nuclear energy, nuclear technologies, and related enabling technologies.”, including civil nuclear energy and nuclear technologies.

  4. The bill would also let people with experience in clean emissions energy technology be appointed to the Australian Renewable Energy AgencyA Commonwealth agency that supports renewable energy technology; this bill would expand its functions to include clean-emissions technologies such as civil nuclear technology. board.

  5. The bill would remove nuclear technology and nuclear power from the Clean Energy Finance CorporationA Commonwealth investment body for clean-energy projects; this bill would remove nuclear power and nuclear technology from its prohibited-technology list.’s list of prohibited technologies, so the corporation could potentially invest if its other investment rules are met.

Show source excerpts
  1. The main provisions of the Bill remove the moratorium on nuclear energy in Australia.
    Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) explanatory memorandum
  2. Despite the lifting of the moratorium, the Minister for the Environment still has to approve actions proposing or relating to the construction of nuclear installations, regulated as “nuclear actions” under the EPBC Act.
    Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) explanatory memorandum
  3. These amendments expand ARENA’s functions to include “clean emissions energy technologies”, which include civil nuclear energy and nuclear technologies, and technologies that are related to clean emissions energy technologies.
    Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) explanatory memorandum
  4. It also updates the eligibility criteria for someone to be appointed to the Board of ARENA to include experience or knowledge in the field of clean emissions energy technology.
    Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) explanatory memorandum
  5. This allows the Clean Energy Finance Corporation (CEFC) to potentially invest in nuclear technology and nuclear power, provided other criteria are met.
    Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Low Emissions Future) explanatory memorandum

Context

Broader context for this bill

The bill sits in the long-running argument over whether Australia should keep federal restrictions on nuclear power while pursuing emissions-reduction targets under the Paris AgreementThe international climate agreement cited by the bill’s explanatory memorandum and second-reading speech as the emissions-reduction context for the proposal.. Its sponsor framed the measure as a technology-neutral climate and energy proposal: remove legal bans, allow Commonwealth agencies to consider nuclear technology, but leave project approvals and safety regulation in place.

  1. 2016

    Australia ratifies the Paris AgreementThe international climate agreement cited by the bill’s explanatory memorandum and second-reading speech as the emissions-reduction context for the proposal.

    The explanatory memorandum frames the bill against Australia’s Paris AgreementThe international climate agreement cited by the bill’s explanatory memorandum and second-reading speech as the emissions-reduction context for the proposal. commitments to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

    Explanatory memorandum ↗
  2. 18 Sept 2025

    Government announces a 2035 emissions target range

    Collected public-context reporting says the Albanese government announced a target to cut emissions by 62 to 70 per cent by 2035, which forms part of the climate-policy backdrop to the bill.

    Australian Financial Review ↗
  3. 29 Oct 2025

    Senator Hume’s private bill is introduced

    The Senate bill was introduced with the stated aim of lifting blanket federal bans and restoring the option to consider nuclear energy on its merits.

    APH bill page ↗
  4. 29 Oct 2025

    Second-reading speech argues for technology neutrality

    Senator Wendy Askew told the Senate the bill would remove nuclear prohibitions, allow possible CEFCA Commonwealth investment body for clean-energy projects; this bill would remove nuclear power and nuclear technology from its prohibited-technology list. investment, and let ARENAA Commonwealth agency that supports renewable energy technology; this bill would expand its functions to include clean-emissions technologies such as civil nuclear technology. support clean-emissions energy technologies including nuclear technologies.

    Hansard ↗

Legislative route

How did it move through Parliament?

House Senate
Introduced 29 Oct 2025

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 Oct 2025

A minister or sponsoring member moved the second reading, opening the main debate on the bill's purpose and principles.

Second reading moved

Key criticism

The main case against this bill

The collected bill-specific record contains no opposition speeches, committee scrutiny entries, proposed amendments, or recorded divisions for this bill. That means this page cannot identify a substantive criticism of the bill from the scoped source corpus.

This is a source limitation, not a finding that no criticism exists outside the collected corpus.

Further sources

aph.gov.au ↗ parlinfo.aph.gov.au ↗

Votes

Recorded votes

No recorded votes have been found yet for this bill.

Parliamentary debate

Who spoke, and what they said

Start here — lead voices

Lead supporting voice Supports

Wendy Askew

Liberal Party • Senator 29 Oct 2025

Senator Wendy Askew supported the bill, saying it would lift nuclear-energy moratoriums, remove investment prohibitions for the Clean Energy Finance CorporationA Commonwealth investment body for clean-energy projects; this bill would remove nuclear power and nuclear technology from its prohibited-technology list., and let the Australian Renewable Energy AgencyA Commonwealth agency that supports renewable energy technology; this bill would expand its functions to include clean-emissions technologies such as civil nuclear technology. support civil nuclear and related clean-emissions technologies.

Read in Hansard ↗

All speeches by bloc

Coalition

1 speaker · 1 support

  1. Wendy Askew ★ Senator Wendy Askew supported the bill, saying it would lift nuclear-energy moratoriums, remove investment prohibitions for the Clean Energy Finance CorporationA Commonwealth investment body for clean-energy projects; this bill would remove nuclear power and nuclear technology from its prohibited-technology list., and let the Australian Renewable Energy AgencyA Commonwealth agency that supports renewable energy technology; this bill would expand its functions to include clean-emissions technologies such as civil nuclear technology. support civil nuclear and related clean-emissions technologies.
    “This Bill lifts blanket bans and restores the option to consider nuclear energy on its merits. Specifically, it does three things: lifts the moratorium on nuclear energy, removes investment prohibitions and enables research and support.”

    Liberal Party • Senator • 29 Oct 2025

    Read the full speech in Hansard ↗

Record

Full record

Full chat