As part of our plan for a stronger future, the Morrison Government will take new environmental funding to almost $6 billion since 2019 with the 2022-23 Budget delivering over $2.3 billion in additional measures to address plastic pollution and threatened species protection, support the Great Barrier Reef, Australia’s Antarctic leadership, the health of our oceans, and environmental law reform.
Minister for the Environment Sussan Ley said that the Budget reaffirmed the Morrison Government’s ongoing commitment to science, technology and practical, on-ground action through partnering with local communities to protect our environment.
“We continue to invest in the delivery of practical environmental outcomes, from a billion-dollar transformation of our waste and recycling industry to funding for environment restoration and our billion-dollar investment in supporting the future of the Great Barrier Reef,” Minister Ley said.
“It builds on the strong framework of collaboration we have established in working with communities to build a better environment.”
Recycling and waste
The Budget includes $60.4 million for plastic recycling through the Recycling Modernisation Fund (RMF) to help industry bring on-line new technology and infrastructure to allow hard to recycle plastics, such as bread bags, take away food containers, plastic wraps and a range of every-day items to be fully re-manufactured in Australia.
The move will boost plastic recycling rates, help drive progress on the National Packaging Targets, meet new demand for recycled content and create new jobs as Australia ramps up its recycling and remanufacturing. This funding takes Commonwealth investment in the RMF to $250 million.
The RMF co-funding model is already on track to drive a $1 billion investment in recycling infrastructure, creating jobs and economic growth in metropolitan, regional and rural areas, while helping the environment.
Building on the ReMade in Australia advertising campaign, $8.2 million will establish a national ReMade in Australia brand to give consumers confidence and pride in buying products that have been re-manufactured in Australia.
Great Barrier Reef
In addition to the Morrison Government’s $1 billion commitment over nine years to protect the Great Barrier Reef announced earlier this year, an additional $12.4 million will provide further support for Queensland tourism operators with the waiving of Environmental Management Charges, and other permit-related fees and charges, for a third year running.
This takes the Commonwealth financial commitment to the Great Barrier Reef to more than $3 billion since coming to Government, demonstrating a clear commitment to the protection of the Reef itself, and the 64,000 Queenslanders who are part of the Reef economy.
Antarctic leadership and science
The Morrison Government is investing $804.4 million over the next 10 years to further strengthen Australia’s leadership in Antarctica.
The investment will support new research in marine science, strengthened environmental protection and management, and will increase Australia’s strategic capability to map and conduct scientific research in remote and fragile areas across the Australian Antarctic Territory. It will create more than 100 direct jobs in Tasmania as well as boosting employment through local businesses and suppliers.
Threatened species and biodiversity
The Environment Restoration Fund (ERF) will receive an additional $100 million, extending the program for a further 3 years. To date, the Fund has supported dozens of projects, which have included safe havens for endangered species, community recycling initiatives, community clean ups for urban waterways and coastal areas, habitat restoration projects for species (including the Black Cockatoo and Koala), and a range of other community-led projects.
The additional ERF funding builds on current initiatives to protect and preserve native species including the Morrison Government’s $200m bushfire recovery response, $74 million in koala funding, a $149 million investment in National Environmental Science and the launch of a 10 year Threatened Species Strategy.
Environmental reform
The Morrison Government will invest $128.5 million over 4 years from 2022-23 to deliver improved environmental outcomes, and support economic recovery and job creation through more efficient assessment processes.
These Budget measures include $62.3 million to establish a regional planning scheme to deliver up to 10 bioregional plans in priority development regions. These will protect areas of environmental significance, streamline development and manage cumulative impacts.
Other initiatives include $27.9 million to maintain timely environmental assessments, $10 million to deliver single-touch environmental approvals and $9.5 million over 4 years to strengthen environmental compliance and enforcement capability.
This funding is on top of a $52.5 million expansion over five years of the Digital Environmental Assessment Program to ensure assessments are based on consistent data allowing them to be made more quickly and with greater transparency.
Modernising Indigenous heritage protections
Having established a landmark partnership with the First Nations Heritage Protection Alliance in November last year the Morrison Government will invest $11 million over 2 years to drive forward Indigenous cultural heritage reforms.
$5 million will support the partnership to undertake a program of comprehensive formal consultations in the next phase of the reform process.
While the reform process is underway, $6 million will be invested to facilitate timely decision making under the existing Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Heritage Protection Act 1984.
