The standards include benchmarks covering Matters of National Environmental Significance, environmental offsets, community engagement, and data and information.
Property Council Group Executive Policy and Advocacy Matthew Kandelaars said clear and consistent standards are critical to improving confidence in environmental decision-making.
“Industry has been calling for greater clarity and consistency in the approvals system. The release of National Environmental Standards is an important step and provides a clearer framework for how decisions will be made.
“Many of the changes put forward by industry during the consultation period have helped strike a practical balance between providing certainty while maintaining a strong focus on environmental outcomes.”
Mr Kandelaars said the real test will be how the standards are applied in practice as the broader reform package is implemented.
“The standards themselves are important, but their impact will ultimately be felt through the manner in which the regulator applies them and how decisions are made under the new framework.
“Greater consistency and transparency in decision-making will benefit both environmental outcomes and investment confidence.”
