Western Australia (WA) has long been set apart from the eastern states of Australia by distance and distinct policy directions.
Recently, however, this distance has led to significant environmental consequences, as WA’s government takes controversial steps on climate policy that challenge national standards and raise questions about future environmental impacts.
While federal Labor has introduced “nature positive” legislation to address climate concerns, these efforts have stalled in the Senate, highlighting a lack of unity between federal and state objectives.
WA Premier Roger Cook recently led an aggressive lobbying campaign, backed by prominent mining and gas industry leaders, to push back against federal environmental reforms.
This opposition from WA has contributed to delaying key environmental legislation on a national level.
Despite being the only state with rising emissions and no targets to mitigate them, WA’s recent policy changes indicate a shift toward industry interests over environmental safeguards.
New EPA reforms prioritize fast-tracking approvals, raising concerns among environmental advocates and locals.The WA environment minister announced that the state would no longer regulate greenhouse gas emissions for major projects, citing federal safeguards as sufficient.
However, these federal measures alone are unlikely to meet 2030 climate targets, leaving WA’s emissions unchecked.
Further intensifying concerns, WA has fast-tracked reforms to its Environmental Protection Authority (EPA), allowing industry representatives to sit on the EPA board and prioritizing faster project approvals.
This restructuring, critics argue, aligns with industry needs rather than environmental protections.
Notably, WA Labor appointed an EPA chair with a history of expediting project approvals, just as Woodside seeks approval to expand its Burrup Hub gas project until 2070.
WA’s trajectory on climate policy is set against the backdrop of upcoming elections, offering voters the chance to decide if current environmental directions align with Australia’s broader climate goals.
The national spotlight on WA’s policies underscores the urgency of addressing climate challenges through unified and effective legislative action.