The Australian Democrats today announced that next week they will introduce a bill to strengthen the Environment Protection Authority, to make it more independent and also make it more accountable.

"The government has procrastinated for too long on reform of the EPA," said Mike Elliott, Democrat Parliamentary Leader.

"The EPA came under significant criticism culminating in an all party Parliamentary Committee Inquiry which unanimously made 40 recommendations for change in May last year. A year later there has been no action from the government.

"There is no doubt that public confidence in the EPA is low. In my view and I believe of the Environment and Resources Committee members generally it was not the EPA’s fault, but it is working with inadequate legislation. The Act must be changed!"

The major amendments are:

• That EPA staff to be made employees of the Authority and not of the Minister.
• That the ability to prosecute will be strengthened.

• That the public register be made freely available to the public. (In breach of the Act the register simply didn’t exist when the Inquiry commenced last year.) All register items should be on the internet.
• That the regulation and control of underground storage tanks and septic tanks come under the Environment Protection Act.
• That crown development be treated in the same manner as private development.

The creation of the position of Public Advocate within the EPA.