Australia is at a critical moment in shaping the future of environmental stewardship.

Reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 2025 (EPBC Act) have passed, and the federal government has laid out a legacy for how they will care for the environment and provide protection for critically important species and ecological communities.

The Act privileges western scientific frameworks, while marginalising Indigenous knowledges. Picture: Greta Costello

These reforms were long awaited – promising streamlined approvals, a new environmental regulator, national standards and greater engagement of Indigenous peoples in decision making.

While they signal progress for Indigenous inclusion, the proposed standards, namely the National Environmental Standards for First Nations engagement, are still being developed. The scope, remit and authority of these proposed engagement standards remain unclear.

Western Science vs. Indigenous Knowledges

The EPBC Act is our principal environmental legislation, protecting nationally important species, habitats and places. Like the preceding legislation, however, this Act privileges western scientific knowledge and frameworks, while marginalising Indigenous ways of knowing, being and doing.

The separation of humans from the natural world prevails as the dominant narrative, largely excluding the holistic values of Country that have sustained healthy ecosystems for millennia.

The Current Climate and Biodiversity Crisis

The reforms arrive in a complicated and tense environmental reality. Catastrophic degradation of biodiversity and irreversible climate change is disproportionally impacting Indigenous peoples across the world.

The way of life for our brothers and sisters in the Pacific is increasingly threatened by the escalating impacts of climate change, with Australia set to receive the first official climate refugees in 2026. This disparity is only increasing the gap in health outcomes and quality of life between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples.

If done right, the EPBC Act reforms could cement how future generations see our commitment to Caring for Country First Nations.

The escalating impacts of climate change are an increasing threat in the Pacific. Picture: Getty Images

A Foundation of Exclusion and the 1999 Act

The 1999 EPBC Act provided little in the way of Indigenous inclusion, with no mechanisms mandating meaningful consultation with Traditional Owners. There was no requirement for free, prior and informed consent and no mechanisms for Traditional Owners to reject projects that are to the detriment of Country.

Despite this, the 1999 Act was not entirely silent on Indigenous participation. It established an Indigenous Advisory Committee (IAC), a ministerially appointed body that provided advice on issues and best-practice standards.

From Advisory to Authority: The Need for Real Change

Disappointingly, the new EPBC Act 2025 fails to provide real, meaningful self-determination for Traditional Owners. The role of Indigenous peoples in matters that relate to the health of Country are at best advisory.

Traditional Owners should have the right to determine what happens on their Country. This could look like:

When Traditional Owners are in the driver’s seat, we see more resilient land that reduces the threat of frequent bushfires. Picture: Getty Images

Clear and binding Indigenous engagement underpinned by principals of free, prior and informed consent.

Expansion of the power of the IAC to support Traditional Owners.

Stronger enforcement mechanisms for legal challenges when a project does not meet standards.

Leadership that reflects Traditional Owner protocols and values.

Setting a Better Standard for the Future

We cannot continue with a system that pays lip service to reconciliation while approving the destruction of our sacred sites and ecosystems. When Traditional Owners are in the driver’s seat, we see incredible environmental outcomes, like the return of healthy river systems and more resilient land.

It’s time to move beyond simply hearing us, to actually listening and allowing the people who have cared for this land for over 65,000 years to enact proven solutions.