Laws protecting brumbies in NSW national park axed
Controversial laws that gave a wild horse population heritage protections in a famed alpine park are a thing of the past, AAP reports.
A late-night parliamentary sitting repealed laws introduced by the NSW Nationals in 2018, which protected the “heritage value” of the brumby population within the Kosciuszko national park.
Advocates have long argued the protection has helped destroy the park and preference the brumbies over native species.
The repeal bill finally passed NSW parliament’s upper house nearing midnight on Thursday with backing from Labor, the Liberals and crossbench members, although the Nationals maintained their opposition.
Park operators have a mandated target of 3,000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027, with a controversial cull putting latest estimates at between 1,579 and 5,639 brumbies.
Key events
Josh Taylor
How Instagram’s age assurance fares
As part of my reporting on what the platforms show to various age demographics, I’ve had a phone set up with dummy social media accounts.
I set up one on Instagram recently for someone under 16 to see what would happen when the under-16s social media ban came into effect.
A notification popped up today stating “due to laws in Australia, soon you won’t be able to use social media until you’ve turned 16”.
I was then given two options: to go through downloading my data and prepare for my account to be deactivated, or review the age on the account and take a video selfie to prove I’m over 16.
I chose the latter, and the app accessed my front-facing camera, and made me move my head from side to side, similar to how one might set up face-unlock on their phone.
I was then presented with a notification stating it would likely take between one and two minutes but could take 48 hours. But shortly after I received a notification that I was in the clear.
Obviously the age-assurance trial data shows that people closer to the age of 16, as well as minority groups, may have more difficulty in this technology getting it right, and given I am an adult with a moustache it was fairly seamless and quick.
Watt cheers changes to nature laws, calling it a ‘great day’ for environment and industry
Murray Watt, the environment minister, is speaking in Canberra about changes to the country’s nature laws.
He described the effort as a “balanced package of reforms” that would deliver “real wins for the environment and real wins for the business community”.
Watt said:
As a result of these laws being passed, Australia’s natural environment will be better protected for generations to come …
This is a great day for Australia’s environment. This is a great day for getting the housing, renewables and critical minerals we need and I’m really looking forward to getting on and implementing them now.
Anne Davies
Environmental groups to speak about brumby protections later this morning
The NSW parliament has finally repealed laws which limited culling of wild horses in Kosciusko national park and environmental groups will be talking at 11am about what it means.
The Heritage Horses Act was introduced by former Nationals leader John Barilaro after businesses involved in tourism in the region campaigned to protect brumbies from aerial shooting by national park officers. Brumbies were given special “heritage status” based on their role in early settler history as recorded in the poetry of Banjo Patterson.
But the ban on culling brought an explosion in the number of horses. In 2023, populations were estimated at 17,000, before a new program of aerial culling reduced the population to about 3,000.
The repeal of the bill will mean that horses can be reduced further.
Animal Justice party MP Emma Hurst and the Nationals attempted to amend the bill to protect smaller herds and opposed the end of the heritage bill.
The repeal was passed by the Liberals, the government and the Greens.
More to come.
Melissa Davey
Australian diet set to worsen as national food policy is drawn up by profit-driven industry, experts warn
Cheap and unhealthy foods are set to become further entrenched in the Australian diet, according to health experts, who warn the federal government is developing a national food policy with heavy influence from profit-driven food and agriculture industries.
Dr Matt Fisher from the University of Adelaide’s Stretton Institute’s health equity department said the policy could “compromise crucial public health considerations”.
On Friday, the government announced the appointment of a National Food Council, which is dominated by representatives from the farming, agriculture and food production industries.
The council will advise the National Food Security Strategy (Feeding Australia) on identifying food production priorities, creating resilient food supply chains, managing climate-related disruptions and ensuring food is affordable.
Read more here:
Dan Jervis-Bardy
Ley condemns Labor-Greens deal as ‘economy wrecking’
Just before the final vote, the opposition leader, Sussan Ley, decried that the “Labor-Greens alliance is back in business” after the two parties struck a deal to pass the nature laws.
The government was negotiating with the Coalition as late as Wednesday but said a deal between the major parties – which industry was calling for – ultimately wasn’t possible because Ley’s team couldn’t settle on what it wanted.
In a fiery speech on Friday, which prompted rowdy cheers from her Coalition colleagues, Ley said the Labor-Greens deal was “economy wrecking”.
We’re here not for lazy deals with the Greens. We’re here for the people of Australia. We’re here for the people we care about.
Nature protection laws pass parliament
Dan Jervis-Bardy
And there you have it, the government’s overhaul of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act has officially passed the parliament.
Dan Jervis-Bardy
PM heralds Labor-Greens ‘Yes-olition’, with nature laws poised to officially pass parliament
A very relaxed looking prime minister, Anthony Albanese, heralded a “good day for the environment” as he strolled into Parliament House for a special Friday morning sitting to officially pass Labor’s nature laws.
The legislation cleared the Senate late on Thursday with changes following a deal between Labor and the Greens, meaning it had to return to the House of Representatives before it could be enshrined in law.
Inside the chamber, Albanese said:
These reforms are a win for business, a win for our natural environment and a win for the country. They mean more investment, more jobs, more housing and more infrastructure and they protect something that every Australian values and has a deep connection to – our treasured and unique natural environment.
Albanese lambasted the Coalition for failing to land a deal despite the wishes of industry, accusing it of changing its position “from hour to hour” during negotiations.
In contrast, he praised the Greens for not allowing the “perfect be the enemy of the good” – a criticism he often makes of his longtime political rivals.
This was a Yes-olition!
For some context, Albanese loves to describe the Greens and Coalition as the “No-alition” when they team up to oppose Labor’s legislation.
Hundreds moving back into once-vacant public housing towers in Sydney
Hundreds of residents are beginning to move back into public housing units in the Sydney suburb of Telopea after the Minns government began refurbishment works earlier this year.
About 240 people will soon live in the three towers, known as the “Three Sisters”, which were vacant and set for demolition under the previous Liberal government. The towers were empty for almost a decade amid a growing housing crisis in the state.
The refurbishment includes renovated kitchens and bathrooms, new flooring and painting, security systems and new community spaces for residents.
The NSW housing minister, Rose Jackson, said:
We’re getting on with the job of delivering homes people can move into today, while laying the foundations for long-term renewal that will transform Telopea into a thriving community.
The former government signed a dud deal and left these towers empty for years during a housing crisis – locals started calling Telopea a ghost suburb because the Wade Street Towers were left vacant for so long.
NSW is also set to begin another project encompassing 423 new homes across the road.
Laws protecting brumbies in NSW national park axed
Controversial laws that gave a wild horse population heritage protections in a famed alpine park are a thing of the past, AAP reports.
A late-night parliamentary sitting repealed laws introduced by the NSW Nationals in 2018, which protected the “heritage value” of the brumby population within the Kosciuszko national park.
Advocates have long argued the protection has helped destroy the park and preference the brumbies over native species.
The repeal bill finally passed NSW parliament’s upper house nearing midnight on Thursday with backing from Labor, the Liberals and crossbench members, although the Nationals maintained their opposition.
Park operators have a mandated target of 3,000 feral horses over nearly one-third of the park by mid-2027, with a controversial cull putting latest estimates at between 1,579 and 5,639 brumbies.
What’s changing in Australia’s nature laws?
Carrying on from Murray Watt’s and Sarah Hanson-Young’s comments this morning about environmental laws …
My colleague Lisa Cox has a rundown of the seven major changes to Australia’s nature laws after their deal with the Greens. They include national environmental standards, ministerial discretion and the closure of logging exemptions.
Read more here:
Swiss tourists victims of NSW shark attack
The woman who died yesterday after being mauled by a bull shark is believed to be a tourist visiting from Switzerland, officials said this morning.
NSW police said the woman, believed to be 25, is yet to be formally identified. A 26-year-old man was also seriously injured in the attack and remains in hospital in a stable condition. He, too, is thought to be from Switzerland.
The shark attack took place at Crowdy Bay in NSW’s mid-north coast, about 6.30am on Thursday morning. The beach remains closed and inquiries are continuing.
Read more here:
