On November fourteenth, a heated debate ensued over proposed environmental law reforms. Former competition watchdog chief, Graeme Samuel, expressed strong opposition to a government proposal allowing the environment minister to override national laws for national interest. He advocated for removing this exemption and incorporating national interest as a factor in new national environmental standards. Samuel also criticized a loophole exempting native forest logging from environmental laws, urging for tougher regulations. Environment Minister Robert Hill shared similar concerns, emphasizing the need for stricter land clearing regulations and agreeing that the logging exemption should be eliminated. Both Samuel and Hill warned that the proposed national interest exemption could lead to political influence undermining environmental protections, highlighting the urgent need for robust and clear environmental laws.

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