Overview
- The Albanese government, which will outline the plan Wednesday in Perth, is offering more than $45 million over four years to speed approvals for energy, housing and resources projects.
- States that sign new bilateral assessment-and-approval agreements could assess and green-light projects on the Commonwealth’s behalf in a single process.
- The shift removes duplicate federal–state steps and promises one clear yes-or-no decision, which the government argues will curb delays that make investors walk away.
- Median approval times under Australia’s main environment law, the EPBC Act, have grown from about 48 weeks two decades ago to roughly 118 weeks now.
- The announcement also sets up a May budget push on national resilience, while building on November 2025 EPBC reforms that set national standards, increased penalties and proposed a federal EPA.