Bill
Environment and Other Legislation Amendment (Removing Nuclear Energy Prohibitions) Bill 2026
before parliament, as at 2026-02-04.
- Sponsor
- Canavan
- Portfolio
- Not recorded
Recorded stages
- introduced — 2026-02-04
- second reading — 2026-02-04
Divisions
No divisions recorded. Most questions are decided on the voices; this does not establish that a bill was unopposed.
Plain-language summary
Written by a model from the explanatory memorandum; not the record, as at 2026-02-04.
The bill would end current bans that prevent the environment minister from allowing the building or running of certain nuclear facilities under federal environment law.
It does this by deleting specific provisions in the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998.
The changes would take effect the day after the law receives royal assent.
- Repeals the ban on the minister approving nuclear facilities under sections 37J, 140A, 146M and paragraph 305(2)(d) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
- Repeals the ban on building or running certain nuclear facilities in section 10 of the Australian Radiation Protection and Nuclear Safety Act 1998.
- Leaves untouched state and territory authority to shield their people and environment from harmful radiation.
- Maintains the foreign minister's power to decide on permits under the Nuclear Non-Proliferation (Safeguards) Act 1987 for proposed facilities.
The minister for environment and people or organisations seeking to establish nuclear facilities are affected.
Sources
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