The Queensland Conservation Council has welcomed Labor’s commitment to introduce an independent environmental protection agency (EPA), calling for a bipartisan approach to ensure environmental criminals are held to account.

The announcement comes following a lengthy campaign by a number of environment and community groups and regional conservation councils across the state and also nationally, as well as peak environment group QCC.

This Earth Day, we don't want empty words or cute infographics about saving the planet. We want real protection for our environment, which starts with an independent EPA for Queensland.

See what JCU students at February 2023's O-Week Market Day had to say about the role an independent EPA could play in Queensland...

Queensland has a rich natural legacy - an abundance of plant and animal species, many of which are found nowhere else in the world. Sadly, we’re also a state that has historically fallen well short when it comes to protecting that natural legacy for future generations.

In the lead up to the 2020 Queensland election, we were thrilled to see a commitment from Queensland Labor to "investigate and consult on the establishment of an independent Environmental Protection Agency which other states have to protect our environment, create jobs, and support economic growth."