We are Australia’s national environmental regulator and were established on 1 July 2026.
The National EPA brings together regulatory functions of Australia’s national environmental laws into one independent agency. This includes the assessment and approvals functions of the updated Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
We deliver transparent, timely, and evidence-based environmental regulation.
Our work:
- regulates development to protect matters of national environmental significance
- strengthens compliance with national environmental laws
- provides clear, predictable regulatory pathways that support environmentally responsible economic activity and good environmental outcomes.
We are a non-corporate Commonwealth entity lead by a Chief Executive Officer and part of the environment portfolio of the Australian Government.
We are accountable to the Australian Parliament.
Why was the National EPA established?
The National EPA was established as part of environmental reform to strengthen oversight, rebuild trust, and modernise national environmental regulation.
It will be Australia’s first independent national environmental regulator, consolidating regulatory functions into one agency. This will result in:
- More consistent and transparent regulation
- Better environmental outcomes with fewer delays
- Stronger accountability and public confidence
The National EPA’s independence model is:
- A mix of Minister-delegated decisions and CEO-vested decisions.
- Independent compliance and enforcement is a core feature.
The development of the National EPA has been informed by engagement with stakeholders.