Robodebt for the environment - Rushing AI into EPBC Act assessments could repeat past policy failures
The Minerals Council of Australia has called on the Australian Government to invest $13 million to embed AI tools into federal environmental approval processes, which may drive endangered species closer to extinction.
The Biodiversity Council is a registered Australian not-for-profit charity, recognised by the Australian Charities and Not-for-profits Commission (ACNC), meeting national standards for integrity, transparency and accountability.
Acknowledgements
The Biodiversity Council acknowledges the First Peoples of the lands and waters of Australia, and pays respect to their Elders, past, present and future and expresses gratitude for long and ongoing custodianship of Country.
The Biodiversity Council is an independent expert group founded by 11 Australian universities to promote evidence-based solutions to Australia’s biodiversity crisis. It receives funding from 11 university partners and The Ian Potter Foundation, The Ross Trust, Trawalla Foundation, The Rendere Trust, Isaacson Davis Foundation, Coniston Charitable Trust and Angela Whitbread.
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Robodebt for the environment - Rushing AI into EPBC Act assessments could repeat past policy failures
7 April 2026
The Minerals Council of Australia has called on the Australian Government to invest $13 million to embed AI tools into federal environmental approval processes, which may drive endangered species closer to extinction.
Webinar: Fixing Federal Nature Spending, 15 April 2026
30 March 2026
Four experts share research findings and insights into what's needed to change government investment from harming to helping nature, in this free one-hour webinar.
Fixing Australia’s nature protection laws: Why National Environmental Standards must have clear rules
27 March 2026
The Australian Government's draft National Environmental Standards fall well short of what is needed to deliver real protection for nature. The Standards are expected to be open for public comment in April.
Australia has a lot more Protected Areas than 15 years ago —but are we protecting the right places?
24 March 2026
New research has found that Australia has nearly doubled the amount of land protected in just 12 years, but gains have not been in the areas most important for protecting threatened species and ecosystems.
‘Optimistic spin’ hides worsening nature crisis in government report to UN, experts say
16 March 2026
The Biodiversity Council says the Australian Government is using spin to hide the nature loss crisis and avoid doing enough work to address it, after assessing their first report to the UN under the Kunming-Montreal Global Biodiversity Framework.
New analysis reveals NSW land clearing laws are failing native species
6 March 2026
New research reveals ongoing land clearing in NSW's high biodiversity value areas, including threatened species habitat, prompting urgent reform of the state's legislation.
Back from extinction, now on the brink. The fight to save Victoria’s most imperilled reptile
27 February 2026
Meet the Victorian grassland earless dragon, Victoria's most imperilled reptile. Only a single wild population remains in a rapidly developing region in western Melbourne, leading to calls for the government to buy the site.
Hear from our experts about how Australia can build resilience, protect nature, and support community wellbeing in a future with more frequent and severe natural disasters.
Federal Govt rewards years of illegal jarrah forest clearing by Alcoa with “national interest” shield
19 February 2026
We have raised concern over the Federal Government’s decision to grant a national interest exemption to Alcoa, allowing the American mining giant to continue operations despite years of unauthorised clearing and failed post-mining regeneration.