“I’m it!” Bob Brown puts hand up to lead new national environmental watchdog

One of Australia’s fiercest defenders of nature and biodiversity, Bob Brown, has thrown his hat into the ring to become the first CEO of the National Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) – the “tough cop on the beat” that will be put to work in July as part federal Labor’s amended EPBC Act.

The Bob Brown Foundation said on Friday that its namesake – the founder and first leader of the Australian Greens and a Living National Treasure of environmental activism – is in the process of applying for the job as top “tough cop” at the new green body.

The federal government on Monday opened applications for CEO of the National Environmental Protection Agency (NEPA), which – according to a job ad published in the AFR on Friday – will be Australia’s national environmental regulator.

The ad says the CEO will lead the establishment and day-to-day operations of NEPA, an independent statutory body tasked with providing “accountable, efficient, outcomes-focused and transparent environmental regulatory decision making.”

“The role requires a constructive, solution-oriented regulatory approach that enables regulatory certainty for proponents, while safeguarding Australia’s nationally and internationally significant environmental assets,” it says.

The also job calls for knowledge of, or experience in, public sector administration, or governance and regulation, together with expertise in one or more of: conservation of biodiversity; ecologically sustainable development; heritage; indigenous affairs; law; law enforcement; natural resource management.

“I’m it!” said Brown on Friday. “I do not wish to trumpet my genuine green credentials, but I tick all the boxes… I will provide excellent references from dinkum environmentalists, including lawyers, academics, members of parliament and business.

“I had an open line to Albo when we Greens were in the balance of power, so it’ll be back to well-trodden territory. I commit to genuinely protecting Australia’s environment and have excellent advice for the prime minister on how to achieve just that.”

Brown says the requirement that the successful applicant for the role should be “truly independent” will be critical to the success of NEPA as another layer of environmental protection.

“The most important thing is to be independent of the politics of the day and genuine about protecting the environment and indigenous heritage – as the job parameters require,” Brown told Renew Economy on Friday.

“The other point is being transparent. …True independence comes with true transparency … and authenticity, of course – authentic about the environment.”

On renewables, Brown says his message to the industry would be the same as it is to any other – stick to projects that do not invade natural ecosystems or wild environments.

Another message would be to keep in mind whether there are “prudent and feasible alternatives.”

“Prudent and feasible alternatives to all energy modes is energy efficiency,” he tells Renew Economy. “It is utilising the 15-20 per cent of current waste of electricity that can … provide for decades, for new industry and domestic purposes.

So will DCCEEW take Bob Brown’s application seriously? Minister Watt’s office said in an email on Friday that “if Mr Brown wants to apply he’s most welcome, and can do so like every other candidate.”

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