Cassola calls out Labour greenwash on fines reform

Independent candidate Arnold Cassola has accused Labour of proposing legal changes that will weaken environmental protection.

Cassola said it was shameful that environment minister Aaron Farrugia was using the Environment and Resources Authority (ERA) to propose changes to the regulations which will weaken the system of daily fines for offences against the Environment Protection Act.

The Labour government proposing to remove the possibility of an offender being fined multiple times if the offender breaches the regulations and harms the environment numerous times.

Environmental culprits to get petition rights on fines

“Incredibly, in the case of concurrent offences which are subject to separate daily fines for different offences, the offender is to be subject only to the highest daily penalty applicable at any one time,” Cassola said.

The proposal is intended to replace the present regulations which provide that in case of concurrent offences, the person shall be subject to separate daily penalties that shall accrue separately until all offences are addressed to ERA’s satisfaction.

“Farrugia is weakening the system of fines for offences against the environment and has reduced ERA to the government’s lapdog instead of the guardian of our environment. Apart from that, the Labour government will be introducing the possibility to petition to an Environment and Planning Review Tribunal, to accede to such petitions in part or in whole.

“Our country’s experience of the use of review boards and tribunals has never been a happy one and this proposal, made by a minister with very little credibility in effective environmental enforcement, raises suspicion that another mechanism is being created to allow environmental offenders to get away scot-free.”