Australians have been promised a fundamental overhaul of environmental laws after a major report detailing shocking declines in the health of native ecosystems.
Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek says people will be confronted to learn how poorly the environment is doing and there must be a concerted effort to arrest its decline and repair the vast damage done.
She says Labor will respond to the scathing Samuel review of national environmental laws - delivered under the previous government - by year's end.
