The truth sometimes shines through the noise of political theatre.
This week, Prime Minister Anthony Albanese painted the Federal Coalition as inept and childish, whilst Environment Minister Murray Watt described negotiations over the long-awaited EPBC Reform Bill as “shambolic.” That was the line the mainstream media ran with.
But in Parliament, the Prime Minister said something else—something that cut against the prevailing narrative. He thanked Liberal Senator Jonno Duniam, the former Agriculture and Forestry Minister under the Coalition government, for his “good faith negotiations.”
That acknowledgement matters.
Last week, Wood Central carried two major pieces on the reform story.
Michelle Grattan’s analysis was scathing of the Coalition, under the headline “When the Music Stopped, the Greens Outplayed the Coalition.” Meanwhile, a joint article by academics Justine Bell-James (UQ), Euan Ritchie (Deakin), Phillipa McCormack (Adelaide), and Yung En Chee (Melbourne) ran under the banner “Environmental Reform Has Finally Landed: But Can it Protect Nature?”
Buried in their assessment was a surprising concession: “Wins for Liberals.”
Among those wins was Senator Duniam’s push to reshape the definition of “unacceptable impacts” on critically endangered species.
The final Bill pares this back to projects that “seriously impair viability.” In practice, developments cannot be rejected simply because they might impair viability—they must do so in a way that is severe in nature and extent.
This shift, subtle in wording but significant in effect, strengthens certainty for business and industries such as forestry. It also reflects Duniam’s ability to secure outcomes in a hostile negotiating environment.
The Bill passed on 28 November 2025, though the final text is not yet available on the Parliamentary website.
A Senator Who Does the Heavy Lifting
Jonno Duniam is no stranger to environmental portfolios. He served as Shadow Minister for the Environment in the last Parliament, and before that as Assistant Minister for the Environment in the Coalition Government. At the time, insiders noted that Duniam often shouldered the work that then-Minister David Littleproud found “too difficult or challenging.”
Before entering federal politics, Duniam was Chief of Staff to the Tasmanian Premier. Having spoken to a colleague who spent a short time with the Senator in a Hobart whiskey bar down the lane from the Tasmanian ALP Office (although noting he didn’t actually drink), he can attest to his focus and conviction.
Duniam is a champion for the Tasmanian timber industry and is very clear about what drives him. It is evident he is a rising star in the Federal Coalition—literally a standout in the current party room.
Why Albanese’s Praise Matters
Anthony Albanese is not known for offering easy compliments to his opponents. His reputation is that of a hard fighter, often uncompromising in the cut and thrust of parliamentary debate. For him to go on record acknowledging Duniam’s “good faith” is no small gesture.
It signals that even in a week where the Coalition was cast as chaotic, one senator managed to cut through—delivering tangible outcomes and earning respect across the aisle.
In the end, when the dust settled on the EPBC reforms, the Prime Minister’s words spoke louder than the headlines. The truth sometimes shines through the theatre. This week, it shone on Jonno Duniam.
