Australia is set to to overhaul its decades-old nature laws with a raft of major reforms including the country's first independent environment regulator.
After a years-long deadlock, the Labor government struck a last-minute deal with the minority Greens party to get the laws passed, after talks with the opposition stalled.
The changes include more protections for native forests, stricter rules for land clearing and a limit on fast-tracking of coal and gas projects but critics say more is needed.
Australia's Prime Minister Anthony Albanese said the laws were a win for nature and business and would speed up major projects linked to housing, renewable energy and critical minerals.
With support from the Greens, Labor's proposed changes are expected to pass through the Senate on Thursday, the last sitting day for parliament this year.
