On the 18 June 2014, the Senate referred the following matter for inquiry and report by the third sitting day in 2015.  On 27 August 2014 the reporting date was extended by the Senate to the third last sitting day in June 2015.

The Abbott Government's attacks on Australia's environment, and their effects on our natural heritage and future prosperity, including:

1. attacks on carbon pricing, the Clean Energy Finance Corporation, the Australian Renewable Energy Agency and the renewable energy target, the Climate Change Authority and the Climate Commission;
2. attacks on federal environmental protection through handing approval powers over to state governments, which have poor track records and recent environment staff cuts;
3. attacks on funding for community environment organisations and the Environmental Defenders Offices, abolition of the Biodiversity Fund, and cuts to programs including, Landcare and Caring for our Country;
4. undermining Australia's compliance with the World Heritage Convention, the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the Ramsar Convention, in particular by attacking the Great Barrier Reef and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Areas; and
5. any other related matters.