A relative of the iconic NSW waratah has been marked as threatened for the first time by the federal government alongside 19 other species.

The Gibraltar Range waratah, native to the New England region, was added to the national list of threatened species on Wednesday.

The plant is a relative of New South Wales's floral emblem (Telopea speciosissima) and grows in drier and cooler climes than its well-known cousin.

Other species now categorised as threatened include the McCulloch anemone fish, the Conondale spiny crayfish, the Moritz leaf-tale gecko, and the granite leaf-tailed gecko.

A unique cluster of native plants, animals and other organisms on King Island was also listed as threatened under an "ecological community" grouping.

Minister for the Environment and Water Tanya Plibersek said the listing under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act gave each species stronger legal protection.

"Our government is committed to giving our precious threatened plants and animals a brighter future.

"We are acting on the best available advice and science to better protect plants, animals and ecosystems under threat."

Once a species is listed as threatened, it is subject to a range of protections, recovery plans and monitoring by the Threatened Species Scientific Committee, which advises the government on the best way to ensure its survival.

The listings join 13 others categorised as threatened in July, including the pig-nosed turtle and alpine water skink.

In total, 2,138 species across Australia are listed as threatened.

The minister said invasive weeds and pests were the biggest threats to native species, including feral cats and pigs.

The Australian Conservation Foundation's (ACF) campaigns director and acting chief executive Paul Sinclair said analysis from the organisation showed that more species were added to the threatened roll call in 2023 than any other year.

"Australia has a problem," Dr Sinclair said.

"Australia's creeks, forests, lizards, birds, woodlands and wetlands need nature laws with teeth and a strong, independent environment protection agency to enforce them."

Ms Plibersek said the government was committed to protecting threatened species such as the Gibraltar Range waratah through $550 million of funding set aside for threatened species, including projects that targeted invasive pests such as feral cats.

The Labor government is attempting to reform the EPBC Act, which governs threatened species protection, guides the assessment of environmental risk from projects such as mines or developments, and has control over World Heritage areas.

As part of the overhaul, a proposed environmental protection agency (EPA) would act as a watchdog across the country to enforce environmental standards and laws, as well as monitor compliance.

However, Anthony Albanese signalled in a recent interview that the government was willing to gut the proposed EPA's veto power on projects in order to gain Coalition support for the body, in a move deemed a "betrayal" by environmental groups.

The government has so far failed to garner support from the opposition or in the senate on the long-awaited reforms, with many saying national environmental standards — which Australia currently lacks — are needed to better safeguard the country's flora and fauna.

Dr Sinclair said a well-resourced and independent EPA would protect Australian species from "vested interests".

"Every day and every decision matters for our wildlife. Further delays to nature law reform risk more extinctions," he said.

Over 100 species have died out since 1788, a 2019 study of Australian extinctions found, with mammals making up the largest group.