The Department of Planning, Lands and Heritage (DPLH) has now released final versions of a number of key guidelines designed to support Western Australia’s new Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 (WA) (ACHA). Read more

Following a public consultation period, the Environmental Protection Authority (EPA) has finalised its greenhouse gas assessment guidance and has yesterday published the revised Environmental Factor Guideline - Greenhouse Gas Emissions (EFG GHG). Read more

The Safeguard Mechanism (Crediting) Amendment Bill 2023 was passed by the Australian Parliament on 30 March 2023.  The Bill was primarily introduced to enable the crediting element of the reform, however the changes negotiated with the Australian Greens Party are not limited to crediting and will extend beyond amendments to the Bill itself. We explore key aspects of the Bill and our current understanding of the other agreed amendments to the Safeguard Mechanism Reforms. Read more

The Environmental Protection and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 (Qld) (EPOLA Bill) was passed yesterday. The EPOLA Bill amends the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) with wide ranging implications for Queensland operators, in particular for the resources sector. It also makes minor amendments to the Waste Reduction and recycling Act 2011 (Qld) and the Wet Tropics World Heritage Protection and Management Act 1993 (Qld). Read more

The NSW election on 25 March has resulted in a change of government. A Chris Minns-led Labor team will form a government with an interim Ministry sworn in on Tuesday, 28 March 2023. While we wait for the final counts to come in, we look at what the change of government might mean for energy, climate change and the environment in NSW. Read more

The Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water announced yesterday that it is seeking public feedback on the possible effects of renewable energy projects off the NSW Hunter coast. This announcement follows last year’s declaration of part of Bass Strait off Victoria’s Gippsland coast as Australia’s first offshore renewable energy infrastructure zone. Read more

The NSW Environment Protection Authority (EPA) has published its Climate Change Policy and Action Plan 2023-2026 (Plan). Over the next 12-24 months, under the Plan, the EPA will introduce a number of new requirements for industry participants to take action in response to climate change. Climate Change Mitigation and Adaptation Plans, industry-wide emission-reduction targets and emission limits on environment protection licences (EPL) are some of the proposed actions. Read more

On 20 December 2022, the Auditor General tabled in Parliament the Compliance with Mining Environmental Conditions Report. The Report follows an assessment on whether the Department of Mines, Industry Regulation and Safety (DMIRS) and the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) effectively ensured miners compliance with environmental conditions. The Report found that both DMIRS … Read more