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 NSW Minister for Energy has declared a Renewable Energy Zone (REZ) in the Illawarra region. Following a draft exhibition of the declaration in late 2022, this marks the first key step in establishing the Illawarra REZ under the Electricity Infrastructure Investment Act 2020. 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 6 December 2022, the Western Australian State Government announced a new approach to fast-track green energy approvals, intended to ‘slash approval timeframes’ for green energy projects. Snapshot A new dedicated cross-government Green Energy Assessment Unit will be established by the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation. A Green Energy Panel comprising Government and industry … Read more

The NSW Government has released a revised Large-Scale Solar Energy Guideline (Guideline), which provides updated direction on the planning framework and assessment of State significant development (SSD) solar developments, including how the Department of Planning and Environment (DPE) will assess impacts. Read more

The NSW Government has finalised the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan and announced the establishment of a Biodiversity Credits Supply Fund and Taskforce. These initiatives seek to simplify the biodiversity assessment process for parts of Western Sydney and fast track the acquisition of biodiversity credits throughout NSW while improving conservation outcomes. Read more