The Bylong Valley Protection Alliance has been joined as a party in judicial review proceedings in the NSW Land and Environment Court challenging the refusal of development consent for a coal mine in Bylong Valley, NSW. Read more

Government’s intent to reform the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) has been formalised with the tabling of the Environmental Protection Amendment Bill 2020 (WA) on 16 April 2020. While framed as a modernisation of the Act, the substantive reform proposed in the Bill is modest in nature and not comparable to the wholesale reform elsewhere in Australia. However, a number of the amendments will see far greater clarity and real procedural efficiencies, particularly in the Part IV and Part V assessment and approval processes. Read more

More complex, taking longer, and less certain. The Productivity Commission confirms that there is scope for improvement for regulatory processes, including reduced duplication of Commonwealth and State assessments and approvals. Read more

Proponents of projects under construction in NSW can now take advantage of relaxed work day restrictions under new COVID-19 amendments. Read more

New guidance from the NSW Environment Protection Authority may assist to determine when financial assurance is likely to be required. Read more

The NSW Government has introduced the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Territorial Limits) Bill 2019 (NSW) (Bill) into the NSW Parliament. The Bill proposes to prohibit conditions of consent which would regulate downstream greenhouse gas emissions. Read more

A draft bill to amend the Environmental Protection Act 1986 (WA) was released yesterday for public consultation. The draft bill reflects a wholesale review of the Act and proposes the most significant amendments since it was enacted. All land users in WA whose current and future activities are regulated by the Act should closely follow these reforms. Read more

Developments have recently occurred in the Geraldton and South West native title settlements. In-principle agreement has been reached for the Geraldton settlement, while a further hearing in the judicial review proceedings relating to the South West settlement has been listed for November 2019. Land users with interests in these regions should follow the progress of the settlements. Read more