An analysis of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act by progressive think tank the Australia Institute has found only a fraction of the roughly 5500 projects referred since the act’s inception in 2000 have been challenged using “third-party appeal rights”. And of those 5500, only 27 have been the subject of third-party legal appeals. …
Legal experts say the Federal Government’s plan to stop environmentalists “sabotaging” major projects could actually result in more time being spent in the courts. Earlier this month, legal proceedings by a Queensland environment group forced the Government to reconsider its approval of Adani’s $16 billion Carmichael coal mine because Environment Minister Greg Hunt had not …
The Abbott government has revealed plans to repeal a section of Australia’s environment laws that allows green groups to challenge approvals for mining projects and other large developments in the courts. Federal Attorney-General George Brandis said the government would seek to repeal section 487 (2) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act and “return …
Conservationists says the government is trying to hush them after exposing dodgy practices. Thom Mitchell reports. The Victorian government has fined a conservationist who exposed what the Environment Minister described as “very disturbing” and “extremely poor practice” logging, despite reports he helped prepare becoming a catalyst for substantial reform of industry guidelines. In April this …
The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) is examining ways to adjust Victoria’s forest management framework to increase safeguards for large old trees, while providing greater certainty for the timber industry around harvesting operations. DELWP Land Management Policy Executive Director Peter Beaumont said a recent review of the state’s regulatory framework for native …
While the nation argues over the treatment received by footballer Adam Goodes, the Abbott Government is overseas stitching up the secret TPP trade deal that no one wants but the major corporations. Put simply, the Trans Pacific Partnership (TPP) is a deal which will agree to allow major corporations that produce chemicals, foods, medicines and …
The ABC, SBS and Australia Post could lose special regulatory treatment under trade measures being pushed for by the US. Leaked details of the controversial Trans-Pacific Partnership trade negotiations, published today by WikiLeaks, reveal that the futures of publicly owned enterprises such as Australia Post, the ABC, SBS and state power utilities may be on …
The Victorian Department of Environment, Land Water and Planning will change logging regulations after clearing VicForests of illegal logging in East Gippsland. The state-owned VicForests has been cleared of logging cool temperate mixed rainforest in the Bendoc State Forest, near the NSW border. VicForests general manager Nathan Trushell said the organisation was pleased with the …
Compensation paid by developers who damage biodiversity may do more harm than good if it is misused by governments, say researchers. The team, writing in today’s issue of the journal Nature, argue that there is nothing to stop such ‘biodiversity offset’ funding from being used to carry out conservation work governments have already agreed to …
With recent changes to the renewable energy target, the burning of native forest wood waste can once again earn credits for generating clean energy, but there’s dispute about whether burning native forest waste for energy is ‘carbon neutral’. Background Briefing reports. The owners of one of Australia’s oldest and dirtiest coal-fired power stations‚ÄîHazelwood in Victoria’s …
