21-30 of 144 results
A new era of environmental governance: national agencies and tougher penalties
Following announcements in April about next steps in the Federal Government's 'Nature Positive' reforms (see our previous Insight here), three Bills have been tabled in Parliament to implement Stage 2 of the three stages of amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1 ...
Government support for critical minerals industry escalates
The WA and Federal Governments have recently announced significant funding and regulatory support packages to accelerate the development of Western Australia into a critical minerals powerhouse. ...
Mandatory human rights due diligence in the mainstream – what the CS3D means for companies
The EU Corporate Sustainability Due Diligence Directive (CS3D) has been approved by the EU Council and EU Parliament and is expected to be formally adopted in coming months. The CS3D will establish a due diligence standard on sustainability issues and create potential legal liability for in-scope co ...
Second stage of EPBC Act reforms announced: draft legislation expected shortly
Draft legislation is expected to be introduced into Parliament in the coming weeks to create two new national independent bodies: Environment Protection Australia and Environment Information Australia. ...
The new draft Taskforce for Nature-Related Financial Disclosure framework: is biodiversity next in corporate ESG reporting?
The TNFD recently released the first beta version of its reporting framework. Modelled on the Taskforce for Climate-Related Financial Disclosures, the framework seeks to establish a method for companies to identify, assess and report on material nature-related risks and opportunities. ...
Technology Investment Roadmap Discussion Paper: it's all about where to direct public funds
In the recently released Technology Investment Roadmap Discussion Paper, the Federal Government puts forward a proposed framework to govern the investment of public funds in the development of new technologies designed to lower emissions. ...
Avoid, minimise, offset and adapt – greater scale helps Australian agriculture build climate resilience
Over recent decades, the number of farmers in Australia has been decreasing and the size of farms has been increasing. According to the Federal Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment, larger farms tend to be more profitable, invest more in innovation, and generate a higher rate of return on capital than smaller farms. ...
Mandatory climate-related financial reporting is here: guidance for reporting entities
On 12 January 2024, the Federal Government released the exposure draft of the Treasury Laws Amendment Bill: Climate-related financial disclosure. In this Insight, we explain key elements of the Draft Legislation, including areas of uncertainty that have been raised in submissions to government. ...
Constitutional cloud cast by High Court over state taxes affecting goods: Vanderstock and the future of federal-state taxation powers
In its recent decision of Vanderstock v Victoria, the High Court has ruled by a 4:3 majority that the Victorian electric vehicle road user charge is unconstitutional. ...
TNFD Recommendations to prompt a step change in nature risk management and disclosure
The Taskforce on Nature-related Financial Disclosures recommendations (the TNFD Recommendations) provide a means to standardise nature-related risk management and reporting, and to capitalise on nature-related opportunities. ...