The Ministerial Advisory Committee appointed to review the Victorian State Planning Policy Framework has released a draft version of a new Planning Policy Framework that reorganises the policy framework into themes and updates the policy content to include new policies to support Plan Melbourne and ...

The NSW Government has released a draft Biodiversity Offsets Policy for Major Projects that will apply to the assessment of State Significant Development and State Significant Infrastructure Partner Paul Lalich Senior Associate Trent March and Lawyer Dennis Smith consider the implications of the ...

The Papua New Guinea Constitution will be amended to reflect the states ownership of hydrocarbons and minerals under proposals to be put before the PNG Parliament Partner Vaughan Mills and Senior Associate Sarah Kuman report on the implications of these amendments ...

The Governments much anticipated FOFA regulations were registered today and provide significant relief for benefits provided to employees and representatives of product issuers who provide general advice They also expressly allow bonuses to be linked to successful product sales providing the bonus ...

The NSW Court of Appeal has upheld the Land and Environment Courts refusal of the proposed Warkworth mine expansion This case highlights the complexity and onerous nature of the environmental assessment regime for major projects in NSW which empowers the courts to overturn a project approval despite ...

New legislation in Queensland that implements a range of reforms for leasehold land has been passed and will commence on a day to be fixed by proclamation The reforms will provide greater security of tenure for rural leaseholders and are likely to make such leases more attractive to investors ...

Following consultation and feedback a final version of the Metropolitan Planning Strategy known as Plan Melbourne has been launched While the focus of Plan Melbourne continues to be on employment cluster locations and urban renewal opportunities there is also a renewed focus in the final document on ...

The WA Supreme Court has provided important clarification on the enforcement of adjudication determinations by the use of statutory demands under that States security of payment legislation It has confirmed that leave to enforce an adjudication determination as a judgment must be obtained before the ...

As part of its commitment to solving serious air pollution problems the Chinese Government has launched a variety of pilot schemes that will eventually pave the way for the establishment of a national emissions trading market These steps are in marked contrast to the position in Australia where the ...

A recent Queensland Planning and Environment Court decision sheds light on the application of the new rules for awarding costs following a trial Special Counsel Rosanne Meurling and Lawyer David Thorpe consider the recent judgment and provide an update regarding the implications for parties to ...