In a split judgment 2:1, the Court of Appeal has confirmed the Planning and Environment Court’s decision that a local government’s planning scheme can make clearing Category X vegetation assessable development. This is despite the Planning Regulation 2017 providing that clearing Category X vegetation is ‘exempt clearing work’.
New reforms to the Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014 have made it clear that Queensland landholders can be reimbursed for out of pocket expenses reasonably and necessarily incurred in preparing and negotiating a conduct and compensation agreement (CCA) regardless of whether an agreement is reached.
The introduction of the Natural Resources and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2019 on 26 February 2019 saw key amendments proposed to the laws governing mineral, energy and petroleum tenure in Queensland. Notable amendments are proposed to the Mineral Resources Act 1989 (Qld) (MRA), the Mineral and Energy Resources (Common Provisions) Act 2014 (Qld) and the Petroleum and Gas (Production and Safety) Act 2004 (Qld) (PGA).
A new waste management and resource recovery strategy developed by the Queensland Government will be underpinned by a new waste levy commencing on 1 July 2019. A review of existing waste regulations in Queensland triggered the change to a risk-based approach to managing waste in the State. The Waste Reduction and Recycling (Waste Levy) Amendment Act 2019 (Amending Act) introducing the levy, received royal assent on 21 February 2019 and will amend the Waste Reduction and Recycling Act 2011.
While announcing the recent round of successful tenders for the exploration of coal and minerals in Queensland, Minister for Natural Resources, Mines and Energy, Dr Anthony Lynham, declared more land open for exploration across the State. The move to unlock further land for exploration follows a recent geological report commissioned by the Queensland Government that substantially upgraded coal reserve estimates across the State’s coal provinces.
The Mineral and Energy Resources (Financial Provisioning) Act 2018 (FP Act) was passed by the Queensland Parliament on 14 November 2018 after much scrutiny since its first reading in bill form earlier in the year.
Hong Kong-based company CK Infrastructure Group’s (CKI) $13 billion bid to buy Australian APA Group and its energy network has been rejected by Treasurer Josh Frydenberg. The Foreign Investment Review Board failed to reach a unanimous ruling on the tender application but expressed concerns that the acquisition would give a single foreign company monopoly of a majority of Australian pipelines.
Natural Resources, Mines and Energy Minister Anthony Lynham has announced the Queensland Government has opened up for exploration a further 6,600 square kilometres of land with coal seam gas potential. Tenders are open until 28 February 2019 for companies to bid on the right to explore the land in Southern Queensland, west of Chinchilla in the Bowen and Surat basins.
Have you or your company been given an enforcement notice under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009 (SPA)? Failure to comply with an enforcement notice is an offence and can carry a hefty financial penalty.
There has been a flurry of recent cases concerning the management of ill and injured employees that provide useful guidance for employers.
The Fair Work Commission (FWC) has decided that the phrase ‘other breaks’ under section 490(2) of the Fair Work Act 2009 dealing with union right of entry does not include the period before or after an employee’s shift.
Officers, financiers, shareholders and other related persons can now be personally liable for company breaches under the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld).