Environment

Landmark federal environmental law reforms that will up penalties for environmental breaches and fast-track approvals for renewable energy projects are set to pass the Senate.

A bid for approval of a seniors living complex on Sydney’s northern beaches has stalled after a court found a commissioner ignored mandatory considerations on the mistaken understanding that they conflicted with other planning requirements. 

Imposing a duty of care on the Australian government to protect Torres Strait Islanders from climate change would not involve the Federal Court in matters of political judgment, a failed class action has argued on appeal.

Waste management firm Veolia has agreed to pay $1 million after admitting that it failed to use required odour source controls for its landfill site in Hampton Park, Victoria.

A judge has made contempt findings against a real estate agent who attached discovered documents to emails that railed against alleged collusion between a local council and the EPA, but stopped short of finding he intimidated witnesses in a spat over a Ballarat development.

The government has tabled a suite of changes to the EPBC Act, including the introduction of a national environment protection agency with the power to make ‘stop work’ orders.

Environment minister Murray Watt has resisted calls to split proposed legislation that would overhaul the country's environment laws to allow business-friendly parts of the law to move forward first.

The federal government plans to significantly increase penalties for companies that contravene environment laws as it moves forward with a suite of changes described by Greens Senator Sarah Hanson-Young as “not worth the paper they’re printed on”.

Two activist groups have launched fresh action against Woodside's North West Shelf gas project, after the energy company secured final government approval for an extension to the venture.

A joint venture of AGL Energy and Someva Renewables has been given the government's go-ahead for a new wind farm in NSW's Riverina region that is expected to power almost 600,000 homes.