Environment

Legal experts say climate-related litigation will continue -- and even increase -- despite a judge's dismissal this week of a class action by Torres Strait Islanders alleging the government was negligent in failing to protect them from the harmful effects of climate change.

A judge has found that the government owes no duty of care to Torres Strait Islanders to protect them against the effects of climate change, despite finding that there was a very real risk they could become “climate refugees”.

A long-running class action against the Murray Darling Basin Authority over alleged negligent water management, including the failure to consider the impacts of climate change, will head to trial next month, just weeks after the court issues judgment in another closely watched climate class action. 

A judge has allowed a Central Coast resident to weigh in on Optus’ challenge to a council's refusal to bless its plans to build a telecommunications tower, saying the council’s “commercial relationship” with the telco justified a contradictor.

Two conservation groups opposing Whitehaven Coal’s Winchester South coal mine in Queensland's Bowen Basin have won court approval to adduce late expert evidence on possible climate scenarios.

HWL Ebsworth has acquired Adelaide law firm Botten Levinson Lawyers, boosting the firm's environment and development law offering in the region.

An activist group which unsuccessfully challenged the government’s approval of a wind farm in North Queensland because of its effects on rare birds has lost its bid to dodge costs on public interest grounds, with a judge saying both sides sought to advance the public interest.

Allens has represented a renewable energy joint venture between infrastructure investor Igneo Infrastructure Partners and developer CleanPeak Energy in securing financing.

A real estate developer based in the Victorian town slated as the location for a waste-to-energy plant has lost its challenge to the proposed project.

Major water infrastructure projects in Victoria have secured a $40.6 million boost from a new state and federal funding partnership.