A number of Factsheets are available below on a range environmental law and planning law subjects, and other related matters. Some are produced jointly by EDO-NQ and EDO Queensland, whilst others have been produced by those offices alone.  All Factsheets produced by EDO-NQ and/or EDO Queensland are available for viewing or downloading, see below.

Recently published factsheets - June 2012

State Planning Policy 5/10: Air, Noise and Hazardous Materials

The policy was developed to complement the existing legal framework and has been effective since May 2011.

•  State Planning Policy 5/10 Air, Noise and Hazardous Materials Factsheets

Challenging Local Government Action: Judicial Declarations under the Sustainable Planning Act 2009

This factsheet explains the judicial declaration under s456 including the advantages and disadvantages as well as the procedural and practical aspects of this section.

•  Declarations under s456 Sustainable Planning Act 2009 Factsheet

An overview of the Vegetation Management Act 1999

This factsheet explains the legal framework for vegetation management in Queensland including vegetation mapping, management codes. How it applies to development approvals, their assessment and consequences for illegal vegetation clearing.

•  Vegetation Management Act 999 Factsheet

Duties and Liabilities of Local Government Representatives

This factsheet outlines the duties and obligations of Local Government Representatives under the Local Government Act 2009 including explanations of misconduct.

•  Local Government Representative Factsheet

Who's who and Regulates What -  Restructured State Agencies in the Queensland LNP Government

The March 2012 Queensland state election brought massive changes to state government.  This factsheet provides contact details for relevant State Ministers and Environmental Agencies.

•  State Government Framework Factsheet

Revised factsheet:

• Indigenous Cultural Heritage Factsheet-June 2012

Ministerial Call in Powers - May 2011

This factsheet explains how development opponents can request the Queensland's Minister for Local Government and Planning to "call in" a development.  That is the Minister decides the merits of the development directly rather than the local council. 

•  Ministerial call in Powers: an alternative way to challenge development

Items covered in the factsheet are:

• prerequisites to the Minister's exercise of call in powers
• is a "State Interest" involved?
• time limitations that apply.

Current factsheets 

EDO Qld has prepared a legal information Fact Sheet to help community members who want to scrutinise and object to a coal seam gas proposal before it is granted an environmental authority. EDO Qld's factsheet is the only document of its kind online.

•   Coal Seam Gas, Community Rights to Object Factsheet

Indigenous Cultural Heritage Law - revised September 2009

Both Queensland and Commonwealth governments have made laws on how indigenous cultural heritage (including places and objects) are able to be dealt with by non-indigenous people, including protection and preservation tools. This factsheet covers the main aspects of the Queensland and Commonwealth legislation which deals directly with indigenous cultural heritage.

•    Indigenous Cultural Heritage Factsheet

Nature Conservation Act - revised October 2009 

The Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld) (“NCA”) has a major role to play in environmental protection and conservation in Queensland. Now you can learn more about it, what it does and how it works with another information factsheet from EDO-NQ!

The NCA is used to declared and protect a variety of protected areas in Queensland, including national parks, conservation parks, resource reserves, nature refuges, coordinated conservation areas and wilderness areas. It is also used to manage and protect wildlife (including native wildlife) in Queensland.

•  An Overview of the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld)

The Right to Information Act 2009 (Qld) is the new regime in place for accessing non-personal information.  Accessing government information can often be very important for conservationists and campaigners and that is why EDO-NQ has produced two factsheets, the first deals with the application process and the second deals with reviewing decisions during that process.

•  1. Right to Information Act - making applications for access
•  2. Right to Information Act - reviewing decisions

Commonwealth's EPBC Act - August 2009

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (“EPBC Act”) is the first overarching piece of Commonwealth legislation for environmental protection in Australia. It was enacted to fulfil Australia’s international obligations under the International Biodiversity Convention, which Australia signed in 1993.

EDO-NQ have put together a series of factsheets about specific processes under the EPBC Act:

•  1. Referral and Assessment of Controlled Actions - an overview
•  2. Making it easier: Making submissions on referrals of controlled actions
•  3. Review of decisions on "controlled actions" and "controlling provisions"
•  4. Merits review of decisions by the Commonwealth Administrative Appeals Tribunal

Possible financial assistance from Commonwealth - August 2009

Introduction to the Guidelines for seeking financial assistance from the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department under the Commonwealth Public Interest and Test Cases Scheme.

•  Commonweath's Public Interest and Test Case Scheme Factsheet

Private Conservation Factsheet Series - June 2009

•  1. Overview
•  2. Nature Refuges and Coordinated Conservation Areas
•  3. Statutory Covenants
•  4. Voluntary Declarations under VMA
•  5. Conservation Agreements and Profit a Prendre Agreements
•  6. Comparative Table of Legal Private Conservation Mechanisms

• Defamation Factsheet - June 2011 How to duck defamatioon and Slip 'Slapp' suits 
• Wet Tropics World Heritage Area Factsheet - Sept 2007
• Freedom of Information – Commonwealth and Queensland Law - FOI 2008
• Peaceful Protest and Your Rights (being prepared)

Planning Law Fact Sheets

EDO Qld have produced a series of detailed fact sheets which are also available via this website.  Please note that the fact sheets address Queensland law specifically and do not apply to other States.  

1. Planning - Overview
2. Planning - Challenging Development
3. Planning - Planning Instruments

Also available on EDO Queensland’s website are a range of Information Sheets including copies of Workshop handouts on the following topics:

• Accessing Information 
• Coal Seam Gas Exploration
• Climate Change
• Commonwealth Environmental Laws
• Defamation
• Environmental Protection - Pollution
• Mining
• Nature Conservation - Species and Areas
• Peaceful Protests
• Pesticides
• Petitions
• Vegetation Protection
• Water
• Using the Law in Community Campaigns