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

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 Law

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 State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld) and the environment - revised October 2009 

The State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld) (“SDPWOA”) is not particularly well-known by the community, but it contains a number of powers which may affect environmental protection and conservation, and assessment of environmental impacts from development.

The SDPWOA is often used to fast track large or critical projects which purport to progress Queensland’s economic development, and contains a variety of powers to allow the Queensland Government to do that.

•  The State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971 (Qld) and the Environment

Right to Information Act (Qld) - revised October 2009

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 EDO-NQ Defamation and Slapp suits Factsheet - Feb 2008
• 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. Introduction to the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (Qld) (“IPA”)
2. Ecological Sustainability: the Purpose of the Integrated Planning Act 1997 (Qld)
3. Planning Schemes and other Planning Instruments
4. (Being prepared) 
5. Making Effective Submissions on Planning Schemes
6. Development Approvals
7. Making Submissions on Development Applications
8. Public Access to Information and Planning Processes and Development Applications
9. The Planning and Environment Court
10. Appealing and Enforcing Development Approvals
11. Environmental Impact Assessment in Queensland
12. The Structure and Operations or Local Government

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

• Accessing Information
• Climate Change
• Coastal Protection
• Commonwealth Environmental Laws
• Defamation
• Environmental Protection - Pollution
• Heritage
• Mining
• Nature Conservation - Species and Areas
• Peaceful Protests
• Petitions
• Planning and Challenging Development
• Planning - Planning Schemes
• Planning - Regional Plans
• Vegetation Protection
• Water

The following EDO-NQ factsheets available are currently under reveiw:

•  Factsheet - Wet Tropics World Heritage Area 255.32 Kb (To be reveiwed)
•  Factsheet - Heritage 628.20 Kb (To be reveiwed)
•  Factsheet - Protection of Vegetation in planning schemes in Cairns 175.80 Kb (To be reveiwed)