The EDO Bulletin is a free weekly bulletin that provides a listing of news, events, public notices and opportunities for public comment.
EDO News and Events
1. EDO Seminar Materials: The Dying Murray – Is there a legal cure?
2. Northern Rivers Seminars: Brainfood in Byron – Human Rights and the Environment
3. Northern Rivers Workshops: Changes to Planning Laws
4. Student Writing Competition: Overeating the environment?
Law and Policy Watch
5. NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee: Call for Public Submissions
6. EDO Policy Submissions: EPBC Act submission date extended
EDO in the Media
7. ABC Radio National: NSW Govt brushes off calls for independent catchment study (19 August 2008)
8. Northern Star: Rous may pull the plug (23 August 2008)
9. Technical Advisory Panel article: A Lost Opportunity for Leadership (New Matilda, 22 July 2008)
Environmental Law Notices – New South Wales
10. Major Project Proposals – Invitation to Comment
11. State Conservation Notices – Invitation to Comment
Environmental Law Notices – Commonwealth
12. EPBC Referrals – Invitation to Comment
Community News
13. EPLA Conference 2008
14. Public Forum - Tillegra Dam: Environmental and financial folly or water necessity?
15. PIAC Protecting Human Rights: Train-the-Trainer
16. Biodiversity Conference: It’s More Urgent Than You Think!
17. Amnesty International Human Rights & Security Network: Seminar series on International Law and Human Rights
EDO News and Events
1. EDO Seminar Materials: The Dying Murray – Is there a legal cure?
The slides and information presented at this seminar last Friday 22 August are now available on the EDO website, under the heading ‘Seminars and Workshops’ at http://www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/default.php
2. Northern Rivers Seminars: Brainfood in Byron – Human Rights and the Environment
Although they are thought of as two distinct realms, many human rights depend on environmental protection, and vice versa. The EDO Northern Rivers invites you to a series of free seminars presented by local and visiting experts on the interdependence of the social and natural worlds, with a focus on international issues and initiatives. See below for the topics scheduled.
The seminars are to be held on the last Friday of the month at the Verandah Room (first floor), Byron Community Centre, 69 Johnson St. Arrive at 6pm for drinks and nibbles with the talk commencing at 6.30pm. Seminars will conclude with a question time.
29 Aug Sanitation Ben Fawcett, ex-Southampton University
26 Sept Mining Techa Beaumont, Mineral Policy Institute
31 Oct Water Ilona Millar, Baker & McKenzie
28 Nov Chemicals Dr Mariann Lloyd-Smith, National Toxics Network
For more information, please call Mark Byrne, Education Officer, Environmental Defender’s Office Northern Rivers, on (02) 6622 8470
3. Northern Rivers Workshops: Changes to NSW Planning Laws
Major changes to NSW’s planning and development legislation, the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979, were passed in June 2008. Over two evening workshops in the Northern Rivers region, EDO solicitors will explain the changes to professionals, community groups and members of the public. Topics will include:
• Plan-making
• Development assessment
• Exempt and complying development
• Private certification
• Community infrastructure contributions
• Remaining appeal rights
• A proposal for what the Act should look like
Port Macquarie *Note revised time and venue
Time: 3-5 pm
Date: Tuesday 26 August 2008
Venue: Port Macquarie City Bowling Club, Owen St
Murwillumbah
Time: 6-8 pm
Date: Thursday 4 September 2008
Venue: CWA Hall, 20 Queen St
The workshops are free of charge, however RSVP is essential. For more information or to register your interest, contact EDO Northern Rivers Education Officer, Mark Byrne on 6622 8470.
4. Student Writing Competition: Overeating the Environment?
The EDO has recently launched a new national environmental law journal, IMPACT! We would like to invite tertiary students to participate in a student writing competition, with a chance to be published in the upcoming edition of IMPACT! and win $500, courtesy of Maddocks.
The topic of the next edition will be ‘Overeating the Environment?’ dealing with issues relating to food and sustainability.
The rules and guidelines for the competition are listed below:
• The competition runs once a year (IMPACT! is a biannual publication)
• The winning entry will receive $500 and be published in the upcoming edition of IMPACT!
• Entrants must have been enrolled at an Australian tertiary institution in the previous 12 months
• Entries must relate to the topic of the upcoming edition
• Articles should focus on Australian law but use international examples where applicable
• Minimum word count 2,500, maximum 3,000
• Deadline for all entries is 8 September 2008
• Send your entries as attachments to EDO NSW
• Publisher reserves the right to edit entries
For more information and suggested essay topics for the upcoming edition, got to www.edo.org.au/edonsw and follow the student prize link.
Law and Policy Watch
5. NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee: Call for Public Submissions
The NSW Fisheries Scientific Committee has made a proposed determination to list the eel tailed catfish, Tandanus tandanus, in the Murray/Darling Basin as an Endangered Population in Part 2 of Schedule 4 of the Fisheries Management Act 1994 and to list Haswells caprellid, Metaprotella haswelliana, a small marine amphipod, as a Species Presumed Extinct in Part 4 of Schedule 4 of the Act.
The Fisheries Scientific Committee is calling for public submissions on the proposed determinations which are available on the Committee's website www.fsc.nsw.gov.au
Any person may make a written submission which should be forwarded to:
Fisheries Scientific Committee
c/- NSW DPI
Locked Bag 1
NELSON BAY NSW 2315
Submissions will be considered for their scientific content in reference to the subject and must be received by 25 September 2008. For further information contact Simon Kirkness on (02) 4916 3828.
6. EDO Policy Submissions: EPBC Act submission date extended
The date of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act submissions has now been extended until 22 September. The EDO policy team, in collaboration with the Australian Network of Environmental Defender’s Offices, is currently working on this submission, as well as a submission to the Federal Government’s Green Paper.
The submission on the State Environmental Planning Policy (repeal of concurrence and referral provisions) 2008 is now available on the EDO website, at www.edo.org.au/edonsw/site/policy.php. Previous submissions can also be found here.
For more information on the EDO’s submissions, please contact the EDO office on (02) 9262 6989.
EDO in the Media
7. ABC Radio National: NSW Govt brushes off calls for independent catchment study (19 August 2008)
This news item reported on the NSW Government’s refusal to undertake an independent water catchment study on a farming area on the Liverpool Plains region. Farmers in the region are contesting this decision, fearing that mining in the area could contaminate underground water aquifers that supply water for stock and domestic use.
The EDO has been assisting a group of farmers from the region (Caroona) in relation to the licence for coal exploration granted over their properties.
The full transcript of the item is available here http://www.abc.net.au/pm/content/2008/s2340529.htm
8. Technical Advisory Panel article: A Lost Opportunity for Leadership (New Matilda, 22 July 2008)
This article by member of the EDO’s Technical Advisory Panel, Iain MacGill in collaboration with Regina Betz, comments on the Federal Government’s Green Paper, stating that the Paper and its proposed Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme ‘suggests that our current political process is incapable of effectively responding to the challenge of climate change.’ MacGill and Betz go on to discuss various problems and challenges presented by the Green Paper and the proposed Scheme.
For a full-text of the article, visit http://newmatilda.com/2008/07/21/lost-opportunity-leadership
9. Northern Star: Rous may pull the plug (23 August 2008)
This article discusses the decision by Rous Water to consider alternative options to construction of a dam at Dunoon for future water supply. This decision followed a public consultation with representatives from Byron, Ballina, Lismore, Richmond Valley and from the Department of Primary Industries, the Department of Water and Energy and the Farmers Association.
EDO Northern Rivers Principal Solicitor Sue Higginson is mentioned in the article, expressing her concern that Rous Water was seeking to get the dam approved under Part 3A of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act and that there would be no requirement to have an environmental impact statement or a species impact statement under such an approval.
The full-text of the article can be found at http://www.northernstar.com.au/storydisplay.cfm?storyid=3782586
Law Notices – New South Wales
10. Major Project Proposals – Invitation to Comment
For a full listing of Major Project proposals currently available for public comment, visit the Department of Planning website at http://www.planning.nsw.gov.au/asp/das.asp
• Blacktown: Resource Recovery Facility– EIS, Rouse Hill
• Snowy River Shire: Snowmaking, Perisher Range Resorts, Kosciuszko National Park
• Richmond Valley: Sand Extraction, Brewers Road, Koppenduff
• Tumut and Snowy River Shires: Chairlift, Mount Selwyn Alpine Resort, Kosciuszko National Park
11. State Conservation Notices – Invitation to Comment
The full listing of conservation plans is available for public comment on the National Parks and Wildlife website at http://www.environment.nsw.gov.au/consult/DecPublicConsultation.htm
There are no new notices since the last eBulletin.
Environmental Law Notices – Commonwealth
12. EPBC Referrals – Invitation to Comment
Referrals under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 are available for comment on the Department of Environment and Water Resources website at: http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl
The following referrals have been listed within the last 7 days:
New South Wales
Coal and Allied Operations Pty Ltd/Residential development/Catherine Hill, Nords Wharf and Gwandalan Lake Macquarie NSW/NSW/Residential Subdivision and Development
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4419
Warren Shire Council/Transport – land/Macquarie Marshes, Marebone, 40km north-north-west of Warren/NSW/Marebone Choke – Gradgery Lane Upgrade Project
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4411
Queensland
BM Alliance Coal Operations Pty Limited/Mining/Approximately 40kms South East of Moranbah, Bowen Basin/QLD/Develop an Open Cut Coal Mine at Daunia
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4418
Sunstate Engineering Pty Ltd/Mining/Approx. 12km S of Kenilworth on Maleny Kenilworth Road/QLD/Sand and Gravel Extraction Cambroon
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4412
Jason Dixon/Residential development/Lot 7 Chisholm Trail Oak Valley/QLD/Private House, Pool, Driveway and Gardens Construction
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4415
Air Force Headquarters, Department of Defence/Commonwealth/RAAF Base Amberley, Southern Amberley Rd, west of Ipswich/QLD/Australian Super Hornet Flying Operations at RAAF Base Amberley
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4410
Nigel Benton/Residential development/Lot 16 Chisholm Trail Oak Valley/QLD/Private House, Pool & Shed Construction
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4407
Western Australia
Iluka Resources Limited/Mining/Tutunup Road 17km east of Busselton/WA/Tutunup mineral sands mine
http://www.environment.gov.au/cgi-bin/epbc/epbc_ap.pl?name=current_referral_detail&proposal_id=4409
Community News
13. EPLA Conference 2008
The Environmental and Planning Law Association (EPLA) is an organisation whose members are drawn from many environmental disciplines including from the fields of planning, environment, architecture, local government and the legal profession. EPLA is holding its upcoming 2008 annual conference in the heritage village of Bangalow in the Northern Rivers hinterland. Topics that will be the focus of the conference include:
• Climate change in the Development Assessment Process
• Biodiversity Banking
• Rural, coastal and regional issues
• Legislative updates – State and Commonwealth laws
• Recent developments
The EPLA Conference not only enables practitioners to meet their mandatory CLE and CPD requirements but affords an opportunity to meet with fellow practitioners and consultants in an informal atmosphere.
Dates: Friday and Saturday, 17 – 18 October 2008 (Conference dinner 16 October)
Venue: A & I Hall of Industries, Bangalow
For further information or to register, contact Michele Kearns on 8227 9600
14. Public Forum - Tillegra Dam: Environmental and financial folly or water necessity?
The controversial proposal for a major new dam on the Williams River in the Upper Hunter Valley will cost up to $1 billion, flood an area the size of Sydney Harbour and forever alter the local community and environment.
To discuss this proposal, speakers:
• Stuart White, Director, Institute of Sustainable Futures
• Cate Faehrmann, Executive Director, Nature Conservation Council of NSW
• John Kaye, NSW Greens MP
• Carol Pasenow, No Tillegra Dam Group
Time: 5:15pm for 5:30pm start
Date: Monday 1 September
Venue: Jubilee Room, NSW Parliament House
For more information please contact Leigh Martin of the Total Environment Centre, on (02) 9261 3437
The event is hosted by the Total Environment Centre, the National Parks Association, the Nature Conservation Council and the No Tillegra Dam Group.
15. PIAC Protecting Human Rights: Train-the-Trainer
Many of the rights we take for granted have no protection under Australian law. Human rights are a way of promoting social justice for disadvantaged people. This training will be useful for anyone who is interested in understanding and speaking out about human rights.
This one-day workshop will equip you with the knowledge and skills to conduct human rights training in your network, group, organisation or sector. Workshop content will include principles underpinning human rights, sources and types of human rights, and impact of gaps in human rights protection. It will examine different models of human rights protection, including a Bill of Rights. It will also debate the merits of a Bill of Rights and discuss what would make a difference in NSW.
Date: Friday 26 September 2008
Venue: Dapto, Wollongong
Cost: $80 including GST. Course fee includes materials, morning and afternoon tea and a certificate of attendance.
For more information, contact Lizzie Simpson on (02) 8898 6522
16. Biodiversity Conference: It’s More Urgent Than You Think!
Biodiversity is the variety of life in the form of genes, species, populations and ecosystems found on Earth – on land, fresh water and in the oceans.
Human actions have degraded the variety of these natural resources to the point where the planet is experiencing a sixth mass extinction event.
Once gone there is no return. The irreversibility of biodiversity depletion and extinction is the most serious challenge facing society today..
This free public conference will open on Saturday 20 September with the viewing of the documentary ‘Strange Days on Planet Earth’ by National Geographic and then continue with various guest speakers, including Greens MP Lee Rhiannon, and internationally recognised ecologist, Professor Andy Beattie, on Sunday 21 September.
When: Film documentary commences 2pm Saturday 20 September; Conference and speakers commence 9.30am Sunday 21 September, until 4pm.
Venue: Turramurra Masonic Hall, cnr Turramurra Ave and Pacific Highway
Cost: Free (donations welcomed)
17. Amnesty International Human Rights and Security Network: Seminar series on International Law and Human Rights
This seminar series, held throughout August and September, is an introductory course for anyone who’s ever been curious about what International Law is, who it applies to and how it’s enforced. No prior knowledge is necessary.
Program
20 August Introduction to International Law
27 August International Institutions
3 September Introduction to International Human Rights
10 September Human Rights Treaties
17 September Enforcement of International Law
24 September The Role of NGOs in Global Civil Society
Venue and time
Amnesty International Australia
Level 1, 79 Myrtle St
Chippendale
6.30pm – 8pm Wednesday
Cost
$10/$5 per seminar
$50/$25 for the course of six
Untitled Document
This bulletin is meant for your general information. Where possible, references are given so that readers can access original sources or find more information. Any information contained in this bulletin does not represent legal advice.
The EDO does not endorse and is not affiliated with events advertised in the Community News section.
