In brief...

The EDO is an independent, non-profit, community legal service, practising in public interest environmental law. The EDO's activities include:

• providing the community with legal advice and representation on public interest environmental matters;
• developing and promoting community legal education programs;
• contributing to environmental and planning law reform and policy.

EDO Mission: To defend and enhance our natural and cultural environment by:

• Providing high quality legal advice and representation to the community.
• Improving the understanding of environmental law and promote its use by the community.
• Promoting and encouraging new and improved environmental laws and policies, defending existing environmental laws and working to improve their implementation.
  

EDO Vision: A legal system that protects the environment, promotes its enhancement and encourages public participation in decision making on environmental issues.

Staff list...
Board list...

In detail...

The Environment Defenders Office (Victoria) Limited (EDO) is a community legal service specialising in public interest environmental law. It is an independent organisation with a broadly based membership of individuals and interest groups. It commenced operation in 1991, with a grant from the Victorian Law Foundation, to meet a need in the community for a legal service providing planning and environmental law advice and assistance to people who wish to protect the environment and who cannot otherwise afford to pay for private lawyers.

The EDO attempts to redress the considerable imbalance in resources that exists between the public and those who initiate planning and development proposals. The legislation, regulations, guidelines, processes and by-laws in this area of law are complex and can be intimidating. Those initiating planning, development and other proposals that impact on the environment, typically have both substantial financial resources, and ease of access to expert legal and planning advice and representation. Community groups and individuals wishing to contest or modify such proposals, on the other hand, usually have only limited funds and sources of advice and expertise available to them. The EDO makes it possible for individuals and groups who want to protect the environment to pursue public interest conservation issues through the legal and planning systems with expert, professional help.

The EDO presently employs two full-time and one part-time solicitors, one part-time Administration and Projects Coordinator and a part-time Administration Assistant. The service is also assisted by two secondee solicitors. Staff list... The EDO is governed by a voluntary Board of Directors. Board list...

For advice and information, the EDO can be contacted by phone or email. Contact details...

The EDO is part of a National Network of EDOs in each State and Territory, established under the Commonwealth Access to Justice Program in 1995. The EDO Network has a webpage which provides information about the Network and each EDO. It also facilitates legal research and access to other helpful links. Work being undertaken by the EDO such as policy submissions, is available on the site: EDO Network...

The EDO is partly funded under the Commonwealth Community Environmental Legal Program through the Legal Aid Branch Family Law and Legal Assistance Division of the Commonwealth Attorney-General's Department. Further sources of income are obtained through: Department of Sustainability and Environment; projects funded by charitable trusts; special fundraising events; membership fees; and private donations from members and associates.

Use the links in the left-hand menu to find out more about the EDO's activities.

Read the EDO Constitution (PDF, 90KB)

Read the Annual Report 08-09 (PDF, 300KB)

CEO
Brendan Sydes

Principal Solicitor
Felicity Millner

Lawyers
Elizabeth McKinnon
Gabrielle Tipple (secondee)

Policy and Law Reform Lawyers
Nicola Rivers (Director)
Samitha Rao

Administration and Projects Coordinator
Mandy Johnson

Administration Assistant
Jode Cowie

Development Officer
Rebecca McBurney

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Chairperson
Susie Chippendale
Head of Communications, Australian Red Cross

Deputy Chairperson
Megan Utter

Honorary Treasurer
Richard Hilton
Senior Manager, Assurance Group, Ernst & Young

Honorary Secretary
Miriam McDonald
Consultant, Maddocks

Board member
Sam Broughton
Samuel Broughton Consulting Service

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