Law
Reform Calendar 
Last updated: 30/06/10. New items added since the last update are in red.
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Proposed reform |
Timeframe |
Comment |
More info and Resources |
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Victorian Environment Assessment Council review of remnant native
veg on crown land & public authority land (VIC) (VEAC) |
Discussion paper released in June 2010 Submissions due 30
August Final report due date extended to March 2011 |
Focus of the review is on assessing condition and contribution of
these areas. Submissions can be viewed on the website. |
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Performance Benchmarking of Australian
Business Regulation: Planning, Zoning and Development Assessments (Productivity Commission) |
Discussion paper released Submissions due |
Inquiry into operations of the states and territories' planning
and zoning systems re compliance costs for business, competition and
effectiveness of cities. |
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Irrigation
efficiency programs report (Vic) (Auditor
General Vic) |
Report tabled 9 June |
For
information only. There is no opportunity for public submissions in
Auditor-General reporting processes. |
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Hazardous
waste management (Vic) (Auditor
General Vic) |
Report tabled |
For
information only. There is no opportunity for public submissions in
Auditor-General reporting processes. |
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Report due to be tabled |
For information only. There is no opportunity for public
submissions in Auditor-General reporting processes. |
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Urban
growth boundary changes (EPBC strategic assessment and Vic UGB boundaries). (Vic
Govt and Federal Govt) |
Public
submissions closed |
Minister has approved changes to the UGB and is now seeking
Parliamentary ratification. Amendment VC67. The
Federal Govt is doing a strategic impact assessment of the urban growth
boundary realignment and transport corridors under the EPBC Act. |
Victorian Government UGB
website Federal Government EPBC Act strategic assessment
website |
|
Climate
Change Bill (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Bill being drafted now. Introduction supposed to be July 2010 but
may be delayed. |
Little
information about current status of the Bill, however interested people
should write to DSE with their views on what the Bill should contain |
|
|
Draft
Western Regional Sustainable Water Strategy (Vic
Govt) |
Released
for public comment 17 March. Submissions were due 21 June
2010 |
The
Draft Strategy presents proposed responses to manage water resources in the
Western Region for the next 50 years. Submissions from the community and
general feedback will inform the Final Strategy, due for release
later in 2010. |
|
|
Coastal climate change advisory committee issues and options paper (Vic
Govt) |
Submissions
were due Hearings commencing in July 2010 |
Committee
is considering how planning on the coast operates and whether it can meet our
needs into the future particularly in light of climate change. |
|
|
Draft of Australia’s Native Vegetation Framework (Federal Govt) |
Submissions
were due |
The draft is a strategic national policy framework,
aimed at guiding management decisions that affect native vegetation in all
jurisdictions and all sectors of the community |
|
|
Inquiry
into Environmental Effects Statement Process in (ENRC) |
Submissions
were due Hearings being conducted now. Committee
report due |
Committee
seeking comments on weaknesses of Environment Impact Assessment process in
Vic. |
Victorian
Parliament |
|
State
Planning Policy Framework review |
Comments
were due |
SPPF has
been modernised with new themes and an improved structure to accommodate new
and emerging state policies, improve policy expression and help strengthen
its links with the Local Planning Policy Framework. The restructure of the
SPPF is a policy neutral translation of existing policies, removing
repetition and unnecessary information. |
|
|
Plant Biosecurity Bill
Exposure Draft |
Comments
were due |
The Bill
will replace the Plant Health and
Plant Products Act 1995. The objectives of the Bill are to prevent plant
pests and diseases from entering |
|
|
Planning
and Environment Act review (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Discussion
paper released March. Issues
papers released 28 August for comment (no deadline but should comment ASAP
before Bill is finalised) Exposure
draft Bill released for comment December 2009. Submissions were due |
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Sustainable diversion limits for the Murray
Darling Basin Plan discussion paper. ( |
Submissions
were due Analysis
of submissions has been released |
Paper
discusses how SDL should be set for the MDB Plan |
Murray
Darling Basin Authority SDL website |
|
Inquiry into streamlining local government
regulation (VCEC) |
Submissions
were due 16 November. Draft
report released for further consultation April 2010. Final
report to Government August 2010. |
Limited
inquiry. Focus on the administration of: Building
Act; Planning and Environment Act; Subdivision
Act; Road Management Act; Food Act; Public Health and Wellbeing Act; Environment
Protection Act and local laws relating to waste management, noise and other
environmental issues. |
|
|
Inquiry into the Impact of the State Government’s
decision to change the Urban Growth Boundary (Parliamentary Committee) |
Submissions
were due 12 October Report released
|
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Outer
suburban/interface services and development committee of the Victorian Parliament |
|
Enquiry
into the Approvals Process for Renewable Energy Projects in (ENRC) |
Submissions
were due Committee
reported |
Committee
to examine ways to reduce red tape surrounding approval process for renewable
energy projects in |
|
|
Soil
sequestration in (ENRC) |
Submissions
were due on Committee
report due |
Committee
to examine the benefits, detriments and costs of Soil Sequestration
plans. |
|
|
Inquiry
into Water Licences and Rights (Cth) (Senate) |
Submissions
were due Committee report extended until |
Committee
to report on the ability the Commonwealth, across state borders, to
sustainably manage water resources. |
Senate
Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts |
|
Inquiry
into the impacts of mining in the (Senate) |
Submissions
were due Committee
reported |
Committee
to examine, in the context of the Murray-Darling Plan, the impacts of current
and projected mining operations on all environmental values in the |
Senate
Standing Committee on Environment, Communications and the Arts |
|
Proposed
Forests (Licences and Permits) Regulations 2009 - Draft Exposure (Vic) (DSE) |
Submissions
were due |
|
|
|
Climate
change green paper (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Green
paper released in June 2009. Submissions
were due White
paper was due for release late 2009 (but now will be released mid 2010) |
Aimed
at further developing |
|
|
Market Mechanisms for Recovering Water in the (Productivity
Commission) |
Issues
paper released for comment Submissions
were due Draft
report released Final report released |
Study is
looking at appropriate, effective and efficient mechanisms that could be used
to diversify the range of options to purchase environmental water. Submissions
can be viewed on the website. |
|
|
Victorian
Environment Assessment Council review of public land in Metropolitan
Melbourne (Vic) (VEAC) |
Submissions
on the contents of the discussion paper were due March 2009. Discussion
paper to be released in 2010 for consultation. Final
report due date extended to May 2011 |
Purpose
of the review is to investigate the uses condition, value etc of public land in
Submissions
can be viewed on the website. |
|
|
EPBC Act
10 year review on the operation of the Act (Fed) (Independent
review panel) |
Initial
submissions were due Interim
report released 29 June for public comment. Submissions were due Final report
and recommendations released Waiting
for Government response to recommendations |
Submissions
and interim report can be viewed on the website. |
|
|
Tax
reform (Fed) (Fed
Govt) |
Submissions
were due Report
delivered to Govt in December 2009. Govt released |
There
are some specific issues regarding environmental incentives Submissions
can be viewed on the website |
|
|
Access
to Justice (Civil Litigation Reforms) Amendment Bill (Fed) (Fed
Senate inquiry) |
Submissions
were due Committee
reported to Parliament on |
Submissions
and final report can be viewed on the website |
|
|
VCEC
recommendations for environmental regulation reform (Vic) (VCEC) |
Submissions
were due Report
and Govt response to report released by |
The
review is looking at all aspects of environmental regulation in Submissions
can be viewed on the website |
|
|
FOI Act
review (Fed) (Fed
Govt) |
Draft
bills released for public comment. Submissions closed Bills
were introduced into Parliament in |
Submissions
can be viewed on the website |
|
|
( |
Consultation
paper released March 2009. Submissions were due Public
consultations currently being held. President’s
report released |
Submissions
can be viewed on the website |
Outline
of the review in the President’s speech |
|
National
Human Rights charter (Fed) (Independent
Consultation Committee) |
Submissions
were due Committee
reported to Govt on |
Submissions
and final report can be viewed on the website. Government
response not yet released |
Federal Govt human rights
website Human
rights law resource centre |
|
Transport
Legislation Amendment (Integration) Bill (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Legisation passed by Parliament February 2010 Major
Transport Projects Facilitation Bill introduced into Parliament August 2009
(no consultation) and in force |
Bill is
limited to creating overarching objectives and decision-making principles for
all transport legislation. There may be some minor amendments to existing
legislation. Discussion
paper and consultation conducted in 2007/08. Legislation currently being
drafted. May not be any further consultation |
Vic Government 2008 Statement of
Intentions Department
of Transport -Transport legislation review website |
|
Environmental
management in Victorian parks (Vic) (Auditor
General Vic) |
Report
scheduled for tabling |
For
information only. There is no opportunity for public submissions in
Auditor-General reporting processes. |
|
|
VicForests (Vic) (Auditor
General Vic) |
Report
scheduled for tabling |
For
information only. There is no opportunity for public submissions in
Auditor-General reporting processes. |
|
|
Victorian
Human Rights Charter review (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Consultation
has not yet commenced. Report
due to Parliament by October 2011 |
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( |
Cth released a basin plan concept statement in June 2009
which outlines key issues in the development of the plan. Draft
plan for comment expected mid 2010 Plan to
be in place 2011. |
The
Basin Plan will be a strategic plan for the integrated and sustainable
management of water resources in the |
|
|
NWI
third biennial assessment - comprehensive review of the NWI (Vic) (NWC) |
Assessment
in 2010-11 |
COAG
will review the objectives and operation of the NWI in 2011 based on this
review. |
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NEW LEGISLATION |
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If you are aware of law reform issues that could be added to this table please
email edovic (at) edo (dot)
org (dot) au
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Environment
Defenders Office ( |
L3, |
T
(03) 8341 3100 F
(03) 8341 3111 W
www.edo.org.au/edovic |
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public interest environment law |