Law
Reform Calendar 
Last updated:
|
Proposed reform |
Timeframe |
Comment |
Resources |
|
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
due |
A draft Bill has been released for public comment by February
2010 |
|
|
Inquiry into Environmental Effects Statement Process in (ENRC) |
Submissions due Committee report due |
Committee seeking comments on weaknesses of Environment Impact
Assessment process in Vic. |
Victorian Parliament |
|
Plant Biosecurity
Bill Exposure Draft |
Comments 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 |
|
|
State Planning Policy Framework review |
Comments 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. |
|
|
National Directory for Radiation
Protection draft Amendment No. 5 (Australian Radiation Protection and
Nuclear Safety Agency) |
Submissions due |
The Directory provides nationally
uniform requirements for the protection of people and the environment against
exposure or potential exposure to radiation and for the safety of radiation
sources. |
|
|
Sustainable diversion limits for the Murray
Darling Basin Plan discussion paper. ( |
Submissions
were due |
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
to be released by |
|
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
to report no later than |
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 due to Parliament 29 November 2009 |
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 due for release late 2009 (but unlikely to be released until 2010) |
Aimed
at further developing |
|
|
Climate
Change Bill (Vic) (Vic
Govt) |
Release
date unknown. Likely to be at the same time as or after the climate change
white paper released. |
Little
information about current status of the Bill, however interested people
should write to DSE with their views on what the Bill should contain |
|
|
Market Mechanisms for Recovering Water in the (Productivity
Commission) |
Issues
paper released for comment Submissions
were due Draft report released Final report now due to Govt 24 March 2010 |
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. |
|
|
Urban
growth boundary changes (EPBC strategic assessment and Vic UGB boundaries). (Vic
Govt and Federal Govt) |
Public
submissions closed On |
Govt is
reviewing submissions and is yet to make a final decision on the alignment of
transport corridors and grassland reserves. 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 |
|
Victorian
Environment Assessment Council review of remnant native veg on crown land
& public authority land (VIC) (VEAC) |
Submissions
on the contents of the discussion paper were due Discussion
paper due for release in 2010 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. |
|
|
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 Panel report and recommendations released |
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 to release early
2010 |
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 VCEC
report sent to Treasurer on Treasurer
must release report and Govt response to report 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 was due |
Submissions
can be viewed on the website |
|
|
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) |
Policy statement
released 2009. Legislation due to be introduced into Parliament late 2009. 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 |
|
Irrigation
efficiency programs report (Vic) (Auditor
General Vic) |
Report
scheduled for tabling |
For
information only. There is no opportunity for public submissions in
Auditor-General reporting processes. |
|
|
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. |
|
|
Hazardous
waste management (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 |
|
|
|
( |
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. |
|
|
NEW LEGISLATION |
|
|
|
|
Greenhouse
Gas Geological Sequestration Act 2008 (Vic) |
Proclaimed
|
Act
regulates the long-term underground storage of carbon dioxide. |
Discussion of the regulatory framework surrounding
this issue |
|
Parks
and Crown Lands Legislation Amendment ( |
Second
reading speech in Legislative Assembly on |
Bill
aims to expand reserves and park in |
|
|
Parks
and Crown Lands Legislation Amendment (River Red Gums) Bill 2009 (Vic) |
First
reading in Legislative Council 12 November 2009. |
Bill
expands reserves and parks in the River red Gum area; and provides for
Traditional Owner majority boards of management for areas of public
land. |
|
|
Electricity
Industry Amendment (Premium Solar Feed-in Tarrif)
Bill 2009 (Vic) |
Bill
passed in Legislative Council 6 November 2009. |
Bill
proposes to establish a scheme whereby households who have small-scale solar
photovoltaic systems receive a regular feed-in tarrif. Aim is to reduce costs-barriers to
Victorian households switching to solar energy. |
|
|
Carbon
Pollution Reduction Scheme Bill 2009 [No. 2] (CTH) |
Introduced
into House of Representatives |
|
|
|
Clean
Energy Security Bill 2009 (CTH) |
Introduced
into House of Representatives on |
|
If you are aware of law reform issues that could be added to this table please
email edovic (at) edo (dot)
org (dot) au
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO EDO
POLICY PAGE
CLICK HERE TO RETURN TO EDO
HOME PAGE
|
Environment
Defenders Office ( |
L3, |
T
(03) 8341 3100 F
(03) 8341 3111 W
www.edo.org.au/edovic |
The Environment Defenders Office is an
independent, not for profit, community legal centre, specialising in
public interest environment law |