The management of water resources in Australia is an increasingly complex issue. The environment, First Nations communities, the broader community and industry all rely on access to finite water resources. EDO’s submission to the Productivity Commission’s National Water Reform 2024 – Call for submissions addresses jurisdictional progress towards implementing the National Water Initiative (NWI) with […]
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The Environmental Defenders Office has a proud history of providing access to environmental justice. The first EDO was founded in 1985, and as an accredited Community Legal Centre our public interest environmental lawyers have served people and communities across Australia for nearly 40 years. Our clients are grandparents concerned for younger generations, environmental charities acting […]
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Our client Greenpeace launched a major greenwashing case in the Federal Court against Australia’s biggest energy company, Woodside, on December 14. Greenpeace alleges that the fossil fuel giant has been misleading and deceiving Australians about the enormous climate harm of its gas and oil projects. Woodside claims that it cut down on emissions produced from […]
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The Federal Court has invalidated Woodside Energy’s approval to conduct seismic blasting for its Scarborough Gas Project after a legal challenge by a Traditional Custodian. Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper filed a judicial review in August, arguing the offshore regulator NOPSEMA made a legal error in approving the blasting and that Woodside had not met a […]
Read More… from Woodside’s seismic blasting approval thrown out after legal challenge by Traditional Custodian
A Western Australian Traditional Custodian has been granted an urgent injunction to prevent Woodside Energy conducting seismic blasting. Mardudhunera woman Raelene Cooper filed the application last Thursday (7th September) after Woodside warned it was ready to commence blasting, despite an unresolved legal challenge to the validity of its approval. Woodside subsequently agreed not to blast […]
Read More… from “I’m elated” Traditional Custodian granted injunction against Woodside’s seismic testing
Now is the time for a major re-write of legal frameworks to ensure a world where nature thrives. New reports, informed by input from EDO’s legal experts, have shone a light on the inadequacies of key biodiversity conservation and native vegetation laws. As we stare down triple crises (climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss), and […]
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CASE UPDATE: On Thursday 14 September, Justice Colvin decided that the injunction should be granted in part due to the reasonable prospect that the first ground of Raelene Cooper’s substantive legal challenge to NOPSEMA approval of the seismic blasting will be successful. His honour brought the hearing for that argument, and a separate question of […]
Read More… from Woodside halts seismic testing plans after Traditional Custodian applies for urgent injunction
A Traditional Custodian will ask the Federal Court to find that approval for Woodside Energy to carry out seismic blasting in her Sea Country was unlawful. Gas giant Woodside said last week it was ready to begin seismic blasting for its Scarborough Gas Project, despite objections from Custodians who say they still have not been […]
Read More… from ‘The whales are in trouble:’ Traditional Custodian files legal challenge to Woodside’s seismic blasting approval
Joint statement by Slim Parker, Kado Muir, Dr Anne Poelina, Clayton Lewis and Dr Hannah McGlade on the potential repeal of the Western Australian Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021. The WA Government/Premier has indicated that the Western Australian Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 (ACH Act) may be repealed due to private landholder concerns. From a […]
Read More… from WA’s Aboriginal Cultural Heritage laws must be improved and co-designed with First Nations peoples
Woodside’s Scarborough gas project, off the coast of Western Australia, is one of the most polluting fossil fuel projects currently planned in Australia. Climate change is the greatest threat to our fragile Great Barrier Reef. Yet Scarborough was approved without its potentially disastrous impacts to the reef ever being assessed by the Federal Environment Minister. […]
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