Improved transparency, certainty and fairness is the focus in the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Amendment Act 2016 (Amending Act), which has received assent from the Governor and will commence on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation. The Amending Act introduces changes to the Land Acquisition (Just Terms Compensation) Act 1991 (Act)…
Tasmania appears to be a focal point for Federal Court decisions with respect to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (EPBC Act). A recent decision of the Full Court of the Federal Court has considered the definition of an ‘action’ as it relates to State Government decisions regarding works where it is…
On 6 May 2016, Planning Minister Rob Stokes announced that the NSW Government was revisiting its ‘revolutionary’ but unsuccessful bid in 2013 to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act. After months of consultation and amid community opposition, changes were blocked by Labor in the upper house. Since then, significant changes have been made to…
Following months of public consultation, the NSW Government has recently introduced the Coastal Management Bill 2016 to Parliament. The Bill will repeal the Coastal Protection Act 1979 and the Coastal Protection Regulation 2011 and is to establish a simpler, more contemporary legislative framework for the management of the NSW coastline. The Bill contains new statutory…
Each year in the Land and Environment Court there are about 50 to 100 criminal prosecutions in the “Class 5” jurisdiction. By contrast there are between 100 and 150 cases filed in the Court’s civil “Class 4” jurisdiction involving civil enforcement and judicial review proceedings. The Class 4 jurisdiction has a number of benefits through the…
On 22 October 2015, the NSW Government introduced the Greater Sydney Commission Bill 2015 (Bill) which has three main objectives: to establish the Greater Sydney Commission (Commission); to provide for the constitution of Sydney planning panels for the Greater Sydney Region; and to amend the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) which will…
Dormant adverse possession claims and historical acquisitions for public works: Lawson v South Australian Minister for Water and the River Murray (No 2) [2014] NSWLEC 189 Infrastructure projects in New South Wales have historically been aided by the provisions under the Public Works Act 1912 (Public Works Act). Under the Public Works Act,[1] the Minister…
