Environment law and policy tracker

Law and policy changes in all jurisdictions, and a roundup of jobs, grants, awards and seminars. Includes election commitments by the Coalition, Labor, the Greens and the Nick Xenophon team.

Upcoming events
Jurisdictional round-up (national, states and territories)
Jobs and appointments
Election commitments tracker

** Featured vacancies ** Adelaide City Council is recruiting to fill five sustainability positions, including two focused on its 'carbon neutral' efforts.

Upcoming events:

Bonds and climate change: The state of the market in 2016 A July 4 launch of a Climate Bonds Initiative/HSBC 'state of the market' report in Sydney, with remote login available.
Climate adaptation conference A July 5 to July 7 conference in Adelaide, hosted by NCCARF and CSIRO.
Contaminated land forum A July 12 EIANZ conference in Canberra.
Municipal Association of Victoria environment conference A July 12 to July 13 conference in Melbourne.
Managing your waste (regulatory changes and funding opportunities) A July 13 conference in Melbourne, hosted by the Australian Environment Business Network.
Large-scale solar A July 19 to July 20 conference in Brisbane.

For other events, including a talk by Tim Flannery on sustainable population and climate change, see the extensive Footprint what's on listings.

National:

The Standing Committee on Environmental Health has released interim national health guidance on perfluorinated compounds.
The Clean Energy Finance Corporation is lending unlisted property fund manager Quintessential Equity $68 million to improve the design of a $120 million 14-level commercial office tower in Geelong so that it achieves a market-leading 5.5 star standard under NABERS.
Renewables agency ARENA received 20 eligible applications for its $100 million large-scale solar PV competitive funding round, which closed last week. The proposals sought $211 million in funding towards $1.6 billion worth of projects that have a total capacity of 757MW. ARENA expects to announce successful projects in September.
The E3 energy rating program has issued a revised prioritisation plan that focuses on regulating products offering the most scope for improving energy productivity (related article for subscribers only).

Queensland:

Submissions close on August 5 on the State Government's Advancing climate action discussion paper.
Award nominations invited: The Queensland Government has invited nominations for the 2016 Premier's sustainability awards, with applications closing on July 15.

NSW:

Environment Minister Mark Speakman has outlined environmental aspects of the 2016-17 State Budget.
The NSW Government has received legal advice that its regulations requiring cruise ships in Sydney Harbour to use low sulfur fuel are invalid (related article for subscribers only).
The EPA has gazetted new resource recovery exemptions for several technologies that rapidly decompose food waste (related article for subscribers only).
The EPA has issued eight fines and 44 official cautions to eight turf farms in the Hunter Valley. The measures followed inspections of 10 turf farms, five of which had previously been inspected in 2015.
Grant opportunity: The NSW Government is inviting grant applications under round four of the organic waste infrastructure program, with individual grants of up to $5 million on offer for infrastructure and equipment that reduces the amount of food and garden organic waste going to landfill. Applications close July 13.
Award nominations invited: Applications close on July 11 for the NSW Green Globe awards.

ACT:

Grant opportunity: Applications close on July 6 for grants totalling up to $2 million that will be distributed to companies installing energy storage batteries in the ACT.

Victoria:

Comment closes July 13 on proposed changes to Victoria's VEET scheme that would allow businesses to subsidise complex energy efficiency projects (related article for subscribers only).
The State Government has announced grants for 42 lifesaving clubs for the installation of five-kilowatt solar panel systems.
Grant opportunity: Sustainability Victoria is offering resource assessment grants to cover 50% of the cost of a resource assessment of their operations. Grants are capped at $10,000 for a combined materials and energy assessment, with a $3,000 implementation bonus also available. Applications must be submitted by August 5.

Tasmania:

The EPA has concluded that a proposed temporary clay pit in Cranbrook proposed by Tasmanian Irrigation Pty Ltd can be developed and managed in an environmentally acceptable manner, subject to conditions.
Nominations close on August 10 for the EPA Tasmania sustainability award.

Western Australia:

Energy Minister Mike Nahan has introduced the National Electricity (Western Australia) Bill 2016, which would transfer the regulation of Western Australia's electricity network to the Australian Energy Regulator.
Nahan has also introduced the National Gas Access (WA) Amendment Bill 2016 that would transfer the regulation of the state's gas network.
Horizon Power is about to tender for the Carnarvon energy storage trial, which will involve the supply of a 2MW/2MWh energy storage system.
The Marine Stewardship Council has certified the Peel-Harvey Estuary's blue swimmer crab fishery and its sea mullet fishery, with Fisheries Minister Joe Francis saying it is "vital" that all the state's key fisheries obtain certification.
The Legislative Assembly is debating the State Government's Biodiversity Conservation Bill and has rejected a series of Labor amendments.

Northern Territory:

Grant opportunity: The EPA has invited applications for its 2016-17 environment grants program.

Jobs and appointments:

ANZ is seeking a Sydney-based environment sustainability manager.
Polyglot Group is recruiting on behalf of a major consultancy for a principal environmental consultant for the defence sector.
Yarra Pilbara is seeking an environmental officer for its Burrup ammonium nitrate plant.
Douglas Partners is seeking a Sydney-based environmental scientist/engineer.
Victoria's Country Fire Authority is seeking a remediation works project manager.
Queensland's Department of Environment and Heritage Protection is seeking a manager for its wildlife unit.
Litoria Consulting is seeking a Brisbane-based environmental scientist/ecologist.
James Cook University is seeking a lecturer in corporate environmental management. The Rottnest Island Authority is seeking a Perth-based environment and sustainability officer.
The Yarra Energy Foundation is seeking a clean energy program manager.
Testing laboratory ALS is seeking a Darwin-based environmental services representative.

ELECTION COMMITMENTS:

Coalition:

The Coalition has announced it would impose mandatory restrictions on HFC imports, with the aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 million tonnes between now and 2030 (related article for subscribers only).
The Coalition's smart cities policy commits it to directing up to $100 million a year from the budget of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation to projects that deploy renewables and energy efficiency technologies in cities.
The Coalition would allocate up to $1 billion from the budget of the Clean Energy Finance Corporation over 10 years for "clean energy projects" that have the co-benefit of improving water quality in the Great Barrier Reef.
The Coalition would ban the sale of cosmetic products tested on animals either in Australia or overseas.
The Coalition would establish a $5 million threatened species recovery fund to support community projects to protect endangered species, and has nominated nine initial projects for funding.
The Coalition would amend the Fisheries Management Act 1991 to ensure the Australian Fisheries Management Authority "takes into account the interests of all fisheries users – commercial, recreational and indigenous fishers".
The Coalition would amend legislation to increase the size of a number of management advisory committees for specific fisheries to enable the appointment of a recreational fishing sector representative, and move to have recreational fishing sector representatives appointed to Resource Assessment Groups.
The Coalition would establish a $30 million parks and environment funding package, comprising $24 million for projects to improve local parks, $5 million for a solar communities program and $1 million to provide surf clubs with cleaner outboard motors.
The Coalition would allocate $6 million for a second crown-of-thorns control vessel on the Great Barrier Reef, as part of its $210 million Reef Trust.
The Coalition would invest $150 million to fast-track the assessment and construction of water infrastructure across Queensland.
Existing Coalition Government environment and climate initiatives are outlined in a Plan for a cleaner environment publication issued just before the election was called.

Labor:

Labor would provide $98.7 million over four years to establish up to 10 community power hubs to kick-start clean energy projects, including more than $16 million annually for grants.
Labor would provide new funding of $377 million in addition to the Coalition's $123 million, creating a $500 million five-year fund for the Great Barrier Reef that will direct up to $300 million for "direct environmental investment", with the remainder going to research and reef management.
Labor would invest $4 million to fund a water infrastructure feasibility study for Townsville, examining options including raising the wall of the existing Burdekin Dam.
Labor released its climate change action plan ahead of the election being called, with commitments on renewable energy, emissions trading and energy efficiency.

Greens:

The Greens have proposed a $17.5 million package for the first stage of the Wet Tropics Management Authority's yellow crazy ant eradication program.
The Greens have announced a forests policy that includes commitments to immediately stop logging of all high conservation value forests and implement a "rapid planned transition" out of native forest logging.
The Greens have released a renewing community housing policy that would retrofit all public and community housing with solar panels and energy-efficient appliances.
The Greens would containerise nuclear waste at Sydney's Lucas Heights waste facility pending an independent inquiry into radioactive waste production and management and would maintain existing bans on importing and storing international nuclear waste.
The Greens have issued an environment policy that commits to establishing a national EPA, introducing a new federal Environment Act and creating a national certification scheme for environmental consultants.
The Greens have issued new solar commitments including a $192 million sustainable schools program and an overhaul of electricity market legislation.
The Greens have launched a wildlife policy, with commitments that include re-establishing a $2 billion biodiversity fund, with funding allocated over six years.
The Greens have proposed a public transport fund, involving the allocation of $10 billion over four years to projects in various capital cities.
The Greens have backed Climate Council calls for a doubling of the number of trained firefighters by 2030, and have proposed a $120 million allocation over four years.
The Greens' Renew Australia plan makes commitments including the generation of 90% of the nation's electricity from renewables by 2030 (announced before the election was called).
The Greens have also released a supplementary Renew Queensland plan.
The Greens have released a plan to accelerate the uptake of electric vehicles.
The Greens have released a battery storage plan.
The Greens have released a living reefs, dying coal package involving restrictions on coal mining and gas production and a coal export levy.
The Greens have released a caring for coal workers plan, that would audit the gap between secured rehabilitation bonds provided by coal mining companies and actual rehabilitation costs and the establishment of a Federal Trust Fund to hold money from mining companies to pay for clean-ups.
The Greens have proposed a ban on political donations by companies. The Greens have advocated the establishment of an Australian infrastructure bank.

Nick Xenophon Team:

The NXT's environmental commitments include:

supporting a renewable energy target of 50% by 2030.
calling on state governments to preserve prime agricultural land;
considering adopting California's vehicle emissions standards in Australia;
protecting groundwater from any adverse impacts of mining and coal seam gas exploration;
having "an efficient emissions trading scheme based on the Frontier Economics scheme";
having "federal legislation to protect key environmental assets", rather than dealing with them on a state-by-state basis;
maintaining the right of environmental and community groups to pursue legal action under environmental legislation.