In the media – Victoria
First Victorian offsets projects declared
eligible
The Clean Energy Regulator has approved the first Victorian offsets
project under the Carbon Farming Initiative. The Hallam Landfill
Gas Project uses the Capture and combustion of methane in landfill
gas from legacy waste methodology, and is located in the Port
Phillip local government area (29 November 2012)
More...
Builders Hand Back I in 3 Blocks of Land
Latest research from the National Land Survey Program (NLSP)
Melbourne chapter shows that thirty percent of new land activities
for the September quarter were cancellations. The current level of
cancellations is put into perspective when during the property boom
(June 2009 - December 2010) the cancellation rate averaged four
percent (28 November 2012)
More...
UDIA Releases 10 Point Plan for Vic Affordable Housing The Urban Development Institute of Australia (Victoria) called for the establishment of a Housing Affordability Commission to review all proposals from government affecting land and housing costs as part of a ten point plan to restore affordable housing in Victoria (28 November 2012) More...
New guidelines for development in Victoria's water catchments The Victorian Coalition Government has introduced new guidelines that will allow sensible development in potable water catchment areas (22 November 2012) New guidelines for development in Victoria's water catchments
In the media – New South Wales
Urban Taskforce backs NSW council reform
calls
The head of property development lobby group Urban Taskforce
Australia has come out in support of the Independent Local
Government Review Panel's (ILGRP) call for improvements in
local government regional collaboration through its proposal to
establish Regional Planning Boards and Joint Regional Planning
Panels (30 November 2012)
More...
Rail corridor development essential to house
Sydney's growing population
The recent report by the NSW Parliament on the utilisation of rail
corridors makes good planning sense for managing population growth,
says the Urban Taskforce. Sydney has grown outwards from its CBD
with a series of radial road and rail corridors but many of these
corridors are underdeveloped and lacking in a good urban character
(29 November 2012)
More...
NSW Government announces new property management
body
NSW Minister for Finance and Services Greg Pearce has announced
changes to the way the Government manages its property portfolio,
including the establishment of a new property management body to
replace the State Property Authority (21 November 2012)
More...
In the media – Queensland
AEMC issues final Power of Choice
recommendations
The Australian Energy Market Commission has released its final
report providing recommendations from their Power of Choice
inquiry. The Power of Choice inquiry sought to identify ways to
make the National Electricity Market more efficient through
encouraging end-consumers to play a greater role in adjusting their
demand and generating electricity (30 November 2012)
More...
Report confirms record spending in major resources and
energy projects
A report released by the Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics
has confirmed that the Australian resources industry has many years
of impressive activity ahead. The Resources and Energy Major
Projects October 2012 report, details 87 major projects which have
committed investment of $268.4 billion and also identifies 277
projects in the planning stages (28 November 2012)
More...
Native Title Tax Treatment clarified by
Government
Amendments to the Tax Laws Amendment (2012 Measures No. 6) Bill
2012 introduced into Parliament clarifies the income tax treatment
of native title benefits and confirm that certain capital gains
from native title rights are not taxable. This change will help
improve native title agreement-making and ensure Indigenous
Australians are able to unlock the economic potential of their
native title (29 November 2912)
More
Legislation ensures Australian ETS to link up with
European ETS
Legislation passed by Senate last night will enable Australia and
Europe to begin linking their emissions trading systems. Businesses
can now purchase permits under the European Union Emissions Trading
System to use for compliance under Australia¡¦s system
from 2015 (27 November 2012)
More...
Australian's water consumption decreases yet prices
rise
Household water prices have risen 17 per cent in the last year
while total household water consumption dropped by eight per cent,
according to the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) publication
released today. The average price of water for households increased
to $2.44 per kilolitre in 2010-11 from $2.10 per kilolitre in
2009-10 (27 November 2012)
More...
Public comment open on New Acland
expansion
The Newman Government is calling for public comment on new draft
terms of reference for a proposal to expand the New Acland Coal
Mine in the Darling Downs. The revised proposal significantly
reduce its impact on agricultural land, and moved it further away
from local communities (30 November 2012)
Call for comment on New Acland expansion
Interest groups have their say in Nature Conservation
Act review
The Newman Government is undertaking wide-ranging consultation with
industry groups from across the state, as a review of
Queensland's Nature Conservation Act gets underway with
representatives of conservation groups and industry bodies from the
tourism and resources sectors (29 November 2012)
Interest groups have their say in Nature Conservation Act
review
New Legislation Reforms SEQ Bulk Water
Industry
The South East Queensland Water (Restructuring) and Other
Legislation Amendment Act 2012 passed by Parliament provides for
the merger of the SEQ bulk water businesses into a new bulk water
supply authority. It also abolishes the Queensland Water Commission
(QWC) on 1 January 2013 (29 November 2012)
Newman Government's Legislation Reforms SEQ Bulk Water
Industry
Queensland Infrastructure Authority to oversee Games
construction
The delivery of major infrastructure for the Gold Coast 2018
Commonwealth Games is one step closer with the passage of the
Economic Development Bill 2012, creating the Commonwealth Games
Infrastructure Authority (CGIA) for a coordinated approach to
developing infrastructure for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth
Games (29 November 2012)
Infrastructure Authority to oversee Games construction
Newman Government reforms assist small miner
operators
Queensland's smallest mining operators will benefit from a raft
of regulatory reforms designed to cut red tape for opal, sapphire,
ruby and other gem stone operations. Key reforms proposed through
the Mines and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2012 mean eligible
small scale miners currently on a mining lease for gemstones can
transition to a mining claim of up to 20 hectares for a 10 year
term (28 November 2012)
Newman Government pitches in to help small miners
New Gasfields Commission powers
established
The Newman Government steps towards improved co-existence between
resource companies, landholders and communities with the
introduction of the Gasfields Commission Bill 2012 to the
Queensland Parliament, formalising the powers of the Gasfields
Commission (27 November 2012)
Gasfields Commission powers established
e-conveyancing Bill introduced in
Queensland
The Electronic Conveyancing National Law (Queensland) Bill 2012 has
been introduced into parliament to provide the legislative
framework in Queensland for the implementation and operation of the
national electronic conveyancing system. The Bill mirrors
legislation recently assented to in New South Wales (27 November
2012)
Bill to pave way for cheaper conveyancing for Queenslanders
Government cuts red tape for graziers on Leasehold
Land
Queensland landholders seeking to renew their grazing lease will
benefit from simpler processes and greater certainty through a
streamlined State Rural Leasehold Land Strategy (22 November 2012)
Newman cuts red tape for graziers on Leasehold Land
Queensland's biggest tourism project given green
light
Queensland's biggest-ever tourism development, a $1.4 billion
integrated tourism and residential community at Ella Bay, in far
north Queensland, has been given the green light to proceed. The
project proposes the creation of three resort precincts, four
residential precincts, a retail village, an 18-hole golf course and
a cassowary research and education centre (20 November 2012)
Green light for Queensland's biggest ever tourism
project
In practice and courts – Victoria
Victorian Building Authority
Planning Minister Matthew Guy has announced that a new
Victorian Building Authority will be established to oversee
building industry regulation (29 November 2012)
Planning Permit applications
New Guidelines for assessing planning permit applications in
open, potable water supply catchment areas have been released by
the Department of Sustainability and Environment (29 November
2012)
Vic: commencement of retail leasing
amendments
The Retail Leases Amendment Act 2012 (Vic) has recently commenced.
The purpose of the Act is to amend the Retail Leases Act 2003 to
reduce red tape and improve the operation of that Act
More...
Electronic conveyancing one step closer, 21 November
2012
Legislation to adopt the Law has also been introduced in: Victoria:
Electronic Conveyancing (Adoption of National Law) Bill 2012 (Vic)
(excluding s 39, relating to liability and compensation) www.legislation.vic.gov.au.
In practice and courts – New South Wales
Electronic conveyancing one step closer, 21 November
2012
The
Electronic Conveyancing (Adoption of National Law) Act 2012
(NSW), hosting the (proposed) model
Electronic Conveyancing National Law (Appendix to the Act), was
assented to 20 November 2012 (to commence on proclamation).
In practice and courts – Queensland
Adoption of Amendments to the Brisbane City Plan
2000
Council has adopted amendments to the Brisbane City Plan 2000, to
replace the Mt Gravatt Central
Local Plan and the Upper Mt Gravatt Major Centre Local Plan, with
the Mt Gravatt Corridor Neighbourhood Plan. and associated
consequential amendments. The new Neighbourhood Plan is to become
effective on and from 23 November 2012. View on Council's
website under 'Mt Gravatt Corridor Neighbourhood Plan' at
www.brisbane.qld.gov.au
(23 November 2012)
Consultation: City Centre Master Plan
details
The updated City Centre Master Plan will provide a strategy to meet
the growing demands of the Brisbane CBD to 2031. Focusing on
transport, the economy, built form, culture and the public realm,
consultation will continue in 2013, with a statutory review of the
City Centre Neighbourhood Plan in 2014 (22 November 2012)
More...
Published – articles, papers, reports – Queensland
Resources and Energy Major Projects October 2012
Report
Source: Bureau of Resources and Energy Economics
Details 87 major projects which have committed investment of $268.4
billion. The 87 projects are made up of 51 minerals projects, 18
gas and petroleum projects and 18 infrastructure projects, and
include 11 'mega projects' which cost more than $5 billion
each (released 28 November 2012) Resources and
energy major projects—October 2012
Cases – Victoria
Hoult & Anor trading as Red Door Cafe v Leonello
Service Centre Pty Ltd (Retail Tenancies) [2012] VCAT
1737
Retail tenancies, dispute between landlord under the head lease and
sub-tenant, landlord a party to the sub-lease, jurisdiction of the
Tribunal under the Retail Leases Act 2003 and/or the Australian
Consumer Law and Fair Trading Act 2012 More...
Legal Services Commissioner v McGregor (Legal Practice)
[2012] VCAT 1742
Legal Profession Act 2004; disciplinary charges; deficiency in
solicitors' trust account; deficiency subsequently remedied;
'round robin' transaction intended to avoid client
incurring a liability to pay stamp duty; alleged dishonesty;
whether professional misconduct or unsatisfactory professional
conduct More...
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