Australia: Energy Law

The State Development and Public Works Organisation (Critical Minerals) and Other Legislation Amendment Bill 2026 (the Bill) has passed the Queensland Parliament.

Planning and environmental reforms are reshaping not just approval pathways, but where decision‑making power sits, how legitimacy is earned and how competing policy priorities collide in the delivery of Australia’s next wave of priority projects. The central challenge is no longer speed alone, but whether accelerated delivery can be sustained without undermining confidence, coordination and long‑term outcomes.

A key constraining factor for Australia’s energy transition is the need to convert increasingly complex and interdependent market, regulatory and infrastructure signals into bankable project structures which deliver internationally competitive returns – and to do so at scale and speed.

A Full Court decision clarifies whether future royalty payments and associated security rights can be extinguished by a deed of company arrangement in Australian insolvency proceedings. The case examines the distinction between contingent claims and mere expectancies, with significant implications for creditors holding long-term payment rights in the energy and resources sector.

Australia's 2026-27 Federal Budget introduces targeted capital gains tax reforms for foreign investors in renewable energy infrastructure while focusing on system integration and market modernisation. The Budget notably avoids substantial new funding for large-scale renewable generation, raising questions about how the nation will achieve its ambitious 82% renewable electricity target by 2030.

On 7 May 2026, the Federal Government announced a mandatory domestic gas reservation scheme, to be legislated through Parliament.

Australia's autonomous sanctions regime has continued to evolve over the past 12 months. Driven by ongoing geopolitical tensions, increased global coordination and a commitment...

Australia's restructuring prospects are being shaped by higher refinancing costs and pressures in the country's energy system. Deal execution will also depend on regulatory clearance...

The Australian Government's Gas Market Review Report (December 2025) calls for fundamental reform of the East Coast gas market to address forecast supply...