Environment and Sustainable Development 5 Minute Fix 51: net zero, WA state development, EPBC Act and NSW reforms

Climate change

Commonwealth: National Climate Risk Assessment Report and National Adaptation Plan released

On 18 September 2025, the Australian Government unveiled a landmark climate policy package that includes a new 2035 emissions reduction target being a range of 62-70% below 2005 levels, a Net Zero Plan with 6 supporting sectoral plans. This followed the release earlier that week of Australia’s first National Climate Risk Assessment alongside the National Adaptation Plan. Together they map physical risks presented by climate change to 2050 and beyond and set out how governments will coordinate adaptation. The Assessment and Plan demonstrate how critical energy, transport, water security, communities and ecosystems are facing increasing risk of exposure to climate change hazards.

We will be publishing separate articles on the above matters soon.

Commonwealth: Climate-related transition plan guidance released under Treasury consultation paper

Treasury released a consultation paper on 15 August outlining developing best practice for climate-related transition plans as part of its commitments under the Sustainable Finance Roadmap. Transition plans stipulate how entities identify and respond to climate-related risks and opportunities.

While the opportunity to make a submission closed on 24 September, it is relatively clear that the consultation paper signals Treasury's intention to closely align its guidance with that of the International Financial Reporting Standards Foundation’s Transition Planning Taskforce Disclosure Framework. Accordingly, any changes to the final guidance are likely to be peripheral rather than substantive.

Entities which already have a transition plan or have commenced preparation of such a plan should carefully consider how closely the adopted framework aligns with the consultation paper. This will also be especially important for entities with mandatory sustainability reporting obligations and existing transition plans, as they will be required to disclose those plans as part of the reporting process.

Energy

Queensland: Repeal of Forest Wind Farm Development Act

The Queensland Government announced its decision to repeal the Forest Wind Farm Development Act 2020, resulting in the cancellation of the 266-turbine Forest Wind Project, one of the State’s most significant renewable energy proposals. The Act had previously provided a streamlined pathway for the project’s development across state forest land in the Gympie, Maryborough, and Fraser Coast regions. Its repeal signals a shift in the Government’s approach to balancing renewable energy development with community interests and environmental considerations.

The decision follows recent changes to Queensland's regulatory landscape for wind or large-scale solar projects introduced by the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025, which require community benefit agreements prior to filing certain development applications. 

The new regulatory landscape and decision to repeal the Act highlights the Queensland Government's stance on ensuring communities are adequately informed and involved in renewable energy projects.

Renewable energy proponents should anticipate additional time and costs for early community engagement and should carefully review any existing tenure or facilitation agreements in light of these changes.

Major projects

WA: New State Development Bill for Western Australia

The State Development Bill 2025 was introduced to the WA Parliament on 10 September 2025, aiming to fast-track approvals for major strategic projects around WA and unlock strategic precincts.

The key changes proposed by the Bill include granting powers to declare Priority Projects and State Development Areas (SDAs) and formalising the Coordinator General's role in investigation, advisory, facilitation and coordination functions.

For businesses and industry, this means shorter timeframes, increased co-ordination and facilitation of projects through the Coordinator General, and increased certainty in investments for large-scale infrastructure projects and developments which are of strategic or economic significance to WA.

WA: Updates to mining legislation

The WA Government has introduced three key initiatives as a part of the Mining Amendment Act 2022. The initiatives aim to improve the environmental approvals process in relation to mining projects by streamlining approvals for low-risk mining activities and managing compliance for mining activities both for industry and the Department of Mines, Petroleum and Exploration.

Mining companies should review their current and planned activities to determine whether they qualify for the streamlined process and ensure that their compliance systems are up to date with the new requirements.

Environmental protection

Commonwealth: Accelerated timeline on reforms to EPBC Act

The Commonwealth Government has announced it will accelerate the timeline on its national reforms to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) and introduce legislation into Parliament before the end of this year. The reforms will seek to deliver stronger environmental protection and restoration, more efficient and robust project assessments and greater accountability and transparency in decision making.

Alongside the EPBC Act reforms, the Government has committed to establishing a Federal Environment Protection Agency to bring together regulatory functions of Australia's national environmental laws.

Industry potentially impacted by the proposed reforms should monitor news updates in relation to the EPBC Act to keep aware of possible impacts.

Planning

NSW: Landmark reforms to NSW's planning system for housing development

The NSW Government has introduced landmark reforms to the state's planning system under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Amendment (Planning System Reforms) Bill 2025, seeking to streamline development by amending the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 so that more homes and jobs can be delivered across the state. Key elements of the proposed reform include:

• establishing the Development Coordination Authority to provide advice on development applications on behalf of all government agencies as a "single front door";

• providing that consent authorities are required to consider "significant likely" impacts, rather than "likely" impacts for certain development applications;

• new "targeted assessment pathways" for types of development where strategic planning and community consultation has already taken place (which) could greatly reduce approval timeframes for eligible projects; and

• implementing standard conditions for development consents and making changes to certain review and appeal processes.

The proposed reforms signal the NSW Government's effort to prioritise housing development and affordable housing. Developers and stakeholders in the housing sector should review the proposed amendments and consider how they might impact current or future projects, including delivery timeframes.

Special thanks to Samuel Sunter (Melbourne), Sara Pezhhan (Perth), Denise Angelopoulos (Sydney) and Mykaela Faulkner (Brisbane) for their contribution to this edition.