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The new social impact and community benefit amendments proposed to Queensland's planning framework by the Planning (Social Impact and Community Benefit) and Other Legislation Amendment Act 2025 have now taken effect as of 18 July 2025. Applicants for wind and large-scale solar development applications must now satisfy additional obligations before their development application can be lodged.

More than 2,000 workers will see $30,000 pay rises following a major ruling on the Fair Work Act 2009 (Cth)'s new same-job, same-pay provisions. And it's not just workers' pay checks that will be affected: we anticipate that the decision will have far-reaching implications across mining, construction, healthcare and other industries (Applications by the Mining and Energy Union re: Goonyella Riverside Mine, Peak Downs Mine and Saraji Mine; Applications by “Automotive, Food, Metals, Engineering, Printing and Kindred Industries Union” known as the Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union (AMWU) re: Peak Downs Mine, Saraji Mine and Goonyella Riverside Mine [2025] FWCFB 134).

ASIC is taking a closer look at the quality of compliance plans, including whether they include all compliance obligations and set out adequate measures to address each obligation.