Rebecca Hoare
Clayton Utz
Rebecca is a Partner in Clayton Utz's Environment and Sustainable Development team, with 25 years' experience advising on environmental and planning law, climate change and sustainability. She advises clients across the energy, mining, infrastructure and government sectors on major project and environmental approvals, land access arrangements and planning appeals, including appearances in the Planning and Environment Court and the Land Court. Her practice also extends to environmental offsets, planning scheme amendments, infrastructure charging and 24-hour emergency incident response, including regulator and stakeholder management, privileged internal investigations, and representation in environmental prosecutions and civil enforcement action.
Rebecca also advises extensively on sustainability initiatives and reporting, carbon pricing, carbon farming, and energy efficiency and greenhouse gas reporting schemes, helping clients navigate their regulatory obligations as environmental and climate risk increasingly shapes project approvals and corporate strategy. She is recognised across multiple legal directories as a leading lawyer in environment and planning law.
*Arrow Energy: advised on the Surat Gas Project, including the application of the Regional Planning Interests Act 2014 (Qld), compliance with state and federal approval conditions, amendments to key approvals, and offset arrangements.
*Cross River Rail Delivery Authority: advised on compensation claims arising from the acquisition of land interests for the Cross River Rail Project.
*Linc Energy Limited: acted for two former executive officers in a prosecution by the Queensland Department of Heritage and Environmental Protection over alleged serious environmental harm from underground coal gasification activities at Chinchilla, described as the largest environmental prosecution in Queensland's history.
*Australian Wildlife Conservancy: acted pro bono in relation to a mining lease application for alluvial gold mining over a nature refuge, briefing environmental experts, drafting AWC's objection, and representing AWC in Land Court proceedings. Achieved withdrawal of the application, protecting the refuge's integrity.
*Cleanaway Pty Ltd (subsidiary): acted in a prosecution by the Queensland Department of Environment and Science over alleged breaches of environmental authority conditions from contaminant emissions at a Narangba waste facility.
*South Endeavour Trust: acted pro bono in relation to a mining lease application over a nature refuge inhabited by the nationally threatened Ghost Bat, briefing experts, drafting SET's objection, and representing SET in Land Court proceedings. Resolved by withdrawal of the application prior to hearing.
*experience from a previous firm