Welcome to this week's issue!

Further to last week's Keynote Spotlight on Professor Josh Byrnes AM, we are pleased to announce our next EIANZ 2025 Annual Conference keynote speaker: Keith Bradby OAM, founder of Australia's earliest landcare groups and current CEO of Gondwana Link, Australia's largest landscape restoration project!

As a WA Landcare Hall of Fame member, Keith brings decades of proven experience working across sectors from mining consultation to policy development, including successful policy reforms that prevented public land being sold off for agriculture, transforming land clearing controls across south-western Australia.

Drawing from his diverse career spanning landcare, cross-sector collaboration, and community advocacy, Keith will share practical insights on building trust and finding common ground between seemingly disparate stakeholder groups. Attendees will discover actionable strategies to unlock transformative environmental outcomes that no single sector could achieve alone - learning how to build powerful coalitions between communities, government, and industry for lasting impact.
Learn more about Keith →
Register for the 2025 Annual Conference →

Environment Minister Murray Watt has confirmed that Australia's environment laws will be overhauled with 'no-go' zones where development will be completely banned. The reforms will also create areas where projects can proceed without individual assessments to speed up approvals.

The new planning approach, a key recommendation of the Samuel Review, will consider the cumulative impacts of developments on habitats rather than assessing projects individually. This is expected to particularly benefit the renewable energy sector, which faces years-long delays under current planning laws. The reforms aim to help Australia reach its goal of 82 per cent renewable energy this decade, with renewables currently making up about half that amount. The reworked Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act is set to be introduced to parliament by the end of this year.
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At the request of the Institute and CEnvP Scheme, Alan Chenoweth CEnvP HLMEIANZ has authored the article Reconciling Personal Morals with Professional Ethics.

The article discusses how environmental practitioners face ethical dilemmas when balancing their professional obligations to clients with their personal environmental values, particularly when working on projects that may harm the environment. Thank you, Alan for providing this practical resource.
Read the article →

This week, Victoria's historic treaty legislation was tabled in parliament, promising to empower First Peoples and explicitly stating it won't take anything away from the broader community. If passed, the treaty will make the First Peoples' Assembly permanent under a new authority called Gellung Warl, which will have decision-making power over matters affecting Aboriginal Victorians.

The treaty requires a formal government apology and mandates that the state must consult with First Peoples when making laws or policies about them, including those related to cultural heritage and land management. Victoria is the first Australian state to introduce treaty legislation to parliament, with the new authority set to be fully operational by July 2026.
Learn more →
Read EIANZ's Indigenous Peoples' Knowledge and Engagement Position Statement →

Members are invited to respond to Talent Nation ESG’s annual survey to receive their FY2026 Environment and Sustainability Remuneration Report, valued at $395. The report is a critical benchmarking tool for environmental organisations to build high-performing teams and for individuals to align salary expectations with market conditions.

The sixth annual survey explores professional motivations beyond salary, emerging sector challenges, and leadership expectations in an increasingly competitive market.  The survey closes at midnight on Friday, 26 September 2025.
Take the survey →

Australia’s approach to koala conservation is under renewed scrutiny after two contrasting developments this month. Federal approvals have allowed nearly 4,000 hectares of koala habitat to be cleared in 2025 – the highest annual figure since the species was listed as vulnerable in 2012. Conservationists argue this exposes the failure of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act to safeguard critical habitat.

At the same time, the NSW government has announced a $140 million Great Koala National Park on the Mid North Coast. The 476,000-hectare reserve will combine existing parks with state forests, phase out logging in certain areas, and fund transition support for regional workers. The park is expected to protect about one in five of NSW’s remaining koalas.

For practitioners, the mixed policy signals highlight both risks and opportunities. The scale of approved clearing raises the likelihood of reforms to federal biodiversity law, which could tighten approval conditions and expand offset requirements. Meanwhile, the creation of a major new reserve demonstrates how state governments may intervene more directly in land management, with implications for forestry, regional planning, and biodiversity assessment. Experts caution that habitat protection alone will not address other pressures such as climate change, bushfire risk, and disease.
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New Zealand has sharply increased penalties for breaches of the Resource Management Act (RMA). From 4 September 2025, fines rise to $1 million NZD for individuals and $10 million NZD for companies, the largest increase since the Act began.

The government aims to deter unlawful discharges, damaging land use, and serious consent breaches. Councils and regulators are expected to pursue tougher prosecutions. Importantly, insurance policies cannot cover criminal fines, meaning financial risk sits directly with consent holders.

Developers and operators now face much greater exposure, making monitoring, audits, and robust compliance systems critical. Consultants and legal advisers are likely to see increased demand as enforcement intensifies.
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Commercial fishers are calling for temporary fishing bans in two South Australian gulfs to protect remaining breeding stocks, whilst seeking financial support during the recovery period. Approximately 40 commercial fishers are now without work, struggling to access government grants due to bureaucratic barriers. State authorities are currently assessing fish stock levels to determine whether regulatory changes are needed, though no immediate restrictions are contemplated.

The call for bans comes just days after Greens senator Sarah Hanson-Young argued that the South Australia's algal bloom should be declared a national disaster, stating the government would have responded faster if it had occurred at popular Sydney beaches like Bondi.
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See Sarah Hanson-Young's comments →

WA Premier Roger Cook has announced new legislation to streamline development approvals for energy and defence projects, aiming to cut red tape and attract international investment.

Academics are concerned the reforms concentrate too much power in too few hands, risking less transparency and potential for political favouritism, warning the changes could fast-track approval of damaging fossil fuel projects without proper scrutiny, leaving future generations to deal with the consequences. Industry groups and the opposition have welcomed the reforms, citing frustratingly slow approval processes that have hurt WA's competitiveness as a mining destination.
Learn more →

A chlamydia vaccine for koalas has received nationwide approval from Australian authorities, marking a breakthrough for protecting the endangered species after over a decade of research by the University of the Sunshine Coast. The single-dose vaccine has shown strong results in trials, reducing mortality from the disease by at least 65 per cent and decreasing the likelihood of koalas developing symptoms during breeding age.

Chlamydia is one of the leading threats to koala populations, causing painful infections, blindness, infertility and death, with south-east Queensland's wild population now down to fewer than 16,000. Researchers are now calling for government funding to roll out the vaccine to at-risk populations in Queensland and New South Wales by the end of 2026.
Learn more →

A University of Melbourne research project, partnered with the Australian Research Council, is evaluating how Indigenous Preferential Procurement Programmes (IPPPs) are implemented and their impacts on Indigenous businesses, communities, and procuring organisations.

The study aims to identify best practices for designing IPPPs to ensure positive outcomes. This represents the first national investigation into IPPPs and their effects. Members are invited to respond to the survey, developed to understand implementation and contribute new knowledge, closing 5:00pm on Friday, 24 October 2025. 
Take the survey →

Specialist teams have used controlled explosives to trigger avalanches along the alpine highway to Milford Sound in Aotearoa New Zealand, reducing driver risks after recent closures due to snow and avalanche danger.

The Transport Agency's internationally recognised avalanche control programme, established in 1983, uses monitoring equipment and controlled detonations to predict and manage risks effectively. The programme is considered crucial for visitor safety and supporting Aotearoa New Zealand's tourism industry.
Learn more →

Of interest​​​​​

Australia

Former Greens leader Adam Bandt appointed Australian Conservation Foundation CEO
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What you might not know about tornadoes in Australia
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How a tiny beetle became one of Australia's biggest biosecurity threats
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‘Tip of the methane iceberg’: 130,000 coal boreholes must be audited after toxic leaks in Queensland, experts say
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Yes, spectacled flying foxes are noisy and drop poo everywhere. But our rainforests need them
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Scientists hope planting Palau's 'super corals' will save reefs from climate change
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How do flowers know it’s spring? A botanist explains
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New Zealand

Greater Wellington Council fencing off thousands of hectares to protect forest
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Climate minister calls out dairy industry
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Auckland's air quality improving but inland water quality in decline, report finds
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Lakeshore shallows can be biodiversity hotspots – but warming is changing their complex ecology
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New research shows there's no escaping massive volcanic eruptions in New Zealand
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Matuku Muster providing valuable insight
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Global

Report: Big businesses are doing carbon dioxide removal all wrong
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Scientists link hundreds of severe heat waves to fossil fuel producers' pollution
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Right to a Healthy Environment: UN’s Highest Court Declares Clean Environment a Fundamental Human Right
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If you'd like to respond to any of the news, contact us at office@eianz.org to find out how we can assist.

Professional development

Upcoming EIANZ events

View all upcoming EIANZ events →

Upcoming partner events

Open for submission

If you'd like to contribute to an EIANZ submission, contact us at office@eianz.org to find out how.  

New

Possible association to Horizon Europe: request for information | Department of Industry, Science and Resources | Opened 10 September - Closing TBC
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Implementing Australia’s Strategy for Nature 2024-2030 | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Closes 15 October 2025
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Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill 2025 | Environment and Communications Legislation Committee | Closes 23 October 2025
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Expressions of interest to extend a holding lizards in captivity authorisation | Department of Conservation | Closes 31 October 2025
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Still open

20th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade of Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora | Department of Conservation | Closes 15 September
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Application for a WARO concession by the Fiordland Wapiti Foundation | Department of Conservation | Closes 19 September
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Select Committee on PFAS (per and polyfluoroalkyl substances) | Parliament of Australia: Select Committee on PFAS  | Closes 30 September
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Strategic Examination of Research and Development: issues papers | Department of Industry, Science and Resources | Closes 30 September 2025
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Draft National Recovery Plan for the Golden sun moth | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Closes 2 October
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Offshore electricity infrastructure framework: draft research and demonstration licence guideline | Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Closes 3 October
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Black Mountain Greenhouse Redevelopment | Parliament of Australia: Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation | Closes 15 October 2025
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ACCU Scheme Savanna Fire Management Methods Consultation | The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Consultation period opens October 2025
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Funding to support sustainable fishing in Queensland’s East Coast | The Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water | Closes 21 November 2025.
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Aotearoa New Zealand’s World Heritage Tentative List | Ministry for the Environment | Closes 30 January 2026
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Navigating impact in the environmental profession survey | RMIT University | Closes June 2026
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Opportunities for the development of a hemp industry in Australia | Parliament of Australia: Rural and Regional Affairs and Transport References Committee | Closes 30 July 2026
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Jobs board

Explore the newest opportunities advertised on our Jobs Board

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In case you missed it - headlines from last week's issue

Institute Insider #434

EIANZ 2025 Annual Conference first keynote speaker announced: Professor Josh Byrne AM 

Business Council of Australia warns $530 billion investment needed for 70% emissions cuts by 2035

Australian environmental crime officers bust international wildlife trafficking networks

Years-long methane leak at Darwin LNG facility equivalent to 8,300 new cars annually

New Talaroo Indigenous Protected Area safeguards 31,941 hectares of threatened Queensland habitat

South Australia first state to ban fish-shaped plastic soy sauce containers

EIANZ Board elections open: Seven leadership positions available for two-year terms

RMIT research seeks environmental professionals for workplace mental health study

Understanding Country: The deep connection between First Nations peoples and land

Win free access to an EIANZ webinar through the Threatened Species Bake Off competition

National Wattle Day celebrates Australia's golden emblem of resilience and unity

Read Institute Insider issue #434 here →

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