The webinar is part of regular information sharing between DCCEEW, EIANZ and ECA (Vic). The webinar will help to foster relationships between members of EIANZ and ECA Vic and the department’s Victorian Assessments Section which regulates the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) referral and assessment process.

It will focus on relevant topics for ecologists in Victoria and explores the EPBC Act referrals and assessment process in-depth for a technical audience.

The webinar will include:

• an overview of the EPBC Act and the Nature Positive agenda
• advice from DCCEEW about recent updates to government policy and its application
• the effect of recent environmental disasters on species and ecological community listings
• exploring EPBC Act referral and assessment considerations
• comments from Darryl Barbour, Director of DCCEEW’s Victoria Assessments Section. He'll describe how the section works with and supports ecological consultants in Victoria
• an update on EPBC Act environmental offsets policy. It will explain how offsets are determined, administered and monitored
• updates on how windfarm proposals are assessed and support materials currently in production
• a live demonstration of the EPBC Business Portal and feedback on how consultation has helped enhance the portal

Meet the speakers

Cormac Farrell | Director, Stakeholder Engagement and Capability Section, Nature Positive Regulation Division, DCCEEW

Cormac Farrell is Director of External Engagement and Capability within the EPBC Regulatory Support Branch at the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. He has led teams developing policies and guidance materials to support the environmental assessment of renewables projects under our national environment laws for several years now. During his early career he worked on the design of the current national environmental laws before joining the private sector for over sixteen years. As an environmental consultant he worked extensively on major renewables projects including wind, grid scale solar and battery storage projects, before re-joining the Commonwealth. He has also been published in national and international publications on topics covering bushfire management, ecology and environmental design.

Darryl Barbour | Director, Victoria Assessments, with the Nature Positive Regulation Division of DCCEEW

Darryl Barbour is the Director, Victoria Assessments, with the Nature Positive Regulation Division of DCCEEW. Having recently joined DCCEEW, Darryl brings experience from a range of regulatory, scientific, and risk assessment roles with the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and not-for-profit industry bodies. As a professional regulatory officer, he enjoys the challenge posed by navigating the difficult decisions and working with a diverse base of stakeholders to achieve the best available outcomes.

Feach Moyle | Assistant Director, EBPC Offsets Policy Section, Nature Positive Regulation Division, DCCEEW

Feach Moyle has been an Assistant Director in the EPBC Act Offsets Policy Section of DCCEEW, with experience working on biodiversity offsets since 2009 that includes contributing to development of the 2012 EPBC Act Offsets Policy and the Offsets Assessment Guide, (offsets calculator). He has worked in multiple other roles, including as a Principal Ecologist for a NSW ecological consulting firm, threatened species biologist and Regional Land Manager for the Central Land Council (NT), and as Manager: Country & Culture at Kakadu National Park.

Dan Brownsdon | Assistant Director, Data and Future Systems Section, Nature Positive Regulation Division, DCCEEW

Dan Brownsdon is the lead Business Liaison of the Data and Future Systems Section. For the past 5 years Dan has worked for the Commonwealth Department of Environment as a Senior Assessment Officer and leading business improvements projects, such as the EPBC Act Business Portal. He has led teams in developing policies and guidance materials, supporting environmental assessment and business improvements. In previous roles working in environmental consulting and mining sectors Dan led environmental regulation reporting, hydrogeological investigations, environmental monitoring and compliance activities.

Vanessa Myles | Assistant Director, Referrals Gateway Section, Nature Positive Regulation Division, DCCEEW

Vanessa Myles is an assistant director with the EPBC Act Referral Gateway Section, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. She has worked with teams developing policies and guidance materials to support regulation under the EPBC Act and other environmental legislation under the Commonwealth. As a graduate and in her early career she worked in Australian archaeology as a cultural heritage management consultant before joining the public service. She has worked on a range of local, state and Commonwealth level programs in her time as a public servant. Vanessa is based in regional NSW.

Chris Oates | Assistant Director, Offshore Renewables Strategic Engagement, Policy and Advice Section, Nature Positive Regulation Division, DCCEEW

Chris Oates leads the Strategic Engagement Team for the Offshore Renewables Strategic Engagement, Policy and Advice Section within the Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water. He has led teams developing energy and environmental policy and legislation to support the rollout of the new offshore renewable energy industry for the last couple of years. During his 18-year Australian Public Service career, he has developed significant regulatory experience across several legislative frameworks, primarily the interpretation and enforcement of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

Dr Ivan Lawler | Director, Threatened Species Assessments Section, Biodiversity Division, DCCEEW

Dr Ivan Lawler is Director of the Threatened Species Assessment Section (formerly Bushfire Affected Species Assessment Section) since June 2020. Prior to that he has worked mostly in species listing and recovery planning for the Commonwealth since 2009 after a career as an academic where he worked on dugongs, turtles and koalas with a focus on wildlife management.

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CPD Points

This event will run off Australian Eastern Daylight time (AEDT) and will be recorded.