Oceania: Environment

The Federal Court this week delivered just the third decision on quantum of native title compensation, and the first relating to mining activities in Western Australia.

Although the suite of Bills was passed in November 2025, the Senate Committee continued its inquiry on the draft legislative instruments and on the first two draft National Environmental Standards (NES) – the NES for Matters of National Environmental Significance (MNES) and the NES for Environmental Offsets. Several of the Senate Committee’s 14 recommendations relate to these draft NES.

Treasury's latest consultation on Australia's Sustainable Investment Product Labelling regime introduces mandatory consumer-facing disclosures and asset-based thresholds for financial products marketed with sustainability claims. The proposed framework aims to combat greenwashing while providing retail investors with clearer information about the sustainability characteristics of their investments. Meanwhile, new gender equality targets take effect for large employers, and multiple statutory reviews are res