Monthly Archives: February 2014
Changed status for the (former) Deparment of Planning and Infrastructure
From 24 February 2014, the former Department of Planning and Infrastructure (DoPI) is known as ‘Planning and Infrastructure’ in accordance with the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 (GSE Act).
‘Getting the balance right’ for CSG reforms
In October 2013, the NSW Government introduced measures to protect certain residential land and buffer zones around that land from new coal seam gas development. In January 2014, these exclusion zones were extended to cover land in villages which meets … Continue reading
Companion Animals Taskforce response
The State Government has released its final response to the Companion Animals Taskforce, a body set up by the government in 2011 to review the Companion Animals Act 1998 (Act) as well as policy on dog and cat welfare generally.
Two challenges to the reasonableness of a s94 condition dismissed
In a recent s94 case, Pepper J addressed the following questions: Proposed retention of a heritage item – Whether there is a material public benefit involved that should be taken into account under s94(6) of the Environmental Planning and Assessment … Continue reading
Strata Termination: New Laws for Redevelopment
The NSW State Government Strata Title Law Reform position paper (Paper) sets out a wide range of proposed amendments to current strata legislation. You can view the complete paper here. The sleeper issue for the new legislation will be the … Continue reading
Coastal Hazard Risk – Information on s149 Certificates
The Department of Planning has released a draft Planning Circular (Draft Circular) regarding notations on s149 certificates in respect of coastal hazards. Under s149 of the Environmental Planning & Assessment Act 1979 (EPA Act) application can be made for a planning … Continue reading
New BASIX targets – No change to housing affordability?
The NSW Department of Planning and Infrastructure has published new Building Sustainability Index (‘BASIX‘) targets for public comment. The NSW Government’s view is that the new BASIX targets will not affect housing affordability. However, a newspaper article from the Sydney Morning Herald on … Continue reading
Reports Recommending Local Government Reform in NSW
Recent reports prepared by the Local Government Acts Taskforce (‘Taskforce‘) and the Independent Local Government Review Panel (‘Panel‘), which set out recommendations for local government reform in NSW, have been finalised and given to the Minister for Local Government, the Hon. Don … Continue reading
Council unfairly dismisses employee after loss of drivers licence
In Neville Brown and Parramatta City Council [2014] NSWIRComm 1002, Tabbaa C in the Industrial Relations Commission of NSW held that the Applicant had been unfairly dismissed by the Council from his employment after having lost his driver’s licence, despite being … Continue reading
