Queensland’s renewable energy landscape is changing and battery storage has also now entered a new phase of regulatory scrutiny. In December 2025, the Queensland Government introduced significant planning reforms that bring large-scale BESS projects into the same assessment framework already applied to wind and solar farms.

These reforms follow on from earlier changes in 2025 that made solar and wind developments impact assessable and required developers to complete social impact assessments and community benefit agreements before applications could proceed

Some of the key reforms to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act 1979 (EP&A Act) have now commenced, providing important clarity for proponents and consent authorities in NSW. Environmental Project Manager Liberty Pannowitz unpacks what’s changed so far, and the savings and transitional periods you need to be aware of.

2025 was a year of transition for environmental consulting in Australia – one that reshaped how proponents approach major projects.

The federal Minister for the Environment and Water, Murray Watt, announced proposed reforms this week to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Driven by ambitious climate goals and unfavourable delays in the current approval system, the government plans to introduce ‘go’ and ‘no-go’ zones, which will identify areas where projects can proceed without extensive applications, and areas where development cannot occur under any circumstances. Environmental Consultant Holly Hanley explains what the reforms may mean for developers and projects.