Saving the Condamine from a feedlot

Healthy Communities

Saving the Condamine from a feedlot

30 November, 2012

The disastrous Queensland floods of 2011 turned a proposed feedlot site on the Condamine River floodplain in southern Queensland into a lake. If a group of local landholders, assisted with advice from EDO Qld, had not stopped the development by challenging it in court, large volumes of toxic, high-nutrient wastes would have contaminated the river and nearby wetlands.  Keep reading >

Access to Justice

Fair Process for Communities affected by Mining and Petroleum Proposals 2011-2012

21 November, 2012

This 2011-12 law reform campaign is a small part of the social justice advocacy EDO has conducted for nearly 20 years on behalf of disadvantaged communities affected by development and resource extraction. Keep reading >

Access to Justice

The precautionary principle

15 November, 2012

The precautionary principle is one of the most important foundations of ecologically sustainable development. It is a commonsense principle requiring that a lack of scientific certainty should not be used to postpone measures to prevent serious or irreversible harm to the environment. Keep reading >

Nature & the Reef

Environmental flows and the Water Act

15 November, 2012

In February 1994 the Council of Australian Governments released its water policy, which emphasised that new legislation for water should provide for ecological needs. Keep reading >

Nature & the Reef

Protecting flying foxes and world heritage

04 November, 2012

Flying-fox case 1 stopped large-scale electrocution of flying-foxes, was the first to use third party rights under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and clarified important concepts in the Act. Keep reading >

Nature & the Reef

More bat wins using Queensland law

03 November, 2012

You might ask, what is it about bats that they have featured in so many court battles? Environmentalists have brought at least six cases to protect bats. Perhaps lawyers have a secret fondness for them given the bat-like appearance of barristers in flappy black court regalia? Keep reading >

Access to Justice

Third party rights in the Nature Conservation Act

23 August, 2012

In 1989 an environment group tried to stop a cement company destroying caves in which rare (now threatened) ghost bats roosted. Keep reading >

Nature & the Reef

Protecting Springbrook rainforest

08 May, 2012

Gold Coast environmentalists represented by EDO Qld protected a rainforest site teeming with rare and threatened wildlife by challenging a proposed development. Sometimes, the environment wins even when a court case is lost.  Keep reading >

Nature & the Reef

The Nathan Dam case: protecting the Reef and making legal history

04 May, 2012

The landmark Nathan Dam case run by EDO Qld in 2003 (with an appeal in 2004) ensured that federal assessment of a proposed dam in Central Queensland would include the potential for pollution of the World Heritage Area due to agriculture enabled by the dam. Keep reading >

Energy & Climate

The Xstrata climate change case: seeking accountability for emissions

04 May, 2012

EDO Qld represented Queensland Conservation who sought to have climate change impacts taken into account in the assessment of a giant coal mine. This case was the first step in an ongoing effort to compel governments to account for climate change impacts when assessing carbon-polluting developments. Keep reading >