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The EDO offers legal advice on environmental law matters by telephone or by pre-arranged interview. Advice can be given on planning matters and on broader environmental issues. Simply contact us. (Include a contact telephone number as advice is not generally provided by email).
The EDO offers free initial legal advice of up to two hours on environmental-law matters. If further advice is required, the EDO Solicitor assesses a request for advice against the EDO’s Casework Guidelines to determine if assistance can be given. If we cannot assist you, we can refer you to someone who can help.
The EDO advises on ACT environmental law matters or matters in the ACT concerning Commonwealth environmental law.
In recent years, the EDO has helped in matters such as appeals on development approvals; the impact of changes to ACT planning, environment and heritage legislation; pollution offences (including noise pollution); dumping offences; protection of Canberra Nature Parks from inappropriate development; protection of listed endangered ecosystems; tree management and protection; nuisance and negligence; aspects of the law particularly relevant to indigenous members of the ACT community; and Freedom of Information requests.
A community group contacted the EDO concerned about a proposed rezoning of land in the ACT abutting a nature reserve which would impact on endangered woodlands. The EDO assisted the group in understanding the planning process and preparing submissions outlining their concerns about the environmental impacts of the proposal.
Following rezoning of the land and subsequent approval for the redevelopment of the site for residential housing the EDO assisted its clients in negotiating an agreement with the developer to provide significant funds towards improving the environmental outcomes of the development, including interpretative signage, cat containment rules and ongoing community education. This successful negotiation improved the environmental outcomes of the development and circumvented a costly and lengthy appeals process.