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Draft State Planning Policy 2026: What It Means for Bushfire and Ecology

Draft State Planning Policy 2026: What It Means for Bushfire and Ecology The Queensland Government is currently consulting on the draft State Planning Policy 2026 (draft SPP), together with discussion papers on natural hazards and on state assessment benchmarks, and a draft update to the Minister’s Guidelines and Rules. Submissions close on Monday 26 October […]

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National Environmental Standards: what applies now and what applies from December

National Environmental Standards: what applies now and what applies from December Australia’s first National Environmental Standards were made on 19 August 2026. Four Standards have been set: Matters of National Environmental Significance, Environmental Offsets, Community Engagement, and Data and Information. They apply from this week (commencing 24 August 2026) to new bilateral agreements with states

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New Ground Impact+ Helps Businesses Become Biodiversity Positive

Businesses are increasingly looking for practical ways to reduce their environmental impact, but biodiversity can often feel harder to measure, understand or act on than carbon emissions. That is where New Ground Impact+ comes in. New Ground Impact+ is a new conservation subscription designed to help businesses become biodiversity positive by funding real, on-ground restoration

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What the QLD Government Koala Conservation Strategy Discussion Paper Means for Project Stakeholders

What the QLD Government koala Conservation Strategy Discussion Paper Means for Project Stakeholders The South East Queensland is at a critical planning crossroads. Rapid population growth, infrastructure delivery and housing supply pressures continue to intensify—at the same time as one of the region’s most iconic species, the koala, remains in decline. In response, the Queensland

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Bioregional Planning in Queensland & the EPBC Act

Introduction Queensland is stepping into a new era of environmental planning, with bioregional planning set to shape how future developments are assessed and approved. Sparked by the 2021 Independent Review of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) led by Professor Graeme Samuel AC, this approach aims to give industries more certainty

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Regulatory Reform Ahead – What the Proposed Environmental Protection Act 1994 (qld) Amendments Mean for Project Proponents

Regulatory Reform Ahead – What the Proposed Environmental Protection Act 1994 (Qld) Amendments Mean for Project Proponents The Queensland Government has released a consultation paper outlining proposed reforms to the Environmental Protection Act 1994 (EP Act), the Nature Conservation Act 1992 (NC Act) and chapter 3 of the Water Act 2000 (Water Act). These reforms

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Paralysis syndrome hitting south queensland’s populations of lorikeets and flying foxes, and how you can help.

Since as early as 2012, incidences of paralysed rainbow lorikeets, scaly-breasted lorikeets, grey-headed flying foxes, and little red flying foxes have occurred in South-East Queensland and Northern New South Wales, particularly in the summer months. In recent years, the number of cases has increased significantly, with over 1,000 flying foxes, and just under 8,000 rainbow

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Proposed Updates to Marine Plants Accepted Development Requirements

Fisheries Queensland is seeking feedback relating to proposed updates to the Accepted development requirements for operational work that is the removal, destruction or damage of marine plants. A comprehensive table of changes can be found at the website location below. Some of the proposed changes of note include: Public engagement on the proposed update is

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Biodiversity: The Key to Sustainable Development – How Companies and Individuals Can Help

Biodiversity: The Key to Sustainable Development – How Companies and Individuals Can Help Biodiversity plays a critical role in maintaining healthy ecosystems and ensuring that natural processes like pollination, water purification, and climate regulation continue to support life. However, biodiversity is under increasing pressure from human activities, including deforestation, pollution, and climate change. As a

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Biodiversity Footprint vs. Carbon Footprint: What’s the difference?

Biodiversity Footprint vs. Carbon Footprint: Understanding Their Impact on Environmental Planning In the pursuit of sustainable development, two key environmental metrics often come into focus: biodiversity footprint and carbon footprint. For environmental planning consultants like New Ground Environmental, understanding these concepts is critical to offering effective solutions to land developers, government bodies, and other stakeholders.

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We’ve made a simple self-help checklist to help you identify when you might want to get us involved. Engaging an ecological consultant for a property project is crucial for a multitude of reasons, but when do you need to pick up the phone for a chat?