What the FIRB? An update on Australia’s foreign investment rules for energy and resources

The reality of resourcing the future

ARELJ Article- Managing water resources in times of fracking: Regulation and reform in Western Australia

Greenwashing is now a global issue

Businesses and governments are now realising that being green is no longer nice to have, it’s an integral part of operations. There are also benefits, perceived and real, to both consumers and business customers to being involved in programs that are environmentally friendly or have an ethical or sustainable edge. This has given rise to a new risk - ‘greenwashing’ - that governments around the world are now grappling with.

Greenwashing refers to misrepresenting a product, policy or purpose as environmental, ethical or sustainable. It applies not only to companies but also non-profits, investors or anyone seeking to represent themselves in that light.

ARELJ Article- Golden Pig: The continuing effects of Forrest on the Western Australian Mining Industry

Potential changes to Environmental, Social and Governance reporting

Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) isn’t new to Australia, but it’s expected to become a more important aspect of business in the coming years. With shareholders and institutional investors paying close attention to business activities with an ESG lens we can expect more focus on this area. A recent example is the HESTA superannuation fund choosing to very publicly vote against the AGL demerger proposal on ESG grounds.

ARELJ Article- Decommissioning Liabilities - For whom the bell tolls?

What to expect from the new Australian government?

In May, the Australian Labor Party (ALP) achieved a majority government while the Greens and independents hold the balance of power in the Senate. This signals a new era for Australia, with voters clearly putting climate change high on the agenda for the next three years.

ARELJ Recent Development- Transitioning Section 18 Aboriginal Heritage Act 1972 Consents Under the Aboriginal Cultural Heritage Act 2021 of Western Australia

Victorian and Western Australian State Budgets

In recent weeks we’ve seen both the Victorian and Western Australian Governments deliver budgets for their State. Both have included significant investments in the energy and resources sector. 

In Victoria, the budget has signalled the importance of the mineral industry to regional development. Victorian mines directly contribute $510 million into the state economy in 2020-21.