According to the EPA, the reforms adopt a dual-pronged approach: first, to improve the licensee experience by making licensing requirements clearer, more consistent, and more user-friendly; and second, to deliver broader community benefits by improving transparency, regulatory responsiveness, and public access to environmental information. The changes are intended to address ‘feedback from the community and industry about the need for smarter, faster and more transparent regulation.’
The reforms are likely to increase the compliance burden for licence holders in the short term, particularly through the introduction of real-time or near real-time monitoring and reporting requirements. These changes may require upfront investment in systems, processes, and training, and may also heighten enforcement risk as regulators gain more immediate visibility of compliance performance.
However, in time, real-time reporting should enable issues of non-compliance to be identified and addressed more quickly, allowing management and corrective measures to be implemented more expeditiously which should drive higher levels of compliance and reduce the need for more frequent or onerous reporting in the longer term, ultimately lowering overall compliance burden.
What trends are you seeing in environmental licensing reform across other Australian jurisdictions, and how consistent are these approaches nationally?Across Australian jurisdictions, a clear trend in environmental licensing reform is the increasing use of technology to drive more efficient and effective regulatory outcomes. Governments are leveraging digital platforms, automation tools, and data-sharing systems to streamline application processes, improve transparency, and reduce administrative burden for both regulators and business which is intended to enable faster decision-making and greater consistency in compliance oversight.
How can businesses operating across multiple states manage licensing compliance more efficiently, particularly where obligations differ by jurisdiction?Businesses can prepare a state-by-state table outlining applicable requirements as a quick-reference guide, combined with the adoption of a centralized, proactive compliance approach documented in a guideline or policy.
Kara will explore these issues further in the session Licensing Reforms and Environmental Regulation: Modernising Compliance Across Jurisdictions on Thursday, 19 February 2026, covering:
- Modernisation of the licensing system under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997
- What are the changes, why are they being implemented, and when?
- Implications for environment protection licence holders
- Trends in environmental licensing reform across Australian jurisdictions
- Aligning state-based reforms with national environmental objectives
Kara Mezinec, Planning and Environment Partner, McCullough Robertson
Kara is a Partner in our Planning and Environment Team specialising in environmental, planning, local government and property law. She has over 13 years experience appearing as advocate across various jurisdictions in the Supreme Court and Land and Environment Court. Kara advises various state government agencies, state-owned corporations, local councils, private developers and energy companies. Kara’s broad and in depth knowledge of planning, environment, local government and property law allows her to provide strategic, practical and commercial advice resulting in high quality and cost effective results for her clients.
