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AELERT 2022 Conference Program
30/08/2022
AELERT is pleased to launch our 2022 Conference Program, with the theme Regulating Towards 2050: Working Together to Face Emerging Challenges.
There’s an amazing range of presentations, covering strategy and reform, regulatory innovation and tools, data & analytics, and outcome based compliance, just to name a few.
#AELERT2022 from AELERTtv on Vimeo.
Conference streams
- Indigenous
- Strategy & reform
- Collaboration
- Outcome-based compliance
- Data & analytics
- Regulatory innovation & tools
Early Bird registration closes on Friday, 9th September.
Greg Mullins AO AFSM welcomed as #AELERT2022 Keynote speaker
23/08/2022
We're excited to welcome Keynote Speaker for #AELERT2022, Greg Mullins AO AFSM.
Greg Mullins is an internationally recognised expert in responding to major bushfires and natural disasters and developed a keen interest in the linkages between climate change and extreme weather events. He coordinated responses to many major natural disasters over more than 2 decades and retired as Commissioner of Fire & Rescue NSW in January 2017.
During his 39 year career he served as President, Vice President and Board Chair of the Australasian Fire & Emergency Service Authorities’ Council, Deputy Chair of the NSW State Emergency Management Committee, Australian Director of the International Fire Chiefs Association of Asia, NSW representative on the Australian Emergency Management Committee, Australian representative on the UN’s International Search & Rescue Advisory Committee, and as a member of the NSW Bushfire Coordinating Committee. He is currently Chair of the NSW Ambulance Service Advisory Board.
We look forward to hearing Mr Mullins' stories and getting together again this November 29 - Dec 1 at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta and online.
Early bird conference registrations are now open through to Monday, 5th September.
The Hon Justice Brian J Preston FRSN SC announced as Keynote Speaker for #AELERT2022
05/08/2022
We're delighted to welcome the Hon. Justice Brian J Preston FRSN SC as our first Keynote Speaker for #AELERT2022.
Justice Preston is the Chief Judge of the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales. Prior to being appointed in November 2005, he was a senior counsel practising primarily in New South Wales in environmental, planning, administrative and property law. He has lectured in post-graduate environmental law for over 30 years.
He is the author of Australia’s first book on environmental litigation and 142 articles, book chapters and reviews on environmental law, administrative and criminal law.
We look forward to hearing Justice Preston's insights and getting together again this November 29 - Dec 1 at the Novotel Sydney Parramatta and online.
Early bird conference registrations are now open through to Monday, 5th September.
AELERT 2022 conference: date and venue announced
18/07/2022
We are pleased to announce that the AELERT Conference is being held at Novotel Sydney Parramatta from Tuesday, 29th November to Thursday, 1st December 2022.
The Conference will also be streamed online for virtual attendance.
The Conference will consist of:
- Half-day workshops on Tuesday, 29th November
- Welcome Reception in the evening of Tuesday, 29th November
- Two days of plenary and keynote presentations, along with concurrent paper sessions on Wednesday, 30th November and Thursday, 1st December
- Conference Dinner on the evening of Wednesday, 30th November.
Call for papers
We are currently seeking paper submissions to build the program across the three days.
To be a part of the AELERT Conference, we are seeking submissions focused on the theme of Regulating Towards 2050: Working together to face emerging challenges.
Call for Papers will close on Friday, 29th July 2022 - make sure your submission is in before the deadline to be considered. Please download the Submission Guidelines which will provide you with all the information you require to prepare your submission.
Paper submission must be made through the online submission portal:
Key dates:
- Papers for Concurrent Presentations are due by Friday, 29th July 2022
- Presenters will be advised of the outcome of their submission by August 2022
- Final PowerPoints are due by Tuesday, 22nd November 2022
For further information, contact GEMS Event Management Australia on +61 2 9744 5252 or email registration@gemsevents.com.au.
Conference website: https://gems.eventsair.com/aelert-2022/
NRAR's Chief Regulatory Officer to chat with AELERT at upcoming webinar
28/06/2022
AELERT National Council member and Chief Regulatory Officer for the NSW Natural Resources Access Regulator (NRAR), Grant Barnes will discuss NRAR's journey at an upcoming Members-only webinar on 2 August.
NRAR was created to change the water compliance landscape in NSW.
Established under the Natural Resources Access Regulator Act 2017 (NRAR Act), their mandate is to deliver effective, transparent and accountable enforcement of the laws.
NRAR also works to maintain public confidence in the enforcement of those laws.
"Through our work, there's acknowledgement amongst most water users that they can't take that extra drop, that every drop does count, particularly so in circumstance of drought."
Grant Barnes, quoted for ABC Landline in a recent story.
Log in to the Members Area to register.
*Due to a global outage on Microsoft Teams, this webinar was postponed to August 2.
The new registration link is available for Members on the event page.
2022 AELERT Conference: theme announced and call for papers
07/06/2022
The call for papers is now open for AELERT’s 2022 conference, themed ‘Regulating Towards 2050: Working together to face emerging challenges’.
Held at Novotel Sydney Parramatta from Tuesday, 29th November to Thursday, 1st December 2022; the Conference will also be streamed online for virtual attendance.
Papers can be submitted via the portal by 29 July 2022.
This year's Conference will focus on the fact that we are living in a changing world, and we are regulating in an environment that is subject to change.
Climate change is creating increased expectations to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, respond to climate induced environmental impacts such as increased frequency of natural disasters, and regulate adaptively during periods of sustained drought and flood.
We are also seeing the emergence of new industries and technologies which require regulation, while continuing to address addressing legacy impacts from past practices.
Call for Concurrent Papers
The Conference Committee is seeking Expressions of Interest for the conduct of concurrent presentations from stakeholders. Interested authors are encouraged to submit a paper of their selected topic for review and possible selection at the Conference.
Presenters will be required to indicate in which stream they wish their contribution to be considered in, including, but not limited to the concepts listed below:
Regulating emerging industries and responding to emerging environmental issues (Regulatory Practice Stream)
This stream focuses on current regulatory and emerging environmental threats in various jurisdictions, including challenges to achieving compliance.
Topics could include:
- Addressing unregulated pollutants and other environmental issues
- Regulating new and emerging issues, industries, and technologies
- Adaptive regulation in response to changing circumstances
Risk-based regulation: what’s new in the regulatory toolkit? (Legislation and Policy Stream)
This stream focuses on recent developments in risk based environmental regulation.
Topics could include:
- New legislation to address environmental issues
- New regulatory tools to address environmental harm, hold offenders to account and improve investigative and enforcement powers
- New policy approaches.
Innovation and technology: Adapting the way we work to meet emerging challenges (Innovation and Adaptation stream)
This stream focuses on showcasing new and emerging solutions driving more effective environmental practice, and the use of new ideas and ways of thinking including intelligence, technology, and data analytics to address environmental problems.
Topics could include:
- Using data from self-monitoring, citizen science and complaints to solve problems and target enforcement activities
- Exploring the value of using intelligence to improve environmental outcomes
- The use of tech-enabled innovation such as sensor technologies, body worn cameras or drones
- Using data and predictive analytics and new technology for effective targeting and identifying non-compliance
- Embedding intelligence in environmental agencies
- Research opportunities for academia
- Learning from the results on inquiries into regulation
- Installing a culture of compliance
- Best practice and new approaches in regulatory frameworks, environmental law/policy and fieldcraft
- Measuring outcomes and impacts
- Meeting compliance challenges in the Local Government sector
- Tools for consistent enforcement
- Utilising communications strategies to drive environmental outcomes
Other
We welcome submissions from relevant subject areas that may fit into the overarching conference theme, and we’re open to developing and refining the themes based on the range of submissions received.
Types of Presentations
Presenters will also be required to indicate the style of presentation they wish to deliver from the list below:
- Practitioner & Research Papers (10-15 mins including Q&A)
- Case Studies or Showcases (20-30 mins including Q&A)
- Plenary or Breakout Presentations (30-45 mins including Q&A)
- Plenary or Breakout Panel Discussions (45 mins including Q&A)
- Plenary or Breakout Workshops (45-60 mins including Q&A)
- Capacity Building Sessions (45-60 mins including Q&A)
- Discussion Roundtables (45-60 mins including Q&A)
Please download the Submission Guidelines which will provide you with all the information you require to prepare your submission.
Call for papers - submissions extended:
Paper submissions must be made through the online portal by 29th July 2022.
AELERT National Council announcement
11/05/2022
We’re pleased to announce AELERT’s National Council, the newly established governing body of AELERT.
The National Council will set strategic direction and ensure AELERT delivers value to its members.
The new National Council has 9 members:
- Monica Collins (Chair): Australian Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment (Cth)
- Amy Dennison: Environment Protection Authority (NT)
- Cindy Ong: Environment Protection Authority (Tas)
- Derek Poulton: Lake Macquarie City Council (Local Government)
- Germaine Larcombe: Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (WA)
- Grant Barnes: Natural Resources Access Regulator (NSW)
- Mary O'Kane: O'Kane Associates; Independent Planning Commission (Independent)
- Paul De Ionno: Department for Energy and Mining (SA)
- Stuart Smith: National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority (Cth)
We are making significant changes to our governance, funding, and membership to modernise AELERT.
These changes will deliver improved value to members, greater accountability, and provide a more sustainable funding base.
We look forward to working with the Council to deliver these improvements for our members.
Read more about AELERT's National Council.
11th May, 2022.
Local Businessman convicted of offences under the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998
05/01/2022
The Northern Territory Environment Protection Authority (NT EPA) welcomes the decision by Darwin Local Court Judge Alan Woodcock to convict and fine a property developer for serious breaches of the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998.
Judge Woodcock found that local property developer, Michael Adrian Anthony and his company DWD Project Pty Ltd intentionally contravened or intentionally failed to comply with Pollution Abatement Notices (PANs) that were issued to them.
The purpose of the PANs were for the defendants to remove approximately 15,000 tonnes of demolition and construction waste and other contaminants they had dumped on land and into Darwin Harbour.
The defendants were convicted and fined a total of $300,000. The defendants were also ordered to pay victims levies and some of the NT EPA’s legal costs.
To date this is the largest fine ever handed down in the Local Court for contraventions of the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998.
The NT EPA issued businessman Michael Adrian Anthony and his company DWD Project PTY LTD with the PANs in June 2020, in accordance with the Waste Management and Pollution Control Act 1998, requiring him to stop illegally dumping construction and demolition waste and contaminants on his land, on Crown Land and also into Darwin Harbour.
The waste material and contaminants included asbestos, timber, concrete and PFAS contaminated soils. During the hearing, Judge Alan Woodcock said it was a clear cut case on the evidence that the Defendant had refused to comply with the Notice.
“Having gone through the Act, I am satisfied beyond a reasonable doubt that the notice was authorised, and issued by an appropriate Delegate,” Judge Woodcock said.
“It was served on the Defendant on 3 June last year and the particulars are made out as charged. Despite exhaustive efforts, detailed consultation with the Defendants, great efforts to educate and assist, they have refused to do so.
“There is a clear election by the Defendant, despite all of the NT EPA’s efforts, not to comply.”
Quotes by Peter Vasel, Director of Environmental Operations:
“Our position is that this incident was totally avoidable had the company and its sole director complied with accepted industry standards for the disposal and recycling of construction and demolition waste.
“It is also a reminder to the broader community that everyone has an obligation to comply with NT’s environmental laws and matters brought to our attention will be investigated.”
The media release can be found here.
Introducing the AELERT Interim CEO
28/10/2021
AELERT has grown to a membership of over 3000 individual members and over 250 agency members. Membership spans all tiers of Australian and New Zealand Governments, universities, international governments and not for profit and other organisations.
With this increased membership and growth across the broad sector of environmental regulation, AELERT has reached a point where its original governance model is no longer fit for purpose. On 20 August 2021 the AELERT Steering Committee made key resolutions regarding the future of AELERT.
This included a decision to establish a Leadership Committee that will work closely with the Steering Committee to deliver the day-to-day strategic, financial and operational activities of AELERT.
The Steering Committee agreed that an Interim CEO would be onboarded to lead the AELERT Leadership Committee and manage the process of moving AELERT towards its new governance model. The Interim CEO will play a key role in modernising AELERT and ensuring we continue to provide value for our members.
We are pleased to announce that Mr Adam Gilligan has accepted the AELERT Interim CEO position, commencing 1 November 2021.
Adam is based in Newcastle and has most recently been in the position of Director Reulatory Operations at NSW EPA; responsible for a team of environmental regulators involved in a range of work across the state, from coal mining and power stations to rail regulation and PFAs contamination. He has spent time in emergency management, environmental regulation at a local government level, and was Co-Chair of the AELERT Better Regulation Working Group.
Please join us in welcoming Adam as Interim CEO of the AELERT Leadership Committee.
AELERT Authorised Officer Guideline
16/04/2021
The AELERT Authorised Officer Guideline, developed by the Capacity Building Working Group, is intended to assist organisations to develop an authorised officer policy or framework outlining the experience, training, qualifications, and other requirements to appoint a person as an authorised officer in a regulatory role, allowing them to exercise powers under legislation.
View this in AELERT resources - member login required
AELERT Authorised Officer Guideline
