Oceans and Marine Environments

The team at Equity Generation Lawyers have expertise across a range of issues affecting marine environments and oceans. Our litigation work in this area includes decommissioning and biodiversity matters, where climate change is an important part of the legal and environmental context.

You can read more about these cases via the links below:

NWTAS for Clean Oceans Inc v Minister for Environment and Water & Others

Application for judicial review challenging the Minister for Environment and Water’s decision confirming that salmon farming can continue in Macquarie Harbour.

The Wilderness Society v NOPSEMA and Santos

Judicial review challenging financial assurance requirements for decommissioning of offshore oil and gas infrastructure.

In another matter we represented the Australia Institute, an independent policy think tank and registered charity, in advocacy regarding the impact of salmon farming operations in Tasmania on the endangered Maugean skate (Zearaja maugeana) and the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

In 2023, the Australia Institute, with advice from EGL, lodged the first request to the Minister for Environment to reconsider expanded salmon farming activities in Macquarie Harbour, home to the only known population of the endangered Maugean skate. The request was made pursuant to a legal process triggered by significant new scientific information that was available about the status of the Maugean skate and the impacts of salmon farming on its survival.

Almost two years later, and prior to any decision being made on the request, in 2025 we advised our client on the Federal government’s proposed amendments to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth).

The amendments, ultimately passed by parliament, restricted the circumstances in which charities and ordinary people can seek reassessment of environmentally damaging projects when new scientific information arises.

Throughout 2024 and 2025, EGL also advised the Australia Institute on its correspondence with UNESCO seeking to have the Australian Government undertake an urgent and comprehensive environmental assessment and report on the impact of salmon farming on the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF COUNTRY
Equity Generation Lawyers acknowledges and respects the Australian First Nations traditional custodians of the lands upon which our offices are located. We extend our respect to First Nations Elders – past, present and emerging – and to all First Nations people.