[LIVE Webinar] 2026 AEBN NATIONAL CONFERENCE: ENVIRONMENT, CLIMATE CHANGE AND ENERGY: New Laws, Developments & Funding from across Australia for BUSINESS in 2026: 5 MARCH 2026

PROGRAM

 

10.00am – Commencement

• 10.00am – 10.05am –
  FACILITATOR:  Tina Khoury, CEO Australian Environment Business Network (AEBN)
  • Introduction and Welcome

 

Commonwealth

• 10.05am – 10.30am –
  Gabrielle Guthrie, Principal, Guthrie Legal
  • A legal perspective on risks and opportunities relating to new environmental, climate change and emissions reduction developments in 2026 for businesses, including –
    • A legal perspective on the Environment Protection Reform Bills: Tranche 1 Reforms commence. What will this mean for businesses Australia wide?
    • Update of Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act (EPBC Act) reform package
    • EPBC Regulations 2000 to sunset – what will this mean?
    • National Framework for Recycled Content Traceability
    • New compliance obligations for entities operating battery energy storage systems: Commenced 1 January 2026
    • and more…
  • Q&A

 

• 10.30am – 11.00am –
  Mark Laybutt, Manager of Safeguard, NGER and Safeguard Branch, Clean Energy Regulator
  • Clean Energy Regulator:  Emerging issues for industry and businesses in 2026
  • Q&A

 

• 11.00am – 11.30am –
  Sophie Deane, Managing Consultant (Corporate Sustainability and Climate Change), ERM
  • Climate related risks and opportunities –Climate Change: What Australia’s mandatory disclosure regime now means for businesses that relates to compliance:
    • Overview of Australia’s mandatory climate‑related disclosures under the Australian Sustainability Reporting Standards and key insights from COP31
    • How companies across sectors are preparing for ASRS compliance in practice
    • Common pitfalls observed in the market and practical steps to avoid them.
  • Q&A

 

• 11.30am – 11.50am (20 min) – TEA BREAK

 

Victoria

• 11.55am – 12.25pm –
  Joss Crawford, CEO, EPA Victoria
  • Key changes and initiatives expected in 2026 to Victorian environmental and climate change laws, policies and reforms that may impact businesses with operations in Victoria.
  • Q&A

 

• 12.25pm – 12.55pm –
  Stefan Fiedler, Principal, Russell Kennedy Lawyers
  • A legal perspective on environmental enforcement trends in Victoria.  How can businesses prevent the pitfalls.
  • Q&A

 

New South Wales

• 12.55pm – 1.15pm –
  Jerome Koh – Manager Policy, NSW EPA
  • How business can support the transition to a circular economy, including updates on waste infrastructure, plastics, FOGO and product lifecycle responsibility that relate to batteries.
  • Q&A

 

• 1.15pm – 1.35pm (20 min) – TEA BREAK
  

 

South Australia

• 1.35pm – 2.05pm 
  Kieran Hirlam, Principal Adviser, Emissions Reduction,
  and
  Tim Gubbin, Senior Environmental Protection Officer
  EPA SA
  • An overview of SA’s emerging and updated environmental policies and reforms in 2026 for industry and businesses with operations in SA, including:
    • SA EPA’s new 30 Year Strategy;
    • Key climate change initiatives including the development and scoping of a Climate Change Environment Protection Policy, the Climate Change Assessment for Planning Referrals Policy, and the Climate Change Adaptation Project Plan and what this will mean to businesses;
    • Major reforms to the Environment Protection (Waste to Resources) Policy
    • Ongoing revision of the Environment Protection (Water Quality) Policy and the impacts to businesses in SA
    • Update on the Container Deposit Scheme (CDS).
  • Q&A

 

Queensland, Western Australia, Tasmania, Northern Territory

• 2.05pm – 2.35pm – 
  Gabrielle Guthrie, Principal, Guthrie Legal
  • A legal perspective of the changes in QLD, WA, TAS, NT and trends in prosecutions, including –
    • QLD: Forest Wind Farm Development Act repealed
    • SA – Industrial Chemicals Environment Protection Policy
    • WA – Progress report on WA’s State Electric Vehicle Strategy
    • WA – WA’s Biofuels strategy – the opportunities and implications to businesses?
    • and more.
  • Q&A

 

Funding and Grant Opportunities

• 2.35pm – 3.05pm –
  Oliver Westwood, Principal Consultant, Anthesis Group
  • Key funding and grants programs in 2026 from across Australia
  • Q&A

 

Open Forum 

• 3.05pm to 3.15pm –
  OPEN FORUM – Delegates are encouraged to ask further questions for presenters

 

CLOSE – 3.30PM

 

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Disclaimer

At the time of registration, AEBN provided the most recent information available and the delegate and/or speaker accept that the content and/or the delivery of the event can change beyond the control of AEBN. AEBN will not take any responsibility for any errors, omissions and changes to the program or content of the event. The AEBN reserves the right to make changes as it deems necessary without penalty and in such situations no refunds, part refunds or alternative offers shall be made.