"An Anatomy of Australia's Legal Framework for Bushfire"

(2022) 46 Melbourne University Law Review 156

McCormack, Phillipa C; McDonald, Jan; Eburn, Michael; Little, Stuart; Bowman, David M J S; Harris, Rebecca

Melbourne University Law Review

Australia

Legislation Cited

Legislation Name	Provision
Emergencies Bill 2004 (ACT)
Crimes Act 1900 (ACT)
Emergencies Act 2004 (ACT)	s114, s16
National Emergency Declaration Bill 2020 (Cth)
Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986 (Cth)
Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976 (Cth)	s4
Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011 (Cth)	s1, s90
Defence Act 1903 (Cth)	s123AA
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth)	s18, s19
Income Tax Assessment Act 1936 (Cth)	s170B
Income Tax Assessment Act 1997 (Cth)	s5.5
National Emergency Declaration Act 2020 (Cth)	s3, s10, s11, s12, s15, s16
National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 (Cth)	s3, s5, s7
Native Title Act 1993 (Cth)	s44A, s44B
Social Security Act 1991 (Cth)	s23, s1061K, s1061KA
Water Act 2007 (Cth)	s3
Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Regulations 2011 (Cth)
Aboriginal Land Rights Act 1983 (NSW)
Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW)
Crimes Act 1900 (NSW)	s117, s196, s202
Civil Liability Act 2002 (NSW)	s35
Forestry Act 2012 (NSW)
Fire and Rescue NSW Act 1989 (NSW)	s74B, s74C, s199
Local Land Services Act 2013 (NSW)	s60C
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (NSW)
Rural Fires Act 1997 (NSW)	s8, s9, s28, s46, s62ZP, s63, s65A, s66, s70, s74CA, s86, s89, s95, s99, s100C, s100RA, s100RB, s128
State Emergency and Rescue Management Act 1989 (NSW)
Bush Fires Act 1949 (NSW)
Careless Use of Fire Act 1901 (NSW)
Careless Use of Fire Act 1912 (NSW)
Forestry Act 1909 (NSW)
Forestry Act 1916 (NSW)
Local Government Act 1906 (NSW)
Local Government Act 1919 (NSW)
Rural Fires Amendment (Bush Fire Prevention) Act 2015 (NSW)	s5, s11, s41
Bushfires Management Act 2016 (NT)	s1, s6, s8, s46, s65, s68, s69, s86, s90
Emergency Management Act 2013 (NT)
Weeds Management Act 2001 (NT)
Aboriginal Land Act 1991 (Qld)
Disaster Management Act 2003 (Qld)
Forestry Act 1959 (Qld)	s35, s61TW, s62, s63, s63A, s68
Fire and Emergency Services Act 1990 (Qld)	s87, s92
Aboriginal Lands Trust Act 2013 (SA)
Criminal Law Consolidation Act 1935 (SA)	s85, s85B
Emergency Management Act 2004 (SA)
Forestry Act 1950 (SA)
Fire and Emergency Services Act 2005 (SA)	s4A, s6, s9, s24, s57, s80, s81, s105F, s105G, s105H, s105I
Native Vegetation Act 1991 (SA)	s7, s26
Aboriginal Lands Act 1995 (Tas)
Environmental Management and Pollution Control Act 1994 (Tas)	s102
Forest Management Act 2013 (Tas)	s13, s16
Fire Service Act 1979 (Tas)	s66, s70
Local Government Act 1993 (Tas)
National Parks and Reserves Management Act 2002 (Tas)	s30, s88A
Environmental Management and Pollution Control (Smoke) Regulations 2019 (Tas)
Forest Practices Regulations 2017 (Tas)	s4
Bush Fires Act 1935 (Tas)
Aboriginal Lands Act 1970 (Vic)	s9
Crimes Act 1958 (Vic)	s197, s197A, s201A
Climate Change Act 2017 (Vic)	s5, s34
Country Fire Authority Act 1958 (Vic)	s2, s6, s40
Emergency Management Act 2013 (Vic)	s3, s32
Forests Act 1958 (Vic)	s4, s29, s62B, s62C, s63, s67
Sustainable Forests (Timber) Act 2004 (Vic)	s1, s3, s18, s70, s80
Traditional Owner Settlement Act 2010 (Vic)
Aboriginal Heritage Regulations 2018 (Vic)
Crimes Act 1957 (Vic)
Country Fire Authority Act 1944 (Vic)
Forests Act 1939 (Vic)
Fire Brigades Act 1928 (Vic)
Bush Fires Act 1954 (WA)	s3, s17, s22A, s22B, s32, s38A, s41
Conservation and Land Management Act 1984 (WA)	s33, s99A, s104, s105, s120
Emergency Management Act 2005 (WA)
Fire and Emergency Services Act 1998 (WA)	s18P
Fire Brigades Act 1942 (WA)	s26
Forest Products Act 2000 (WA)
Aborigines Act 1889 (WA)

Cases and Articles Cited

Case Name	Citation(s)	Court	Jurisdiction	Date †	Full Text	Citation Index
"Responsibility and Risk-Sharing in Climate Adaptation: A Case Study of Bushfire Risk in Australia"	(2022) 12 (2) Climate Law 128	Climate Law	Netherlands	circa 2022		1
Bushfire Survivors for Climate Action Inc v Environment Protection Authority	[2021] NSWLEC 92; (2021) 250 LGERA 1	Land and Environment Court of New South Wales	Australia - New South Wales	26 Aug 2021	AustLII	8
WOTCH Inc v VicForests (No 8)	[2021] VSC 268	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	19 May 2021	AustLII	1
VicForests v Friends of Leadbeater ’ s Possum Inc	[2021] FCAFC 66; (2021) 285 FCR 70; (2021) 389 ALR 552	Federal Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	10 May 2021	AustLII	13
Woodhouse v Fitzgerald	[2021] NSWCA 54; (2021) 104 NSWLR 475	Supreme Court of New South Wales - Court of Appeal	Australia - New South Wales	9 Apr 2021	AustLII	11
"Bushfire Recovery through Class Action Litigation"	(2021) 40 University of Tasmania Law Review 33	University of Tasmania Law Review	Australia - Tasmania	circa 2021	HeinOnline / Informit	1
Kinglake Friends of the Forest Inc v VicForests	[2020] VSC 865	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	21 Dec 2020	AustLII	4
WOTCH Inc v VicForests (No 4)	[2020] VSC 433	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	16 Jul 2020	AustLII	2
"Unprecedented Smoke-Related Health Burden Associated with the 2019 – 20 Bushfires in Eastern Australia"	(2020) 213 (6) Medical Journal of Australia 282	Medical Journal of Australia	Australia	circa 2020		1
"Climate Change, Wildfires and Wetland Ecosystem Services: Governing Transformation"	(2020) 39 University of Queensland Law Journal 417	University of Queensland Law Journal	Australia	circa 2020	AustLII	1
"Governance of Land-Based Negative-Emission Technologies To Promote Biodiversity Conservation: Lessons from Australia"	(2020) 10 (2) Climate Law 123	Climate Law	Netherlands	circa 2020		1
Fortescue Metals Group v Warrie on behalf of the Yindjibarndi People	[2019] FCAFC 177; (2019) 273 FCR 350; (2019) 374 ALR 448	Federal Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	18 Oct 2019	AustLII	29
Herridge v Electricity Networks Corporation [No 4]	[2019] WASC 94	Supreme Court of Western Australia	Australia - Western Australia	circa 2019	AustLII	13
Lenehan v Powercor Australia Ltd	[2018] VSC 579	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	3 Oct 2018	AustLII	5
"Native Title Rights to Exclusive Possession, Use and Enjoyment and the Yindjibarndi"	(2018) 43 University of Western Australia Law Review 92	University of Western Australia Law Review	Australia - Western Australia	circa 2018	AustLII	2
"Kilmore-East Kinglake Bushfire Class Action Settlement Distribution Scheme: Fairness, Cost and Delay Post-Settlement"	(2018) 44 Monash University Law Review 658	Monash University Law Review	Australia	circa 2018	AustLII	2
"Class Actions Filed for the Benefit of Vulnerable Persons – An Australian Study"	(2016) 35 Civil Justice Quarterly 61	Civil Justice Quarterly	United Kingdom	circa 2016	Westlaw	4
Rowe v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd	[2015] VSC 232	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	27 May 2015	AustLII	28
"Trade-Offs in Adaptation Planning: Protecting Public Interest Environmental Values"	(2015) 27 (3) Journal of Environmental Law 459	Journal of Environmental Law	United Kingdom	circa 2015	HeinOnline / Westlaw	1
"Learning Lessons from Disasters: Alternatives to Royal Commissions and Other Quasi-Judicial Inquiries"	(2015) 74 (4) Australian Journal of Public Administration 495	Australian Journal of Public Administration	Australia	circa 2015	Informit	1
(2015) 6 Transnational Legal Theory 117	(2015) 6 Transnational Legal Theory 117	Transnational Legal Theory	United Kingdom	circa 2015		1
Matthews v AusNet Electricity Services Pty Ltd	[2014] VSC 663	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	23 Dec 2014	AustLII	72
Electro Optic Systems Pty Ltd v New South Wales; West v New South Wales	[2014] ACTCA 45; (2014) 180 ACTR 1; (2014) 10 ACTLR 1; (2014) 204 LGERA 238	Supreme Court of the Australian Capital Territory - Court of Appeal	Australia - Australian Capital Territory	31 Oct 2014	AustLII	12
Hamcor Pty Ltd v Queensland	[2014] QSC 224	Supreme Court of Queensland	Australia - Queensland	1 Oct 2014	AustLII	10
"Australian Aboriginal Land Management: Constraints or Opportunities?" [2014] JCULawRw 3	(2014) 21 James Cook University Law Review 25	James Cook University Law Review	Australia	circa 2014	AustLII	1
"Transferable Lessons for Climate Change Adaptation Planning: Managing Bushfire and Coastal Climate Hazards in Australia"	(2013) 30 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 469	Environmental and Planning Law Journal	Australia	circa 2013	Legal Online	1
Myer Stores Ltd v State Fire Commission	[2012] TASSC 54	Supreme Court of Tasmania	Australia - Tasmania	24 Aug 2012	AustLII	3
Warragamba Winery Pty Ltd v New South Wales (No 9)	[2012] NSWSC 701	Supreme Court of New South Wales	Australia - New South Wales	26 Jun 2012	AustLII	12
Mercieca v SPI Electricity Pty Ltd	[2012] VSC 204	Supreme Court of Victoria	Australia - Victoria	16 May 2012	AustLII	26
Strong v Woolworths Ltd	[2012] HCA 5; (2012) 246 CLR 182; (2012) 285 ALR 420; 86 ALJR 267	High Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	7 Mar 2012	AustLII	505
"Bushfire class actions" [2012] PrecedentAULA 14	(2012) 109 Precedent 4	Precedent	Australia	circa 2012	AustLII	2
"Wild Fire - The Legal Regulatory System of Insurance and Emergency Services Funding"	(2011) 14 Southern Cross University Law Review 75	Southern Cross University Law Review	Australia	circa 2011	AustLII	1
"Responding to Catastrophic Natural Disasters and the Need for Commonwealth Legislation" [2011] CanLawRw 30	(2011) 10 (3) Canberra Law Review 81	Canberra Law Review	Australia	circa 2011	AustLII	2
"“ Terror among the Gum Trees ” : Is Our Criminal Legal Framework Adequate To Curb the Peril of Bushfire Arson in Australia?"	(2011) 18 (3) Psychiatry Psychology and Law 357	Psychiatry Psychology and Law	Australia	circa 2011	HeinOnline	1
"Mainstreaming Fire and Emergency Management into Law"	(2011) 28 Environmental and Planning Law Journal 59	Environmental and Planning Law Journal	Australia	circa 2011	Legal Online	1
"A Modern Overview of Wildfire Law"	(2010) 21 Fordham Environmental Law Review 445	Fordham Environmental Law Review	United States	circa 2010	HeinOnline / LexisNexis	1
"Climate Change Law: The Emergence of a New Legal Discipline"	(2008) 32 Melbourne University Law Review 922	Melbourne University Law Review	Australia	circa 2008	AustLII	2
"A Theory and Definition of Public Health Law"	(2007) 10 Journal of Health Care Law and Policy 1	Journal of Health Care Law and Policy	United States	circa 2007	HeinOnline	1
Capital and Counties Plc v Hampshire CC	[1997] EWCA Civ 3091; [1997] QB 1004; [1997] 2 All ER 865; [1997] 3 WLR 331; [1997] 2 Lloyds Rep 161	England and Wales Court of Appeal - Civil Division	United Kingdom - England and Wales	14 Mar 1997	BAILII	76
Burnie Port Authority v General Jones Pty Ltd	[1994] HCA 13; (1994) 179 CLR 520; (1994) 120 ALR 42; (1994) 68 ALJR 331; [1994] Aust Torts Reports 81-264	High Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	24 Mar 1994	AustLII	471
Casley-Smith v FS Evans & Sons Pty Ltd (No 5)	(1988) 67 LGRA 108; [1989] Aust Torts Reports 80-227; [1989] ATR 80-227		Australia	circa 1989	IntelliConnect	8
Leslie v F S Evans & Sons Pty Ltd	(1988) 65 LGRA 168		Australia	circa 1988		1
Dunn v Electricity Trust of South Australia	(1985) 122 LSJS 201		Australia - SA	circa 1985		2
Jaensch v Coffey	[1984] HCA 52; (1984) 155 CLR 549; (1984) 54 ALR 417; (1984) 58 ALJR 426; [1984] Aust Torts Reports 80-300; (1984) 1 MVR 257	High Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	20 Aug 1984	AustLII	529
(1971) 996 Unts 245	(1971) 996 UNTS 245		International	circa 1971		36
Hazelwood v Webber	[1934] HCA 62; (1934) 52 CLR 268; [1935] ALR 76	High Court of Australia	Australia - Commonwealth	19 Dec 1934	AustLII	38
Rylands v Fletcher	(1868) LR 3 HL 330		United Kingdom	circa 1868		370

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