This course provides planners with a practical, end-to-end understanding of relevant legislative frameworks and the approvals for major infrastructure projects in Victoria. It will provide practical understanding of the EES process required for major infrastructure projects, related secondary approvals, with consideration of stakeholder engagement, compliance management, and auditing. Drawing on real-world examples, this course equips planners with practical tools to navigate complexity, manage risk, and support the delivery of major infrastructure projects.
This course will detail
• the Environment Effects Statement (EES) process, where the session explains when and how EESs are triggered, how they interact with the planning system, and the role they play in shaping project outcomes.
• the coordination of secondary and ancillary approvals, highlighting common approval pathways and the interface between statutory planning, environmental regulation, and project specification requirements. Particular emphasis is placed on stakeholder engagement, including working with government agencies, councils, communities, urban design advisory panel, and Traditional Owners to manage risk and support timely decision-making.
• the compliance and auditing across the project lifecycle, providing insights into approval conditions, environmental management frameworks, and assurance mechanisms during construction and operation.
Designed
For
Statutory planners, urban designers, strategic planners, and community engagement advocates, approval coordinators and project managers.
Learning
Outcomes
This session provides participants with a practical understanding of the EES process required for major infrastructure projects and related secondary approvals, stakeholder engagement, compliance management, and auditing. Attendees will gain applied insights into navigating complex regulatory planning frameworks in Victoria, approval pathways, and managing risk across the project lifecycle.
Presenter
Kate Matthews MPIA
Kate is a Principal Planner at Tract with over 15 years of industry experience, having previously worked in statutory and strategic planning roles at Yarra Ranges, Bayside and Whittlesea Councils.
She has worked on multiple packages of the North East Link and Suburban Rail Loop projects coordinating planning approvals for the managing contractor, including the preparation of Urban Design and Landscape Plans (UDLPs), in addition to providing inputs and assessments for post-approval design and construction compliance processes.
Kate’s experience across a broad spectrum of statutory and strategic planning projects, combined with her strong project management skills and experience working with and across a broad range of technical disciplines allows her to efficiently identify and resolve planning issues and bring an integrated, pragmatic approach to planning projects
Olivia Coghill
Olivia is the Manager of Statutory Planning at the Department of Transport and Planning, leading the provision of transport planning approval advice across 20 municipalities in western Victoria. Her experience navigates local, State and Federal legislative frameworks and coordinating complex planning, heritage and environmental approvals to support the development and delivery of major infrastructure projects. Her Environmental Effects Statement experience spans rail, renewable energy and road projects across metropolitan and regional Victoria, providing her with practical insight into approval pathways for complex transport initiatives.
Lulu Zhang
Lulu is an experienced town planner with a multidisciplinary background in architecture, urban design, and law. Her career commenced in 2009 and spans Australia and China, with deep expertise in statutory planning, environmental regulation, and major infrastructure delivery. Based in Victoria since 2012, she has led and advised on complex planning and approvals across local and state government and Tier 1 construction environments, including a multi-billion-dollar road program. She currently works as Manager, Planning and Environment at a utility services company, providing advice on regulatory risk, approvals pathways, and the delivery of energy network upgrades and renewable energy projects.
Terms & Conditions
Registrations cancelled more than 14 days prior to the event date will not incur any fees and a full refund will be granted.
If you cannot attend and you are within 14 days of the event date, you can transfer your ticket to another person.
In all other situations we cannot issue a refund or credit.
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