The Legal Series will bring together speakers with recognised expertise in various aspects of the VIC Planning System and provide a platform to educate, inform and provide solutions through short seminars focusing on topics identified by our members. These seminars will provide the necessary information and practical help for those currently working in the planning profession and looking to improve their understanding of legal issues that impact on Planners.
To register a Corporate Boardroom pass, please email [email protected]
If you miss a session or want to watch it again you can catch up on our OnDemand platform.
If you register for the series after sessions have commenced, you will be provided access to watch the recordings of the sessions on our OnDemand Platform.
Facilitator
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Kat Smith MPIA, Senior Policy Officer, Planning Institute of Australia
Kat is an urban planner with over over fifteen years of experience across local and state government as well as the private sector in Victoria. Kat is now Senior Policy Officer with PIA, working across the Victorian and national offices.
Kat has a strong background in strategic planning and policy development, working across many areas of planning policy development and implementation, particularly in roles at the Victorian Planning Authority and Whittlesea City Council. Kat is particularly interested in building sound, evidence-based policy and advocacy to inform decision-making to drive outcomes that best serve the public interest.
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Sessions
Recent Key VCAT and Supreme Court Decisions
Wednesday, 25 March 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
This session will provide an update on recent key Supreme Court and VCAT decisions influencing contemporary planning practice. It will examine cases covering topics such as relevant considerations, development plans, and the cancellation of planning permits. Through practical analysis and discussion, participants will gain a clear understanding of the reasoning in each decision and its implications for day-to-day work — whether advising as a planning consultant or assessing applications within local government.
Register here
Better Decisions Made Faster P&E Act Amendment Bill & Nat Trust principles
Wednesday, 22 April 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Does a proposed new subsection of the Planning and Environment Act provide Council's with an opportunity to subvert the long standing National Trust principle?
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Introduction to the Statewide Treaty Act 2025
Wednesday, 27 May 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
This session introduces Victoria’s Statewide Treaty Act 2025, described as the first Treaty of its kind in Australia and the beginning of a new “Treaty era” in Victoria. Presented by Mimi Marcus of Marcus Lane Group, the seminar explores what this landmark reform means for decision makers in the public sector, and particularly in the planning and environment space.
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Generally in accordance and PSPs: threshold and merits
Wednesday, 24 June 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
The question of whether a proposal is generally in accordance with a relevant planning instrument, such as for instance a precinct structure plan, has been the subject of litigation before the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal, and Supreme Court, on many past occasions. The general consensus seems to be that as to whether something is generally in accordance, that this is a ‘threshold issue’. What does this mean? How does the assessment of the merits factor into these considerations? What principles apply to determining whether something is generally in accordance. In this short presentation the presenter will attempt to provide guidance as to the appropriate resolution of these questions. The guidance will be practical and will draw from relevant and recent Tribunal and Supreme Court decisions.
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Managing the tension between urban greening and housing delivery in planning decisions
Wednesday, 22 July 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Planners, Councils and the State Government are increasingly caught between the imperatives of delivering more homes and protecting and expanding urban greening. This session will provide an overview of decision making in the context of recent changes to planning controls in balancing the provision of more homes against protecting and providing for vegetation and canopy trees.
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Reforming Victoria's Planning System: The future of third-party VCAT review rights and transitional issues
Wednesday, 19 August 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
Victoria’s planning system is undergoing significant transformation. The Planning Amendment (Better Decisions Made Faster) Bill 2025 recalibrates third-party appeal rights by narrowing VCAT review pathways and restricting objector standing for defined application types. This change is expected to significantly reduce the number of third-party planning merits reviews in Victoria.
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Understanding environmental approvals for renewable energy projects and the implications of recent EPBC Act and EES reform
Wednesday, 16 September 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
This session will give attendees an overview of the environmental approvals required for renewable energy projects in Victoria, with a particular focus on the recent changes to the Commonwealth legislation, the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) and proposed reform to the Environment Effects Act 1978 (Vic). The presentation will also address the relevance of the Victorian Renewable Energy Zones to the approvals process.
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Topic TBC
Wednesday, 14 October 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
The topic for this session will be announced soon.
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Reforms to Building Laws - what changes have there been and what's still to come
Wednesday, 18 November 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
The session will look at the new rectification order powers of the Building and Plumbing Commission and how they are being used (due to commence on 1 July 26), the new first resort builders warranty scheme and the upcoming requirements for developer bonds (and any other reforms that may come in before this presentation in November)
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Greenfields - how to navigate the planning process
Wednesday, 16 December 2026 | 12:30 pm to 1:30 pm
This seminar will delve into the complicated process of greenfield redevelopments - from early engagement through to Committee or Panel process.
Eliza Minney is a Partner at Best Hooper Lawyers and has been involved in every major PSP project in the last five years. This seminar will discuss the importance of early engagement (and how to do it effectively), how to navigate infrastructure and servicing hurdles and how to get the most out of the Panel or Committee process.
Register here
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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