Go and No-Go Zones: A Shift in Australia’s Planning Framework
When Environment Minister Murray Watt stood before the Smart Energy Council in Brisbane this month, he confirmed a fundamental shift in how Australia will approach environmental approvals (1). Instead of the long-criticised project-by-project model, the government is introducing regional “go” and “no-go” zones. This reform, now a centrepiece of the reworked Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (EPBC) Act, aims to bring clarity to both communities and investors while safeguarding the environment.
Why Were They Introduced?
Australia’s environmental laws have been widely regarded as outdated and ineffective, failing both nature and industry. The 2020 review by Graeme Samuel concluded that the EPBC Act was broken, unable to address cumulative impacts or provide timely approvals. Watt himself put it bluntly: developments may have minimal individual impact (2), but their combined effect risks significant long-term environmental damage. We have written a prior blog on the topic and what Dr Henry said at the time. You can read the blog here.
For the industry, the problem has been delays. As per the AFR, not one of the 76 renewable projects needing federal environmental assessment in NSW, Victoria or Queensland in 2023 or 2024 received approval. (3) This backlog threatens Labor’s target of 82 per cent renewable power by 2030 and its 43 per cent emissions reduction goal. Against that backdrop, the case for reform became undeniable.
The Benefits from a Planning Perspective
The “go/no-go” approach is designed to create certainty early. Instead of duplicating assessments across similar projects, regional plans will map out where development is encouraged, where it may be possible with offsets, and where it will simply not be allowed.
This framework brings three planning benefits:
Cumulative impact management: By looking at entire regions, governments can avoid “death by a thousand cuts” where small projects gradually erode ecosystems.
Consistency across jurisdictions: With federal standards feeding into state laws, the patchwork of approvals that has frustrated developers for years will be replaced by clear national expectations.
Speed and transparency: A simple map – as John Grimes of the Smart Energy Council put it and as published by the ABC, telling proponents where to build and where not to build.
Trials already underway in Queensland for wind farms and mining projects illustrate how this planning clarity can work in practice. The aim is to avoid the costly uncertainty of waiting years for an answer that may ultimately be “no”.
The Benefits from an Investment Perspective
For investors, certainty is everything. Renewable energy projects in particular are capital intensive and time sensitive. The delays of recent years have tied up billions of dollars in limbo. A system that offers a “yes” or “no” up-front removes one of the greatest barriers to investment.
From an investor’s point of view, the benefits are clear:
Reduced approval risk: Knowing early that a project site sits in a “go” zone allows capital to be allocated with confidence.
Faster deployment: Renewable developers can plan pipelines with realistic timelines, which is critical for meeting national targets.
Improved returns: Less time lost in approvals means earlier revenue generation, directly lifting project IRRs.
Broader investment opportunities: By systematising approvals, the framework may encourage private capital to enter areas like transmission, storage, and even housing, which have also been slowed by planning bottlenecks.
Previously, the Business Council of Australia had identified EPBC reform as one of the key pathways for achieving emissions reduction goals. For super funds and ESG-focused investors, the introduction of go/no-go zones should be viewed as a structural improvement in the investability of the sector.
Balancing Industry and Environment
Of course, reform comes with its share of tension. Industry is seeking speed; environmental groups are wary that streamlined approvals could water down protections. Groups like the Australian Conservation Foundation and Greenpeace have warned against using the renewables backlog as a pretext for weakening safeguards.
Watt’s speech, however, made clear that the intention is not to lower standards but to front-load them. By mapping out sensitive areas as “no-go” zones, the government is seeking to protect biodiversity up-front while cutting red tape elsewhere. It is a difficult balancing act, but one that, if successful, could deliver both stronger nature outcomes and faster climate progress.
The Bottom Line
The creation of go and no-go zones marks a pivotal shift in how Australia manages its environmental approvals. For planners, it means consistency, speed, and transparency. For investors, it means reduced risk, clearer pipelines, and a more investable environment. The challenge will be ensuring that this efficiency does not come at the expense of environmental integrity. If managed well, this reform has the potential to unlock billions in capital while safeguarding the ecosystems that policy is designed to protect.
References
1. Speech by Senator Murray Watt, Minister for the Environment and Water. Address to the Smart Energy Council, Brisbane. 9 September 2025. https://minister.dcceew.gov.au/watt/speeches/address-smart-energy-queensland-conference-brisbane
2. Evans, J. ABC News “‘No-go’ zones to be created in overhaul of environment laws.” 9 September 2025. https://www.abc.net.au/news/2025-09-09/epbc-environment-laws-no-go-zones/105748644
3. Cropp, R. Australian Financial Review, “Labor to introduce regional planning zones to speed up environmental approvals”. 9 September 2025. https://www.afr.com/policy/energy-and-climate/labor-backs-green-go-zones-to-speed-up-renewables-rollout-20250908-p5mtcx
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