Madden advises on planning
The Honourable Justin Madden, Victoria’s Minister for Planning, will hold a two-hour lunch time talk with environment, property, planning and commercial lawyers on 9 September. Madden, a qualified architect, will detail moves towards an efficient and transparent regulatory urban planning system. He recently announced Melbourne’s urban area would be expanded by 41,000 hectares. The announcement sparked debate among experts about the wisdom of backing down from the government’s commitment to an urban growth boundary, as outlined in the Melbourne 2030 metropolitan plan.

LIV talks green strategies
As politicians debate the various ramifications and intricacies of the Federal Government’s emissions trading scheme, the Law Institute of Victoria will launch a series of how-to talks on environmental sustainable practices in law firms as part of a Green Practice Project from 2 September. Insights on tried and tested green strategies in the legal and medical profession will be offered by Marilyn Warren, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Victoria and Grant Blashki, Founder of Doctors for the Environment.