Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law
About us
The Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law has a successful research record going back to its establishment within the Law School at The University of Western Australia in 1990.
It was initially established in recognition of the importance of both the resources and the commercial sectors to the Western Australia economy. In recent years the focus and emphasis of the Centre broadened to include a wide range of mining, energy and natural resources law matters.
The research areas of the Centre all have practical elements and this engagement enhances the research of the Centre by ensuring it is relevant and current.
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Our aims
We aim to:
- promote, encourage and publish research in mining, energy and natural resources law, with collaborative projects being undertaken between the Centre and professional and industry groups.
- provide a forum for collaboration between the Law School, other areas of the University, industry, government and the legal profession to facilitate research, education and the exchange of ideas and the development of legal principle.
- organise conferences, seminars and workshops in mining, energy and natural resources law directed to the advancement of understanding and the development of the law and policy that informs legal principle.
- assist the development of postgraduate and undergraduate courses in mining, energy and natural resources law.
Research themes
Our research is directed at areas important to the natural resource industries of Western Australia, especially mining and energy, and including:
- Alternative energy
- Aviation law
- Climate change
- Corporate governance
- Energy law
- Environmental protection
- Fishery and marine governance
- Mining law
- Native title
- Oil and gas law
- Water law
Current research projects
We are currently reviewing how sustainability issues are incorporated within Centre research projects and taught in the Law School curriculum; as well as researching opportunities to increase the participation of students in sustainability initiatives.
- Professor John Chandler is conducting a research project on intergenerational equity examining how the interests of future generations are treated in Australia’s offshore petroleum legislation. He has recently made a submission on intergenerational equity to the review being undertaken of the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
- Professor Alex Gardner conducted the research project Mapping the Regulatory Framework of Mine Closure (Foundational Project 1.3) with the Cooperative Research Centre for Transformations in Mining Economies, from March 2021 – June 2022. The project report and accompanying three case studies present an open and accessible description of the current Australian regulatory frameworks (law and policy) in Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia for mine closure, including rehabilitation and repurposing through to relinquishment of mine production tenure and management of residual risks to the environment and community. The project report maps and compares these three jurisdictions regulation of mine closure and recommends future research to identify leading regulatory practice and potential reforms to achieve regulatory harmonisation within jurisdictions and nationally.
- Associate Professor Ian Murray is conducting a research project on Native Title benefits management structures, examining how trusts and Indigenous corporations operate to manage and distribute income from mining projects. Ian also has an on-going research interest in the extent to which intergenerational equity principles inform and explain legal regimes.
- Professor Erika Techera is undertaking several international and comparative environmental law projects in the Indian Ocean region, focusing on supporting the blue economy, addressing marine plastic pollution, conserving vulnerable marine species and protecting critical ocean habitats.
Industry engagement
Executive education and CPD
- Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
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Unit name: Climate Change Law and Emissions Trading
Unit date: 12 – 14 July 2023
Details: This workshop critically examines in detail the Australian Government's clean energy legislation, issues for the various state governments, emissions trading schemes and carbon taxes more generally, and the international context in which they operate. Policy issues are also addressed.
Price: $2,650 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: For attendance at this short course, practitioners are entitled to six Legal CPD points.
For further information and registration, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/145633107545 - Energy Agreements: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy and Sustainability
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Unit name: Energy Agreements: Oil and Gas, Alternative Energy and Sustainability
Unit date: 18 – 20 July 2023
Details: This three-day workshop will appeal to lawyers and non-lawyers wanting to develop their understanding of the legal agreements which underpin the commercialisation of energy, including oil and gas and alternative energy. The workshop aims to explain and review the key provisions of contracts important to the commercial development of oil and gas, wind and solar against the background of a transition to more sustainable energy. The contracts considered include joint venture agreements, electricity and gas sales agreements, transportation and storage agreements and agreements for the development of wind and solar power. The Energy Agreements course uses real life examples to demonstrate how the agreements operate in practice to share risk and reward. The course will be led by John Chandler. John is Co-Director of the UWA Law School's Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law. John was a practising lawyer for many years and brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to this course. He is assisted by a distinguished faculty of leading energy lawyers and economists who explain the legal, economic and commercial issues.
Price: $2,650 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: Full attendance at this short course entitles a practitioner to six Legal CPD points. Points can be selected from Competency Area 2 (1 point available) and Competency Area 4 (16.5 available).
Further information and registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/energy-agreements-oil-and-gas-alternative-energy-and-sustainability-tickets-547020441867 - Water Resources Law
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Unit name: Water Resources Law
Unit date: Monday 7 August - Thursday 7 September 2023, including online and face to face interactions
Details: This short course introduces the main legal principles of water resources management and discusses key regulatory issues being faced in Western Australia. Applicable for both lawyers and non-lawyers, participants will become familiar with the principal legal and policy materials applied in the management of water resources in Western Australia, including insights into reform proposals for the Water Resources Management Bill (Western Australia).
The course will be conducted with a combination of on-line pre-recorded lectures and readings available in August, and interactive face-2-face sessions. Professor Alex Gardner leads the course and is joined by guest experts in the presentation of six half-day interactive sessions (9.30am – 12.00pm and 2.00 – 4.30pm) on Monday 7 August to Thursday 7 September 2023
Price: $2,650 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: For attendance at this short course, practitioners are entitled to six Legal CPD points.
For further information and registration, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/576799551987 - Mining Law
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Unit name: Mining Law
Unit date: 25 – 27 October 2023
Details: This workshop will provide an intensive course of study on Mining Law in Western Australia. It is designed to be a comprehensive review for lawyers, professionals and business people, non-government organisations and government administrators working in or with Mining Law. The three-day workshop will comprise of five sessions, each morning and afternoon, comprising a lecture followed by a tutorial discussion of a problem raising the issues of law presented in the lecture. There will also be two interactive seminars on the second morning.
Price: $2,690 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: Full attendance at this short course entitles a practitioner to six Legal CPD points to be selected from the competency areas Professional Skills (2.5), Ethics (0.5) Substantive Law (16).
For further information and registration, visit: https://www.trybooking.com/CGWIK
- Sustainability Law and Policy in Resource Development
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Unit name: Sustainability Law and Policy in Resource Development
Unit date: 14 – 16 November 2023
Details: Sustainability is now a critical factor in the development of Australia’s mineral and energy resources as companies and regulators seek to balance the competing requirements of the environment, society and the economy. Industry participants and their lawyers need to have a clear understanding of the applicable rules in order to develop appropriate responses for investors, regulators and the public and to balance competing objectives for the present and the future. This workshop will give a clear understanding of those rules, including in mining, petroleum, climate change and environmental legislation and ASX reporting requirements. The workshop will provide practical examples enabling participants to apply the rules. The workshop is designed for lawyers and non-lawyers.
Price: $2,650 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: Full attendance at this short course entitles a practitioner to six Legal CPD points. Points can be selected from Competency Area 2 (1 point available) and Competency Area 4 (19 points available) depending on the sessions they attend.
Further information and registration here: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/sustainability-law-and-policy-in-resource-development-tickets-547061083427
- Construction Law
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Unit name: Construction Law
Unit date: 22 – 24 November 2023
Details: This course covers several important doctrines of contract law and equity, as well as key legislation specific to issues which commonly arise under construction contracts. In an effort to explore all of these areas of the law, we will follow the journey through a hypothetical project for the design and construction of hybrid solar/battery, gas-fired power supply infrastructure for a gold mine in Western Australia, from negotiation of the contract through some of the issues which most often arise, to a consideration of dispute resolution of those issues.
Price: $2,650 incl. tax and booking fee
CPD: For attendance at this short course, practitioners are entitled to six Legal CPD points.
For further information and registration, visit: https://www.eventbrite.com.au/e/576815389357
Our staff
- Professor Camilla Andersen
- Professor John Chandler (Centre Director)
- Jared Clements (Associate Director)
- Dr Dominic Dagbanja
- Joe Fardin
- Professor Alex Gardner (Chair of Research Committee)
- Associate Professor David Hodgkinson (Centre Co-Director and Chair of the Teaching and Learning Committee)
- Dr Ian Murray (Chair of Community and Engagement Committee)
- Professor Natalie Skead
- Professor Erika Techera
PhD opportunities
Academics associated with the Centre are available for supervising topics within environmental law, water law, native title, corporate governance, as well as mining and oil and gas law. Please contact them directly.
News and events
2023 Executive Education Workshops
Registrations now open for the Centre of Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law workshops.
Read moreDeveloping offshore petroleum to meet socio-economic objectives
Read Professor John Chandler's article online: 'Developing offshore petroleum to meet socio-economic objectives: Lessons from Australia, Norway and the United Kingdom'.
Read morePetroleum Resource Management book launch
The Centre for Mining, Energy and Natural Resources Law (CMENRL) launched the Centre’s Co-Director Professor John Chandler’s book, Petroleum Resource Management: How Governments Manage Their Offshore Petroleum Resources on Wednesday 13 March 2019 at the Law School. The book was launched by The Honourable Kim Beazley AC, Governor of Western Australia, followed by a panel discussion chaired by Professor Richard Bartlett with panel members Professor Erika Techera and Mr Gavin Ryan, General Counsel of PTTEP Australasia. The launch, followed by drinks and conversations in the Law School courtyard, was very well attended and a great success.
Read moreLaunch of Research Monograph: Co-designing Indigenous Benefits Management Structures (BMSs)
In August, the UWA research team of Ian Murray, Joe Fardin and James O’Hara, as advised by Donella Raye, launched their findings from a three year research project that explores the structure, operation and purposes of BMSs, examines key issues in implementation and outlines guidelines for best practice in design.
Read moreIllegal fishing and Australian security
Given the links between illegal fishing and other security challenges – such as drug, weapons and human trafficking – Professor Erika Techera, together with Professor Sarah Percy (UQ) and Dr Jade Lindley (UWA) argue that illegal fishing should be recognised as an existential security threat challenge.
Read moreRecent research
In the attached article published in 2020 Professor John Chandler explores options for the reform of Australia's mining and petroleum laws.
- Public duties on the disposal of Australia’s non-renewable resources: The case for regulatory reform
Outstanding student papers
This article by JD student Henry Cooney won the AMPLA essay competition in 2020. In this very interesting article he explores the protection of the national interest in petroleum and what kinds of statutory objectives might do that.