Environment and Planning article March 2008: Additional EPA approval now required for clearing least concern native vegetation - article by Melanie Simmonds on website for Deacons - a major law firm with many lawyers across Australia and Asia. The whole article can also be downloaded from that page

‘Least concern' plants are all plants indigenous to Australia, except those listed as threatened, rare or near threatened under the Nature Conservation Act. On 8 February 2008, the position in relation to clearing least concern plants changed due to the Environmental Protection Legislation Amendment Regulation (No 1) 2008, which repealed s7 of the NC Plan. Previously, a clearing permit from the EPA was only required if the plants to be cleared were threatened, rare or near threatened. Currently, a clearing permit from the EPA is required to clear any native plant.