M: +61 402 426 603
T: +61 2 4914 6914
E: kswain@mccullough.com.au

Recommended Lawyer
Legal 500 Asia Pacific
Energy law (transactions and regulatory),
Native Title law, and Natural Resources,
and law (transactions and regulatory)

Kate is a Partner in McCullough Robertson’s Project Approvals and Compliance team and is the joint-lead of the firm’s Resources and Renewables Industry Group. She is passionate about supporting her clients to gain approval for, develop, and operate successful projects that contribute to Australia’s balanced energy mix.

Advising clients in various sectors across energy and resources, government services, infrastructure and property development, Kate brings expertise in all facets of environmental, planning and mining law. This includes environmental and planning approvals and compliance, mining tenements, water licensing and approvals, land access, contamination and pollution management and native title.

She confidently assists her clients through the complex development assessment process, including overseeing the preparation of project applications and environmental assessments, through to development and ongoing compliance.

Recognised as a leading energy lawyer, Kate advises on some of Australia’s largest projects, delivering significant approvals for her clients and conducting comprehensive due diligence.

Through secondments with Peabody Energy and BHP Billiton, and with over 17 years of industry experience, Kate understands the commercial realities faced by clients across the sectors and advises within this context.

Read Kate’s latest publications:

 NSW Government’s plan to unlock supply of industrial land

 Restoring order to State Significant Development

 Release of NSW Government’s Critical Minerals Strategy

 Establishment of the Minerals Security Partnership Finance Network

Experience

AGL Energy

Advising AGL Energy on compliance with its planning approval obligations for its various renewable, storage and cogeneration assets across Australia, as well as advising on planning approval pathways for its super battery development near Newcastle, including land access issues and regulatory requirements.

Peabody

Trusted adviser to Peabody on its approvals, environmental, operational, and tenement matters.

Bowdens Silver

Advising Bowdens Silver on the development of its silver mine project in central New South Wales, including reviewing its Environmental Impact Statement, advising on all environmental impacts including biodiversity, noise, dust, water licensing and approval requirements as well as advice on access to private, Council and Crown land.

Local, State and Federal Government

Acting for all levels of governments in relation to the interpretation of statutory environmental and approval obligations.

Water speciality

Advising resource companies, agricultural operators and other landowners on water licensing, trading and approval requirements.

Property development

Advising various property developers on statutory interpretation matters, compliance with development consent conditions and acting for developers in relation to the negotiation of voluntary planning agreements. Developments include highway service centres, affordable housing, aged care facilities, caravan park operators and manufactured home estates.