Report of the Third Review of the National Environment Protection Council Acts (Commonwealth State and Territory) December 2012 National Environment Protection Council Response to the Report of the Third Review of the National Protection Council Acts
Tabled paper 599
Tabled Papers for 12th Assembly 2012 - 2016; Tabled Papers; ParliamentNT
2013-10-17
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https://www.legislation.gov.au/Details/C2019C01116
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/275013
https://hdl.handle.net/10070/424650
63 National Environment Protection Council NEPC Acts Third Review 2012 8 CONCLUSION Introduction of the National Environment Protection Council Acts in 1994 was an important reform that has supported improved environmental outcomes and reduced business costs through more consistent approaches to environmental protection between jurisdictions. Key features include: a mechanism to facilitate a cooperative national approach to environment protection, including the establishment of national requirements and environmental quality standards the establishment of a statutory decision maker collaborative processes for research, policy analysis and regulatory impact assessment a clear pathway for streamlined implementation at a jurisdictional level integrating with existing regulatory frameworks. (This also provides for flexibility in implementation to meet local requirements). The National Environment Protection Council Acts are, however, a product of their time and changes are required to meet current and future environmental challenges and promote national consistency to reduce business costs and streamline operation of the Acts. FIRST TERM OF REFERENCE: A REVIEW OF THE OPERATION OF THE NATIONAL ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION COUNCIL ACT AS REQUIRED BY SECTION 64(1)(A): THE OPERATION OF THIS ACT AND THE ACT OF EACH OTHER PARTICIPATING JURISDICTION THAT CORRESPONDS TO THIS ACT National Environment Protection Measures are a valuable tool supporting national cooperation on environmental regulation. This review found, however, that there are inefficiencies in the operation of the Acts which can only be addressed through legislative change. The inefficiencies relate to: making, reviewing and revoking National Environment Protection Measures reporting on implementation and effectiveness of National Environment Protection Measures operation of the National Environment Protection Council the National Environment Protection Council Service Corporation and the Executive Officer. In the last eight years, activity around the National Environment Protection Council system has been limited to maintenance of existing National Environment Protection Measures and, without changes to the scope of the National Environment Protection Council Act, it is likely this will continue.