Report


Environmental offsets

26 June 2014

© Commonwealth of Australia 2014
ISBN 978-1-76010-022-3

View the report as a single document - (PDF 982KB)

View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Committee membership (PDF 21KB)
Recommendations (PDF 18KB)
Chapter 1 - Introduction (PDF 16KB)

Referral of the inquiry
Conduct of the inquiry
Acknowledgement
Notes on references
Structure of the report
Chapter 2 - Overview of the use of environmental offsets (PDF 171KB)

Environmental offsets
Offsets: the legal and policy framework
Past reviews and inquiries in relation to offsets
Relationship between Commonwealth, state and territory offset regimes
Chapter 3 - Principles that underpin the use of environmental offsets (PDF 192KB)

Level of support for environmental offsets
Principles in the Commonwealth EPBC Act Offsets Policy
Use of 'indirect' offsets
Chapter 4 - Processes for developing environmental offsets (PDF 183KB)

Timing of approvals in relation to offsets
Transparency
Methods for assessing and calculating offsets
Strategic and consistent approaches to offsets
Chapter 5 - Monitoring and evaluation of environmental offsets (PDF 169KB)

Monitoring and compliance issues
Evaluating the success of offsets
Monitoring and evaluation: need for a public register of offsets
Security and enforceability of offsets
Accountability in offsets decision-making
Chapter 6 - Conclusions and recommendations (PDF 68KB)

Introduction
The EPBC Act Offsets Policy
Security of offsets
Coalition Senators' Dissenting Report (PDF 34KB)

Introduction
Support for the EPBC Act Offsets Policy
One stop shop – applying a national environmental standard
Appropriate review of the Offsets Policy
Summary
Australian Greens Minority Report (PDF 30KB)

Whitehaven Coal's Maules Creek
Waratah Coal's Galilee Coal Project
NQBP's Abbot Point coal terminal expansion
Appendix 1 - Submissions, tabled documents, additional information and answers to questions taken on notice (PDF 17KB)

Submissions
Tabled documents
Additional information
Answers to questions taken on notice
Appendix 2 - Public hearings (PDF 13KB)
Appendix 3 (PDF 63KB)

Overview of project
Submission from Whitehaven Coal
Issues with the proposed offsets
Appendix 4 - Waratah Coal's Galilee Coal Project (PDF 43KB)

Overview of project
Issues with the proposed offsets
Appendix 5 - QGC's Queensland Curtis LNG project (PDF 42KB)

Overview of the project
Other developments on Curtis Island
Issues with proposed offsets
Appendix 6 (PDF 47KB)

Overview of project
Legal challenge
Issues with the proposed offsets
Appendix 7 - Jandakot Airport development (PDF 39KB)

Overview of the project
Issues with proposed offsets

For further information, contact:

Committee Secretary
Senate Standing Committees on Environment and Communications
PO Box 6100
Parliament House
Canberra ACT 2600

Phone: +61 2 6277 3526
Fax: +61 2 6277 5818
ec.sen@aph.gov.au