The operation of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

First Report

18 March 2009

© Commonwealth of Australia 2009
ISBN 978-1-74229-080-5

View the report as a single document - (PDF 611KB)

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View the report as separate downloadable parts:

Committee membership	(PDF 7KB)
Recommendations	(PDF 10KB)
Abbreviations	(PDF 7KB)
Chapter 1	(PDF 36KB)
Design and operation of the EPBC Act 2006 Amendments to the EPBC Act Criticisms of the Act Independent review This report
Chapter 2 - The scope of the EPBC Act	(PDF 118KB)
The objects of the Act Matters of national environmental significance Are the 'triggers' in the Act adequate? New 'triggers' Conclusion
Chapter 3 - The environmental assessment and approval process	(PDF 147KB)
The Commonwealth's role Evaluations of the Commonwealth's environmental assessment actions Cumulative impacts and strategic impact assessment Ministerial discretion under the EPBC Act
Chapter 4 - Effectiveness of agreements	(PDF 44KB)
Bilateral agreements Activities undertaken by Commonwealth agencies
Chapter 5 - Threatened species and ecological communities	(PDF 96KB)
Pressure on species and ecological communities How the Act works: listing threatened species and ecological communities Comments about the listing process Effectiveness of listings under the Act Recovery plans The use of offsets in habitat conservation and species protection
Chapter 6 - Engaging stakeholders	(PDF 107KB)
Are all projects that need to be referred getting referred? Withdrawal and re-submission of proposals Public participation: assessment timeframes; providing information The costs of litigation Administrative review of decisions Judicial Review and the EPBC Act Merits review of decisions
Coalition Senators' Additional Comments	(PDF 21KB)
New 'triggers' Compliance and Outcomes The range of powers and tools Bilateral agreements Commonwealth agencies and duplication Merits review
Additional Comments from the Australian Greens	(PDF 69KB)
Introduction
Appendix 1 - Submissions	(PDF 8KB)
Appendix 2 - Public hearings	(PDF 8KB)
Appendix 3 - Tabled documents, additional information and answers to questions taken on notice	(PDF 6KB)
Tabled documents Additional information Answers to questions taken on notice

For further information, contact:

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

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