Contents

Part 1--Preliminary                                                                                                              1

1............ Short title [see Note 1] ........................................................................ 1

2............ Commencement [see Note 1] .............................................................. 1

3............ Object of Act ....................................................................................... 2

4............ Act to bind Crown .............................................................................. 2

5............ Application of Act ............................................................................... 2

6............ Definitions .......................................................................................... 2

7............ Implementation of national environment protection measures ............. 4

Part 2--Establishment and membership of the National Environment Protection Council        5

8............ The National Environment Protection Council .................................... 5

9............ Membership of the Council ................................................................. 5

10.......... Chairperson of the Council ................................................................. 5

11.......... Deputies .............................................................................................. 6

Part 3--Functions and powers of the Council                                                      7

Division 1--Functions and powers                                                                         7

12.......... Functions of the Council ..................................................................... 7

13.......... Powers of the Council ......................................................................... 7

Division 2--Making of national environment protection measures     8

14.......... Council may make national environment protection measures ............ 8

15.......... General considerations in making national environment protection measures           9

16.......... Council to give notice of intention to prepare a draft of proposed measure               9

17.......... Council to prepare draft of proposed measure and impact statement . 10

18.......... Public consultation ............................................................................ 10

19.......... Council to have regard to impact statements and submissions .......... 11

20.......... Variation or revocation of measures .................................................. 11

21.......... National environment protection measures to be disallowable instruments               12

22.......... Failure to comply with procedural requirements ............................... 12

Division 2A--Minor variation of national environment protection measures    14

22A....... Minor variation of measures ............................................................. 14

22B....... Public consultation for minor variation ............................................. 14

22C....... Council to have regard to submissions etc. ....................................... 15

Division 3--Assessment and reporting on implementation and effectiveness of measures          16

23.......... Report by Minister on implementation and effectiveness of measures 16

24.......... Annual report of Council .................................................................. 16

Part 4--Meetings of the Council and establishment and meetings of its Committees       17

Division 1--Meetings of Council                                                                           17

25.......... Convening of meetings ..................................................................... 17

26.......... Procedure at meetings ....................................................................... 17

27.......... Quorum ............................................................................................. 17

28.......... Voting at meetings ............................................................................ 17

Division 2--Committees of Council                                                                     18

29.......... NEPC Committee .............................................................................. 18

30.......... Chairperson of NEPC Committee ..................................................... 18

31.......... Procedures of NEPC Committee ....................................................... 18

32.......... Functions of NEPC Committee ......................................................... 18

33.......... Other committees .............................................................................. 19

34.......... Withdrawal from Agreement ............................................................. 19

Part 5--NEPC Service Corporation, NEPC Executive Officer and staff               20

Division 1--The NEPC Service Corporation                                                 20

35.......... NEPC Service Corporation ............................................................... 20

36.......... Functions of the Service Corporation ................................................ 20

37.......... Powers of the Service Corporation ................................................... 21

38.......... Contracts and leases .......................................................................... 21

Division 2--The NEPC Executive Officer                                                        22

39.......... NEPC Executive Officer ................................................................... 22

40.......... NEPC Executive Officer to control Service Corporation .................. 22

41.......... NEPC Executive Officer to act in accordance with Council directions 22

42.......... Remuneration and allowances ........................................................... 22

43.......... Leave of absence ............................................................................... 23

44.......... Resignation ....................................................................................... 23

45.......... Termination of office ......................................................................... 23

46.......... Terms and conditions not provided for by Act .................................. 24

47.......... Acting NEPC Executive Officer ....................................................... 24

48.......... Powers and functions of acting NEPC Executive Officer ................. 24

Division 3--Staff of the Service Corporation and consultants              25

49.......... Public Service staff of Service Corporation ...................................... 25

50.......... Non-Public Service staff of Service Corporation .............................. 25

51.......... Staff seconded to Service Corporation .............................................. 25

52.......... Consultants ....................................................................................... 26

Part 6--Finance                                                                                                                     27

53.......... Payments to Service Corporation by Commonwealth ....................... 27

54.......... Payments to Service Corporation by States and Territories ............... 27

55.......... Money of Service Corporation .......................................................... 27

56.......... Application of money of Service Corporation ................................... 27

57.......... Estimates ........................................................................................... 28

59.......... Application of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997                28

Part 7--Miscellaneous                                                                                                        30

60.......... Powers and functions conferred under corresponding legislation ..... 30

61.......... Delegation by Council ....................................................................... 30

62.......... Acts done by Council ........................................................................ 30

63.......... Regulations ....................................................................................... 30

64.......... Review of operation of Act ............................................................... 31

Schedule--Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment              32

Notes                                                                                                                                              71

 

 

Preamble

The Commonwealth, the States, the Australian Capital Territory, the Northern Territory and the Australian Local Government Association have entered into an Agreement known as the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment setting out certain responsibilities of each party in relation to the environment.

That Agreement provides that the Commonwealth, the States, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory will make joint legislative provision for the establishment of a body to determine national environment protection measures.

That Agreement further provides that once the form of the joint legislative provision for the establishment of the body has been agreed to, the Commonwealth, the States, the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory will submit to their Parliaments or Legislative Assemblies, and take such steps as are appropriate to secure the passage of, Bills containing that legislation.

The Parliament of Australia enacts:

 

  

Notes to the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994

Note 1

The National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 as shown in this compilation comprises Act No. 126, 1994 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

For all relevant information pertaining to application, saving or transitional provisions see Table A.

Table of Acts

Act	Number and year	Date of Assent	Date of commencement	Application, saving or transitional provisions
National Environment Protection Council Act 1994	126, 1994	18 Oct 1994	15 Sept 1995 (see Gazette 1995, No. GN36)
Audit (Transitional and Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1997	152, 1997	24 Oct 1997	Schedule 2 (items 949, 950): 1 Jan 1998 (see Gazette 1997, No. GN49) (a)	--
Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999	146, 1999	11 Nov 1999	Schedule 1 (items 623-626): 5 Dec 1999 (see Gazette 1999, No. S584) (b)	--
National Environment Protection Council Amendment Act 2002	142, 2002	19 Dec 2002	Schedule 1: 19 Dec 2003 Remainder: Royal Assent	--
National Transport Commission (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2003	82, 2003	6 Sept 2003	Schedule 1 (items 1, 2, 4-8) and Schedule 2: 15 Jan 2004 (see s. 2(1) and Gazette 2003, No. GN47) Remainder: Royal Assent	Sch. 2
Statute Law Revision Act 2011	5, 2011	22 Mar 2011	Schedule 5 (items 141, 142): 19 Apr 2011	--

(a)     The National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 was amended by Schedule 2 (items 949 and 950) only of the Audit (Transitional and Miscellaneous) Amendment Act 1997, subsection 2(2) of which provides as follows:

                 (2)   Schedules 1, 2 and 4 commence on the same day as the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997.

(b)     The National Environment Protection Council Act 1994 was amended by Schedule 1 (items 623-626) only of the Public Employment (Consequential and Transitional) Amendment Act 1999, subsections 2(1) and (2) of which provide as follows:

                 (1)   In this Act, commencing time means the time when the Public Service Act 1999 commences.

                 (2)   Subject to this section, this Act commences at the commencing time.

Table of Amendments

ad. = added or inserted   am. = amended  rep. = repealed  rs. = repealed and substituted
Provision affected	How affected
Part 1
S. 6......................................	am. No. 142, 2002; No. 5, 2011
Part 3
Division 1
S. 13....................................	am. No. 142, 2002
Division 2
S. 14....................................	am. No. 82, 2003
S. 20....................................	am. No. 142, 2002
Division 2A
Div. 2A of Part 3.................	ad. No. 142, 2002
Ss. 22A-22C.......................	ad. No. 142, 2002
Part 5
Division 1
S. 36....................................	am. No. 142, 2002
Division 2
S. 43....................................	am. No. 146, 1999
Division 3
S. 49....................................	am. No. 146, 1999
S. 51....................................	am. No. 146, 1999
Part 6
S. 53....................................	am. No. 5, 2011
S. 56....................................	am. No. 152, 1997
S. 58....................................	rep. No. 152, 1997
S. 59....................................	rs. No. 152, 1997
Part 7
Heading to s. 64(1)...........	ad. No. 142, 2002
S. 64....................................	am. No. 142, 2002

Table A

Application, saving or transitional provisions

National Transport Commission (Consequential Amendments and Transitional Provisions) Act 2003 (No. 82, 2003)

Schedule 2

1  Transfer of assets and liabilities

On the commencement of sections 3 to 52 of the National Transport Commission Act 2003, the assets and liabilities of the National Road Transport Commission become the assets and liabilities of the National Transport Commission.

2  Annual report for the financial year in which this item commenced

To avoid doubt, the obligations imposed on the members of the Commission by:

                     (a)  section 9 of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997; and

                     (b)  section 38 of the National Transport Commission Act 2003;

to prepare an annual report on the Commission for the financial year in which this item commenced extend, in relation to the operations of the National Road Transport Commission, to so much of the financial year as occurred before this item commenced.

3  Road transport reform legislation unaffected

After the commencement of this item, references in:

                     (a)  the Road Transport Reform (Dangerous Goods) Act 1995; or

                     (b)  the Road Transport Reform (Heavy Vehicles Registration) Act 1997; or

                     (c)  the Road Transport Reform (Vehicles and Traffic) Act 1993;

to the National Road Transport Commission Act 1991 are taken to be references to that Act as in force immediately before the commencement of this item.