Page 962 - Week 03 - Thursday, 23 March 2017
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I spoke a little while ago about examples of compliance information. Some of those that could be shared under the act relate to places where activities have been conducted and include addresses, phone numbers, the type of activity, the abatement achieved, the number of activities undertaken and the models or types of items that are purchased and installed.
There are some laws in other jurisdictions that create obligations or incentives for greenhouse gas abatement but which have not been adopted or incorporated under the EEIS. The potential for double-counting under such laws exists. However, compliance information cannot be shared with agencies administering these laws because the current drafting of section 28C is incorrect. Reducing the scope of this limitation will enable the administrator to share information for the purpose of ensuring there is no double-counting under any relevant laws.
For example, the commonwealth carbon farming initiative has not been adopted under the EEIS. However, the nature of this scheme means that it is possible for double-counting of activities under the EEIS and the commonwealth scheme to occur. Therefore, there is a need for the administrator to be able to share some compliance information with the commonwealth Clean Energy Regulator to ensure the integrity and effectiveness of both schemes. The amendment will allow this.
I would like to emphasise that this is not a major change to information-sharing powers under the act. The information-sharing power already exists and allows for compliance information to be shared for laws of other jurisdictions adopted, applied or incorporated in ACT law.
The information-sharing power is subject to a number of limitations, and this amendment simply loosens one of these restrictions to facilitate the effective administration of the act. This will allow the EEIS to continue to be effectively administered, which will enable it to continue to deliver good outcomes for the ACT community.
The second minor policy amendment in the bill is to the Nature Conservation Act 2014 to improve the efficiency and effectiveness of reporting on Ramsar wetland management plans. Ramsar wetlands are wetlands of international significance which are listed under the Ramsar convention. The Ginini Flats wetland complex is the only listed Ramsar site in the ACT. It is an area of great natural value. It is important that we conserve areas of environmental significance like the Ginini Flats wetlands. We therefore require laws that create effective review and reporting procedures for the protection of these areas.
The Nature Conservation Act sets out the requirements for making Ramsar wetland management plans. One of these requirements is that the Conservator of Flora and Fauna reports to the minister about each plan once every five years. Clause 15 of the bill amends this requirement so that reporting must now occur once every seven years. This amendment is made to align the ACT legislation with the seven-year reporting cycle under the commonwealth legislation. This will make the process of reviewing
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