Commonwealth Numbered Acts Commonwealth Numbered Acts
No. 175, 2007
Contents
Division 1--Preliminary 2
1............ Short title............................................................................................ 2
2............ Commencement.................................................................................. 2
3............ Object................................................................................................. 2
4............ Constitutional basis for Act............................................................... 3
5............ Act excludes some State and Territory laws...................................... 3
6............ Application to external Territories, Exclusive Economic Zone and innocent passage 3
Division 2--Interpretation 5
7............ Definitions.......................................................................................... 5
8............ Group and members of a group.......................................................... 7
9............ Facilities.............................................................................................. 9
10.......... Emissions, energy production and energy consumption etc.............. 9
11.......... Operational control........................................................................... 10
Part 2--Registration 11
Division 1--Applying for registration 11
12.......... Obligation to apply to register......................................................... 11
13.......... Thresholds........................................................................................ 11
14.......... Applying to register in relation to greenhouse gas project............... 13
15.......... Requirements for applications.......................................................... 13
Division 2--The Register 14
16.......... The Register...................................................................................... 14
Division 3--Registration and deregistration of corporations 15
17.......... Registration of corporations............................................................. 15
18.......... Deregistration of corporations.......................................................... 15
Part 3--Obligations of registered corporations etc. 17
19.......... Report to be given to Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer............ 17
20.......... Liability of other persons to provide certain information................ 19
21.......... Reports relating to greenhouse gas projects..................................... 20
22.......... Records to be kept............................................................................ 21
Part 4--Disclosure of information 23
23.......... Secrecy.............................................................................................. 23
24.......... Publishing of information................................................................. 24
25.......... Requests for information not to be published.................................. 25
26.......... Information may be disclosed to specified persons or bodies.......... 26
27.......... Information may be disclosed to States and Territories................... 27
28.......... Corporation may request information be disclosed.......................... 27
Part 5--Enforcement 29
Division 1--Civil penalties 29
Subdivision A--Civil penalty orders 29
29.......... Civil penalty provisions................................................................... 29
30.......... Continuing contraventions................................................................ 29
31.......... Court may order person to pay pecuniary penalty for contravening civil penalty provision 30
32.......... Contravening a civil penalty provision is not an offence................. 31
33.......... Persons involved in contravening civil penalty provision................ 31
34.......... Recovery of a pecuniary penalty..................................................... 31
Subdivision B--Civil penalty proceedings and criminal proceedings 32
35.......... Civil proceedings after criminal proceedings.................................... 32
36.......... Criminal proceedings during civil proceedings.................................. 32
37.......... Criminal proceedings after civil proceedings.................................... 32
38.......... Evidence given in proceedings for penalty not admissible in criminal proceedings 32
Division 2--Infringement notices 34
39.......... When an infringement notice can be given........................................ 34
40.......... Matters to be included in an infringement notice............................. 34
41.......... Amount of penalty........................................................................... 35
42.......... Withdrawal of an infringement notice............................................... 35
43.......... Paying the penalty in accordance with the notice............................ 36
44.......... Effect of this Division on civil proceedings...................................... 36
Division 3--Enforceable undertakings 37
45.......... Acceptance of undertakings relating to contraventions.................... 37
46.......... Enforcement of undertakings............................................................ 37
Division 4--Liability of chief executive officers of corporations 39
47.......... Civil penalties for chief executive officers of corporations.............. 39
48.......... Did a chief executive officer take reasonable steps to prevent contravention? 39
Part 6--Administration 41
Division 1--The Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer 41
49.......... Establishment................................................................................... 41
50.......... Functions.......................................................................................... 41
51.......... Appointment.................................................................................... 41
52.......... Staff.................................................................................................. 41
53.......... Delegation......................................................................................... 41
Division 2--Decisions by Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer 42
54.......... Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer may declare facility............... 42
55.......... Greenhouse and Energy Data Officer may declare corporation etc. has operational control 43
Division 3--Review of decisions 44
56.......... AAT review of decisions.................................................................. 44
Division 4--Monitoring compliance 45
Subdivision A--Authorised officers 45
57.......... Appointment of authorised officers................................................. 45
58.......... Identity cards.................................................................................... 45
Subdivision B--Powers of authorised officers 46
59.......... Entering premises to monitor compliance........................................ 46
60.......... Powers of authorised officers in monitoring compliance.................. 46
61.......... Authorised officer may request persons to answer questions......... 48
Subdivision C--Obligations and incidental powers of authorised officers 49
62.......... Authorised officer must produce identity card on request............... 49
63.......... Consent............................................................................................. 49
64.......... Announcement before entry............................................................. 49
65.......... Details of warrant to be given to occupier etc. before entry............ 49
66.......... Use of electronic equipment in exercising monitoring powers......... 50
67.......... Compensation for damage to electronic equipment.......................... 51
Subdivision D--Occupier's rights and responsibilities 52
68.......... Occupier entitled to be present during execution of warrant............ 52
69.......... Occupier to provide authorised officer with all facilities and assistance 52
Subdivision E--Warrants 53
70.......... Monitoring warrants......................................................................... 53
Subdivision F--Information gathering 54
71.......... Power to request information........................................................... 54
72.......... Prohibitions on disclosure of information do not apply.................. 55
Subdivision G--External audits 55
73.......... External audits--compliance............................................................ 55
74.......... External audits--other...................................................................... 56
75.......... Requirements for external auditors................................................... 56
Part 7--Miscellaneous 58
76.......... Modification of National Environment Protection (National Pollutant Inventory) Measure 58
77.......... Regulations....................................................................................... 58
National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007
No. 175, 2007
An Act to provide for the reporting and dissemination of information related to greenhouse gas emissions, greenhouse gas projects, energy production and energy consumption, and for other purposes
[Assented to 28 September 2007]
The Parliament of Australia enacts: