Portfolio Budget Statements 2004-2005

Environmental assessments and approvals protect the Australian environment, especially those matters of national environmental significance, in an efficient, timely and effective manner.

DESCRIPTION

The environmental impact assessment and approval of actions with potentially significant impacts on the environment is a fundamental aspect of the Australian Government's framework to protect the environment. This is particularly so for those aspects of the Australian environment that are matters of national environmental significance.

The Australian Government plays an important leadership role in protecting matters of national environmental significance in a manner that promotes cooperation with the state and territory governments, provides certainty of process for stakeholders and reduces the potential for duplication and delay. Through its environmental assessment and approvals process, the Australian Government also ensures the environment is protected in relation to its own actions and actions involving its own land.

Matters of national environmental significance are protected from actions that may cause a significant impact through the environmental assessment and approval of actions under the provisions of the EPBC Act. A monitoring and compliance regime is maintained to ensure actions likely to have such an impact are subject to the appropriate assessment and approval processes, and post approval audit of compliance with approval conditions.

At the same time, industry is provided with certainty through a streamlined, transparent and efficient assessment and approvals process conducted within short, well defined timeframes. An integral part of decision-making on actions effecting matters of national environmental significance is the consideration of relevant social and economic matters.

The Australian Government environmental assessment and approvals processes are open and transparent to stakeholders and the public. A high priority is placed on fostering awareness and involvement. Information and advice on referral and assessment processes are publicly available through the Departmental website and other public notices. All assessments are subject to a period of public consultation and comment.

The respective roles of the Australian and state and territory governments are well defined and duplication in environment assessment processes is curtailed through accrediting state/territory assessment processes either through bilateral agreements or on a case-by-case basis.

STRATEGIC PRIORITIES

The Australian Government's medium term strategic priorities for Output 1.4 are to:

As a result of experience with the administration of the EPBC Act and views provided by key stakeholders, work will be undertaken to provide improved guidance to industry on what actions need to be referred for assessment and approval under the EPBC Act. A particular focus of this work will be the production of industry sector guidelines that will provide targeted and practical information on industry actions that are likely to have a significant impact on the matters protected by the EPBC Act.

Landholders are the custodians for many of the matters protected by the EPBC Act. Advice and assistance will be provided to landholders, including through the use of conservation agreements under the EPBC Act. This assistance will enable these landholders to reduce their impact on matters protected and facilitate the conservation of biodiversity such as threatened species and ecological communities.

The Department will continue the monitoring and auditing effort under the EPBC Act to ensure that proponents comply with the conditions set for approval, and that actions to be undertaken in a particular manner do not result in adverse impacts on matters protected by the EPBC Act.

The Department will strengthen its enforcement and monitoring capability through appropriately skilled and equipped staff in order to increase compliance with the provisions of the EPBC Act.

EFFECTIVENESS IN DELIVERING THE OUTPUT

Effectiveness Indicator: Matters of National Environmental Significance are protected

Matters of national environmental significance are protected by the Australian Government under the EPBC Act, primarily through their identification as controlling provisions for actions likely to have significant environmental impacts and therefore requiring assessment and approval under the EPBC Act. Provisions of the EPBC Act also require certain actions to be undertaken in a particular manner to avoid adverse impacts on matters of environmental significance. The number of identified controlling provisions and the number of matters of national environmental significance to which 'particular manner' decisions apply therefore indicates the number of occasions that matters of national environmental significance have been formally protected under the EPBC Act.

Graph 1.4.1 Total number of matters of National Environmental Significance (NES) that have been afforded protection by the EPBC Act since it commenced in July 2000

Effectiveness Indicator: Environmental assessments and approvals are delivered in an efficient and timely manner

The Australian Government delivers environmental outcomes in an efficient and timely manner that promotes certainty for stakeholders and minimises the potential for unnecessary delay. Time frames for all Australian Government decision-making are fully specified in the EPBC Act. The extent that these time frames are met indicates the extent that environmental assessment and approval processes are being delivered in an efficient and timely way.

Graph 1.4.2 The percentage of decisions that where made within statutory timeframes since the commencement of the EPBC Act in July 2000

PERFORMANCE IN DELIVERY OF DEPARTMENTAL OUTPUTS

Statutory administration	Quality	Minister is satisfied with the timeliness and quality of briefs provided by the Department to assist his statutory decision-making.
	Quality	Stakeholders are satisfied that the administration of assessment and approvals under the EPBC Act is fair and in accordance with statutory provisions.
	Quantity	Number of times matters of national environmental significance have been protected.
	Quantity	Extent to which statutory timeframes are met under legislation.
Stakeholder awareness	Quantity	Information and education products distributed to stakeholders (measured by website hits, information material distributed, etc).
Total Price Output 1.4		$12.405m

Portfolio budget statements

Part C - Agency Budget Statements (continued)
Department of the Environment and Heritage (continued)

Section 2 - Outcomes and Outputs Information Outcome 1 - Environment (continued)
Performance Information for Departmental Outputs - Output 1.4 Environmental Assessment and Approvals

SUB OUTPUT:

EFFECTIVENESS STATEMENT