After removing the general environmental duty and making amendments in response to submissions, the NT Government introduced the Environment Protection Bill 2019 to Parliament and it has now been referred to the Social Policy Scrutiny Committee for inquiry and report. Submissions can be made until 14 June 2019.
We previously examined the draft Environment Protection Bill 2019 and its associated Regulations when they were released on 4 October 2019 for eight weeks of public consultation. In its Response to the submissions made with respect to the draft Bill, the NT Government stated that it would remove the general environmental duty and make a range of amendments to the draft Bill before its introduction to Parliament.
On 16 May 2019, the NT Government introduced the amended Bill and it was subsequently referred to the Social Policy Scrutiny Committee for inquiry and report by 6 August 2019.
What are the amendments?
At a glance, the NT Government has generally made its amendments in line with its response, particularly those items which we previously examined with respect to:
Objects of the Bill
The objects have been amended to make specic reference to the well-being of the people of the Territory, to recognise the role of environmental impact assessment and approval in protecting and managing the environment of the Territory, to provide for broad community involvement, and to recognise the role of, and participation by, Aboriginal people and communities.
