Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999

Administered by Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Legislation au C2004A00486 In force Act

Legislation content

 

 

 

 

Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999

 

No. 92, 1999

 

 

 

 

An Act to repeal and amend Acts and make other provisions consequential on the enactment of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, to make technical amendments, and for related purposes

 

 

Contents

1 Short title...................................

2 Commencement...............................

3 Schedule(s)..................................

Schedule 1—Application of the new Act

Schedule 2—Endangered Species Protection Act 1992: repeal etc.

Part 1—Repeal

Endangered Species Protection Act 1992

Part 2—Saving and transitional provisions

Part 3—Consequential amendment of other Acts

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975

Telecommunications Act 1997

Part 4—Refunds

Schedule 3—Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974: repeal etc.

Part 1—Repeal

Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974

Part 2—Saving and transitional provisions

Part 3—Consequential amendment of other Acts

Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976

Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975

Biological Control Act 1984

Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981

Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989

Lands Acquisition Act 1989

Resource Assessment Commission Act 1989

Sea Installations Act 1987

Telecommunications Act 1997

Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982

Schedule 4—National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975: repeal etc.

Part 1—Repeal

National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975

Part 2—Saving and transitional provisions

Part 3—Consequential amendment of other Acts

Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986

Aboriginal Land Rights (Northern Territory) Act 1976

Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Act 1980

Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975

Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978

Environment Protection (Northern Territory Supreme Court) Act 1978

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975

Koongarra Project Area Act 1981

Lands Acquisition Act 1989

Natural Heritage Trust of Australia Act 1997

Telecommunications Act 1997

Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982

Schedule 5—Whale Protection Act 1980: repeal etc.

Part 1—Repeal

Whale Protection Act 1980

Part 2—Saving and transitional provisions

Part 3—Consequential amendment of other Acts

Antarctic Marine Living Resources Conservation Act 1981

Part 4—Refunds

Schedule 6—World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983: repeal etc.

Part 1—Repeal

World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983

Part 2—Saving and transitional provisions

Part 3—Consequential amendment of other Acts

Telecommunications Act 1997

Wet Tropics of Queensland World Heritage Area Conservation Act 1994

Schedule 7—Other amendments

Aboriginal Land Grant (Jervis Bay Territory) Act 1986

Airports Act 1996

Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978

Environment Protection (Northern Territory Supreme Court) Act 1978

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975

Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Amendment Act 1996

Ozone Protection Act 1989

Resource Assessment Commission Act 1989

Telecommunications Act 1997

Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Amendment Act 1995

Schedule 8—Amendments contingent on other Acts commencing

Part 1—Amendments relating to Corporate Law Economic Reform Program Act 1999

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Part 2—Amendments relating to Public Service Act 1999

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Schedule 9—Miscellaneous

 

Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999

No. 92, 1999

 

 

 

An Act to repeal and amend Acts and make other provisions consequential on the enactment of…

Overview

The Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999 was enacted by the Parliament of Australia to repeal and amend various existing Acts and make other consequential provisions following the enactment of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This new legislation aimed to address the need for streamlined and comprehensive environmental protection laws by replacing outdated and fragmented statutes with a unified framework. The Act ensures that existing environmental protections and procedures are transitioned smoothly into the new regime, thereby maintaining continuity and effectiveness in environmental governance. The Act also includes provisions for technical amendments and addresses gaps in the legislative framework to support the overarching policy objective of enhanced environmental protection and biodiversity conservation.

Scope and Application

The Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999 applies across the Commonwealth of Australia, and is designed to manage the transition of certain legislative provisions in the wake of the enactment of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. This Act primarily repeals existing environmental protection and conservation legislation and amends various other Acts to ensure consistency with the new environmental protection regime. It applies to entities and individuals engaging in activities that impact the environment, including businesses, government agencies, and individuals. The Act covers a wide range of environmental activities and areas, including the assessment of environmental impacts, the protection of endangered species and ecosystems, and the management of national parks and marine areas. Certain exclusions apply, such as the continued application of the Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974 to specific activities under certain conditions, and the ongoing validity of certain permits and plans issued under repealed Acts. The Act also includes provisions for the continuation of certain inspections and the application of new Acts to actions that were being assessed under the repealed Acts at the time of the new Act's commencement. Subordinate instruments may extend or restrict the application of this Act, but the primary focus remains on ensuring a smooth transition to the new environmental protection framework.

Key Provisions

  • The Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999 is a piece of Australian legislation that repeals and amends various acts to align with the new Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Act contains multiple schedules detailing the specific amendments required across a range of existing legislation. For example, Schedule 1 outlines the definitions and the application of the new Act, while Schedule 2 to Schedule 7 detail the specific repeals and amendments necessary for the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992, Environment Protection (Impact of Proposals) Act 1974, National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975, Whale Protection Act 1980, and World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983, among others.
  • The Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999 imposes obligations on various entities to ensure compliance with the new Act, including the continuation of certain permits, plans, and orders under the repealed acts. For instance, permits issued under the Whale Protection Act 1980 continue in force under the new Act, while plans of management for parks and reserves under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 continue to have effect. Additionally, the Act includes provisions for the continuation of approved wildlife programs and the appointment of inspectors and wardens.
  • The Act also outlines penalties and consequences for breaches of the new Act. While specific penalties are not detailed in the Act itself, it is clear that failure to comply with the new regulatory framework could result in legal consequences, including potential fines and imprisonment, as per the provisions of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The Act ensures a smooth transition to the new environmental protection regime by providing for the continuation of certain existing provisions until the new Act fully takes effect.

Legal classification tags

Area of Law
Environmental Law
Planning & Development Law
Property Law
Instrument
Act
Concepts
Commencement Provisions
Repeal & Amendment
Transitional Provisions
Licensing & Registration
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
Enforcement Powers
Regulatory Standards
Prohibited Conduct
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Sourced from the Federal Register of Legislation at 26 August 2026. For the latest information on Australian Government law please go to https://www.legislation.gov.au.