One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals
As part of major reform of environmental regulation across all levels of government, the Commonwealth and ACT governments are committed to delivering a One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals.
This process maintains high environmental standards while promoting a stronger economy by simplifying approval processes to enable faster planning decisions.
What is the One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals?
The One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals creates a single assessment and approval process that satisfies both Commonwealth and ACT requirements. This achieves time and cost savings without compromising strong environmental outcomes.
Technically, the One-Stop Shop refers to a bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth and ACT that embodies Commonwealth accreditation of ACT environmental assessment and approval processes under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
The three stages required to implement the One-Stop Shop include:
- Memorandum of understanding
- Bilateral agreement relating to environmental assessment
- Bilateral agreement relating to environmental approval
The bilateral agreement relating to environmental assessment provides a single environmental assessment process, conducted by the ACT, which meets both ACT and Commonwealth requirements. Under this agreement, the ACT is responsible for the assessment process, but both governments still have an approval process.
The bilateral agreement relating to environmental approval allows the ACT to approve projects that are likely to have impacts on Commonwealth listed matters (matters of national environmental significance), removing the necessity for double handling.
Background
The ACT signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the Commonwealth in December 2013 to develop a One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals under the EPBC Act. This would allow the ACT to regulate matters of national environmental significance.
The bilateral agreement relating to environmental assessment was based on the existing agreement, which was revised based on comments received during public notification from 28 March to 28 April 2014.
The Commonwealth Department of the Environment released the bilateral agreement relating to environmental approval for public consultation under the EPBC Act from 15 August to 12 September 2014.
The Planning and Development (Bilateral Agreement) Amendment Act 2014 commenced on 2 April 2015 and makes amendments to the Planning and Development Act 2007. The amendments aim to facilitate and support implementation of a one stop shop for environmental approvals.
The amendments also make improvements to existing processes, to achieve greater efficiencies and transparency. The new legislation makes standalone amendments which provide benefits to the ACT even in the absence of a One-Stop Shop.
More information
- One-Stop Shop for environmental approvals
- Commencement of the Planning and Development (Bilateral Agreement) Amendment Act 2014 factsheet