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Carbon Credits (Carbon Farming Initiative) Act 2011No. 101, 2011

In force

Administered by

Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water

Superseded version

View latest version

C2011A00101

15 September 2011 - 07 December 2011

Table of contents

Part 1—Preliminary
- 1 Short title
- 2 Commencement
- 3 Objects
- 4 Simplified outline
- 5 Definitions
- 6 Vacancy in the office of a Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee member
- 7 Electronic notice transmitted to the Administrator
- 8 Crown to be bound
- 9 Extension to external Territories
Part 2—Issue of Australian carbon credit units in respect of offsets projects
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 10 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Issue of Australian carbon credit units in respect of offsets projects
  - 11 Issue of Australian carbon credit units in respect of offsets projects
- Division 3—Certificate of entitlement
Part 3—Eligible offsets projects
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 21 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Declaration of eligible offsets project
- Division 3—Variation of declaration of eligible offsets project
- Division 4—Revocation of declaration of eligible offsets project
  - Subdivision A—Voluntary revocation of declaration of eligible offsets project
    - 32 Voluntary revocation of declaration of eligible offsets project—units issued
    - 33 Voluntary revocation of declaration of eligible offsets project—no units issued
  - Subdivision B—Unilateral revocation of declaration of eligible offsets project
- Division 5—Entries in title registers
  - 39 Entries in title registers—general
  - 40 Entries in title registers—land subject to carbon maintenance obligation
- Division 6—Additionality test
  - 41 Additionality test
- Division 7—Net total number of Australian carbon credit units issued in relation to an eligible offsets project
  - 42 Net total number of Australian carbon credit units issued in relation to an eligible offsets project
- Division 8—Applicable carbon sequestration right
  - 43 Applicable carbon sequestration right
- Division 9—Eligible interest in an area of land
- Division 10—Native title land
- Division 11—Freehold land rights land
  - 52 Administrator to notify Crown lands Minister of declaration of eligible offsets project
- Division 12—Types of projects
- Division 13—Restructure of eligible offsets projects
  - 57 Restructure of eligible offsets projects
  - 58 Restructure of an eligible offsets project that is subject to the voluntary automatic unit cancellation regime
Part 4—Recognised offsets entities
- 59 Simplified outline
- 60 Application for recognition as an offsets entity
- 61 Form of application
- 62 Further information
- 63 Withdrawal of application
- 64 Recognition as an offsets entity
- 65 Cancellation of recognition
- 66 Surrender of recognition
- 67 Recognition is not transferable
Part 5—Crediting periods
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 68 Simplified outline
- Division 2—First crediting period
  - 69 First crediting period
- Division 3—Subsequent crediting period
Part 6—Reporting and notification requirements
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 75 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Reporting requirements
  - 76 Offsets reports
  - 77 Declaration that offsets report requirement does not apply
- Division 3—Notification requirements
Part 7—Requirements to relinquish Australian carbon credit units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 86 Simplified outline
  - 87 Maximum potential relinquishment period
- Division 2—General relinquishment requirements
  - 88 Requirement to relinquish—false or misleading information
- Division 3—Relinquishment requirements for sequestration offsets projects
- Division 4—Transition of offsets projects from prescribed non-CFI offsets schemes
Part 8—Carbon maintenance obligation
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 96 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Carbon maintenance obligation
- Division 3—Injunctions
Part 9—Methodology determinations
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 105 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Methodology determinations
- Division 3—Offsets integrity standards
  - 133 Offsets integrity standards
Part 10—Multiple project proponents
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 134 Simplified outline
- Division 2—References to project proponents
  - 135 References to project proponents
- Division 3—Nominee of multiple project proponents
- Division 4—Obligations of multiple project proponents
  - 145 Obligations of multiple project proponents
Part 11—Australian carbon credit units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 146 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Issue of Australian carbon credit units
- Division 3—Property in, and transfer of, Australian carbon credit units
Part 12—Publication of information
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 159 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Information about units
- Division 3—Information about voluntary cancellation of units
  - 163 Information about number of voluntarily cancelled Australian carbon credit units
- Division 4—Information about relinquishment requirements
- Division 5—Register of Offsets Projects
Part 13—Fraudulent conduct
- 170 Simplified outline
- 171 Units issued as a result of fraudulent conduct—court may order relinquishment
Part 14—Voluntary cancellation of Australian carbon credit units
- 172 Simplified outline
- 173 Voluntary cancellation of Australian carbon credit units
Part 15—Relinquishment of Australian carbon credit units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 174 Simplified outline
- Division 2—How Australian carbon credit units are relinquished
- Division 3—Compliance with relinquishment requirements
Part 16—Information-gathering powers
- 184 Simplified outline
- 185 Administrator may obtain information or documents
- 186 Copying documents—compensation
- 187 Copies of documents
- 188 Administrator may retain documents
- 189 Self-incrimination
Part 17—Record-keeping and project monitoring requirements
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 190 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Record-keeping requirements
- Division 3—Project monitoring requirements
  - 194 Project monitoring requirements—methodology determinations
Part 18—Monitoring powers
- Division 1—Simplified outline
  - 195 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Appointment of inspectors and issue of identity cards
  - 196 Appointment of inspectors
  - 197 Identity cards
- Division 3—Powers of inspectors
  - Subdivision A—Monitoring powers
  - Subdivision B—Powers of inspectors to ask questions and seek production of documents
    - 201 Inspector may ask questions and seek production of documents
    - 202 Self-incrimination
- Division 4—Obligations and incidental powers of inspectors
- Division 5—Occupier’s rights and responsibilities
  - 209 Occupier entitled to observe execution of warrant
  - 210 Occupier to provide inspector with facilities and assistance
- Division 6—Monitoring warrants
  - 211 Monitoring warrants
- Division 7—Powers of magistrates
  - 212 Powers of magistrates
Part 19—Audits
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 213 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Audits
  - 214 Compliance audits
  - 215 Other audits
Part 20—Liability of executive officers of bodies corporate
- 216 Simplified outline
- 217 Civil penalties for executive officers of bodies corporate
- 218 Reasonable steps to prevent contravention
Part 21—Civil penalty orders
- 219 Simplified outline
- 220 References to Court
- 221 Civil penalty orders
- 222 Who may apply for a civil penalty order
- 223 Two or more proceedings may be heard together
- 224 Time limit for application for an order
- 225 Civil evidence and procedure rules for civil penalty orders
- 226 Civil proceedings after criminal proceedings
- 227 Criminal proceedings during civil proceedings
- 228 Criminal proceedings after civil proceedings
- 229 Evidence given in proceedings for a civil penalty order not admissible in criminal proceedings
- 230 Mistake of fact
- 231 State of mind
- 232 Continuing contraventions
Part 22—Offences relating to administrative penalties
- 233 Simplified outline
- 234 Scheme to avoid existing liability to pay administrative penalty
- 235 Scheme to avoid future liability to pay administrative penalty
Part 23—Enforceable undertakings
- 236 Simplified outline
- 237 Acceptance of undertakings
- 238 Enforcement of undertakings
Part 24—Review of decisions
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 239 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Decisions of the Administrator
- Division 3—Decisions of the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
  - 245A Review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
Part 25—Carbon Credits Administrator
- 246 Carbon Credits Administrator
- 247 Functions of the Administrator
- 248 Acting Administrator
- 249 Delegation by the Administrator
- 250 Administrator to be assisted by APS employees in the Department
- 251 Other persons assisting the Administrator
- 252 Consultants
- 253 Minister may give directions to the Administrator
Part 26—Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
- Division 1—Establishment and functions of the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
  - 254 Establishment of the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
  - 255 Functions of the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
- Division 2—Membership of the Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee
Part 27—Secrecy
- 270 Secrecy
- 271 Disclosure or use for the purposes of this Act or a legislative instrument under this Act
- 272 Disclosure to the Minister
- 273 Disclosure to the Secretary etc.
- 274 Disclosure or use for purposes of development of methodology determinations etc.
- 275 Disclosure to a Royal Commission
- 276 Disclosure to certain persons and bodies
- 277 Disclosure to certain financial bodies
- 278 Disclosure with consent
- 279 Disclosure to reduce threat to life or health
- 280 Disclosure of publicly available information
- 281 Disclosure of summaries or statistics
- 282 Disclosure for purposes of law enforcement—protected Administrator information
- 283 Disclosure for purposes of law enforcement—protected DOIC information
- 284 Disclosure for purposes of review of Act
- 285 Disclosure for purposes of review of compliance with Australia’s international obligations
Part 28—Miscellaneous
- 286 Miscellaneous functions of the Administrator
- 287 Computerised decision-making
- 288 Administrator’s power to require further information
- 289 Domestic Offsets Integrity Committee’s power to require further information
- 290 Actions may be taken by an agent of a project proponent
- 291 Delegation by the Minister
- 292 Delegation by a State Minister or a Territory Minister
- 293 Delegation by the Secretary
- 294 Concurrent operation of State and Territory laws
- 295 Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected
- 296 Arrangements with States and Territories
- 297 Liability for damages
- 298 Executive power of the Commonwealth
- 299 Notional payments by the Commonwealth
- 300 Compensation for acquisition of property
- 301 Native title rights not affected
- 302 Racial Discrimination Act not affected
- 303 Additional effect of this Act and the regulations—introduced animal emissions avoidance projects
- 304 Prescribing matters by reference to other instruments
- 305 Administrative decisions under the regulations
- 306 Reviews of operation of this Act etc.
- 307 Regulations