Australian Government

Federal Register of Legislation

Annual survey

We would appreciate it if you could complete our website survey, open until 28 November 2025.

Clean Energy Act 2011

No longer in force

Administered by

Department of the Treasury
Environment

Superseded version

View latest version

C2011A00131

18 November 2011 - 30 June 2012

Table of contents

Part 1—Preliminary
- 1 Short title
- 2 Commencement
- 3 Objects
- 4 Simplified outline
- 5 Definitions
- 6 When supply of natural gas occurs
- 7 Electronic notice transmitted to the Regulator
- 8 Crown to be bound
- 9 Extension to external Territories
- 10 Extension to exclusive economic zone and continental shelf
- 11 Extension to Joint Petroleum Development Area
- 12 Application to foreign ships
Part 2—Carbon pollution cap
- 13 Simplified outline
- 14 Carbon pollution cap
- 15 Disallowance of regulations
- 16 When regulations must be tabled
- 17 Default carbon pollution cap for 2015-16
- 18 Default carbon pollution cap for a later flexible charge year
Part 3—Liable entities
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 19 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Direct emitters of greenhouse gases
- Division 3—Natural gas
- Division 4—Obligation transfer numbers
- Division 5—Designated joint ventures
- Division 6—Liability transfer certificates
- Division 7—Opt-in Scheme
Part 4—Carbon units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 93 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Issue of carbon units
- Division 3—Property in, and transfer of, carbon units
- Division 4—Auctions of carbon units
- Division 5—Special provisions relating to free carbon units
Part 5—Emissions number
- 117 Simplified outline
- 118 Emissions number
- 119 Assessment of emissions number—incorrect report given by liable entity
- 120 Assessment of emissions number—no report given by liable entity
Part 6—Surrender of eligible emissions units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 121 Simplified outline
- Division 2—How eligible emissions units are surrendered
- Division 3—Unit shortfalls
  - Subdivision A—Fixed charge years
  - Subdivision B—Flexible charge years
    - 133 Unit shortfall
- Division 4—Unit shortfall charge
- Division 5—Assessment of unit shortfall and unit shortfall charge
  - 141 Assessment of unit shortfall and unit shortfall charge
- Division 6—Extension of surrender deadline
  - 142 Extension of surrender deadline
Part 7—Jobs and Competitiveness Program
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 143 Aim and objects
  - 144 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Formulation of the Jobs and Competitiveness Program
- Division 3—Compliance with reporting and record-keeping requirements under the Jobs and Competitiveness Program
  - 151 Compliance with reporting and record-keeping requirements
- Division 4—Special information-gathering powers
- Division 5—Productivity Commission inquiries
Part 8—Coal-fired electricity generation
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 159 Object
  - 160 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Issue of free carbon units in respect of generation complexes
  - 161 Issue of free carbon units in respect of generation complexes
- Division 3—Certificate of eligibility for coal-fired generation assistance
- Division 4—Power system reliability
- Division 5—Clean Energy Investment Plans
- Division 6—Closure contracts
  - 181 Restrictions on assistance if closure contract has been entered into
  - 181A Exemptions from power system reliability test and Clean Energy Investment Plan
Part 9—Publication of information
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 182 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Information about liable entities
- Division 3—Information about holders of Registry accounts
  - 194 Information about holders of Registry accounts
- Division 4—Information about units
- Division 5—Information about relinquishment requirements for persons other than liable entities
- Division 6—Information about designated large landfill facilities
  - 206 Publication of list of designated large landfill facilities
Part 10—Fraudulent conduct
- 207 Simplified outline
- 208 Units issued as a result of fraudulent conduct—court may order relinquishment
Part 11—Relinquishment of carbon units
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 209 Simplified outline
- Division 2—How carbon units are relinquished
  - 210 How carbon units are relinquished
  - 211 Deemed relinquishment
- Division 3—Compliance with relinquishment requirements
Part 12—Notification of significant holding of carbon units
- 217 Simplified outline
- 218 Notification of significant holding of carbon units—controlling corporation of a group
- 219 Notification of significant holding of carbon units—non-group entity
Part 13—Information-gathering powers
- 220 Simplified outline
- 221 Regulator may obtain information or documents
- 222 Copying documents—compensation
- 223 Copies of documents
- 224 Regulator may retain documents
- 225 Self-incrimination
Part 14—Record-keeping requirements
- 226 Simplified outline
- 227 Record-keeping requirements—general
- 228 Record-keeping requirements—quotation of OTN
Part 15—Monitoring powers
- Division 1—Simplified outline
  - 229 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Appointment of inspectors and issue of identity cards
  - 230 Appointment of inspectors
  - 231 Identity cards
- Division 3—Powers of inspectors
  - Subdivision A—Monitoring powers
  - Subdivision B—Powers of inspectors to ask questions and seek production of documents
    - 235 Inspector may ask questions and seek production of documents
    - 236 Self-incrimination
- Division 4—Obligations and incidental powers of inspectors
- Division 5—Occupier’s rights and responsibilities
  - 243 Occupier entitled to observe execution of warrant
  - 244 Occupier to provide inspector with facilities and assistance
- Division 6—Monitoring warrants
  - 245 Monitoring warrants
- Division 7—Powers of magistrates
  - 246 Powers of magistrates
Part 16—Liability of executive officers of bodies corporate
- 247 Simplified outline
- 248 Civil penalties for executive officers of bodies corporate
- 249 Reasonable steps to prevent contravention
Part 17—Civil penalty orders
- 250 Simplified outline
- 251 References to Court
- 252 Civil penalty orders
- 253 Who may apply for a civil penalty order
- 254 Two or more proceedings may be heard together
- 255 Time limit for application for an order
- 256 Civil evidence and procedure rules for civil penalty orders
- 257 Civil proceedings after criminal proceedings
- 258 Criminal proceedings during civil proceedings
- 259 Criminal proceedings after civil proceedings
- 260 Evidence given in proceedings for a civil penalty order not admissible in criminal proceedings
- 261 Mistake of fact
- 262 State of mind
- 263 Continuing contraventions
Part 18—Infringement notices
- 264 Simplified outline
- 265 When an infringement notice can be given
- 266 Matters to be included in an infringement notice
- 267 Amount of penalty
- 268 Withdrawal of an infringement notice
- 269 What happens if the penalty is paid
- 270 Effect of this Part on civil penalty proceedings
- 271 Regulations
Part 19—Offences relating to unit shortfall charge and administrative penalties
- Division 1—Introduction
  - 272 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Offences relating to unit shortfall charge
  - 273 Scheme to avoid existing liability to pay unit shortfall charge
  - 274 Scheme to avoid future liability to pay unit shortfall charge
- Division 3—Offences relating to administrative penalties
  - 275 Scheme to avoid existing liability to pay administrative penalty
  - 276 Scheme to avoid future liability to pay administrative penalty
Part 20—Enforceable undertakings
- 277 Simplified outline
- 278 Acceptance of undertakings
- 279 Enforcement of undertakings
Part 21—Review of decisions
- 280 Simplified outline
- 281 Reviewable decisions
- 282 Applications for reconsideration of decisions made by delegates of the Regulator
- 283 Reconsideration by the Regulator
- 284 Deadline for reconsideration
- 285 Review by the Administrative Appeals Tribunal
- 286 Stay of proceedings for the recovery of unit shortfall charge or late payment penalty
Part 22—Reviews by the Climate Change Authority
- Division 1—Simplified outline
  - 287 Simplified outline
- Division 2—Periodic reviews of this Act and the associated provisions
- Division 3—Other reviews
  - 293 Reviews of this Act and the associated provisions to be conducted by the Climate Change Authority at the request of the Minister or the Parliament
  - 294 Report of review
Part 23—Miscellaneous
- 295 Miscellaneous functions of the Regulator
- 296 Computerised decision-making
- 297 Regulator’s power to require further information
- 297A Actions may be taken by an agent of a person
- 298 Delegation by the Minister
- 299 Delegation by a State Minister or a Territory Minister
- 300 Delegation by the Secretary
- 301 Concurrent operation of State and Territory laws
- 302 Law relating to legal professional privilege not affected
- 303 Arrangements with States and Territories
- 303A Contracts and arrangements to protect energy security
- 303B Loans to owners etc. of emissions-intensive coal-fired generation complexes
- 304 Liability for damages
- 305 Executive power of the Commonwealth
- 306 Notional payments by the Commonwealth
- 307 Alternative constitutional basis
- 308 Compensation for acquisition of property
- 309 Prescribing matters by reference to other instruments
- 310 Administrative decisions under the regulations
- 311 Transitional—definitions
- 312 Regulations