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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No longer in force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Superseded version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