Action item 14.29
Progress
Complete.
Approved by decision makers.
Recommendation implemented.
That prior the grant of any further production approvals, the Government enacts a broader range of powers to sanction, including but not limited to:
- remediation and rehabilitation orders;
- revocation, suspension or variation orders;
- enforceable undertakings;
- injunctions (mandatory and prohibitory); and
- civil penalties.
Completed
Department of Industry, Tourism and Trade
Action item update
Implementation
The Petroleum Legislation Amendment Bill 2022 was introduced in the Legislative Assembly on 12 October 2022, passed on 1 December 2022 and assented to on 16 December 2022. Refer to Special Gazette S64 published on 19 December 2022 on the Northern Territory Government website.
Amendments to the Petroleum Act 1984 will establish a contemporary suite of regulatory powers to be enacted to effectively regulate the gas industry in the Northern Territory. Some of the changes include administrative amendments while others allow for a broadening of enforcement powers.
The Bill establishes that Ministers, CEOs and Inspectors will have broader powers and more ways to encourage and facilitate compliance. In additional to the powers to sanctions required by Recommendation 14.29, the Bill provides for additional powers and functions for the Inspectors and CEOs responsible for petroleum regulation and a suite of new regulatory ‘tools’ including compliance directions, stop work notices and audit directions.