{"id":"bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017","name":"BUSHFIRES MANAGEMENT (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2017","slug":"bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017","collection":"regulation","jurisdiction":"nt","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":174362,"registerId":"nt-bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-05","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"BUSHFIRES MANAGEMENT (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2017","content":"NORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\nBUSHFIRES MANAGEMENT (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2017\nAs in force at 2 March 2018\nTable of provisions\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Citation ............................................................................................ 1\n2 Definitions ........................................................................................ 1\nPart 2 Infringement notice offences\n3 Infringement notice offence and prescribed amount payable .......... 1\n4 When infringement notice may be given .......................................... 1\n5 Contents of infringement notice ....................................................... 2\n6 Electronic payment and payment by cheque ................................... 3\n7 Withdrawal of infringement notice.................................................... 3\n8 Application of Part ........................................................................... 3\nSchedule Infringement notice offences and\nprescribed amounts\nENDNOTES\n\n\n\nNORTHERN TERRITORY OF AUSTRALIA\n____________________\nAs in force at 2 March 2018\n____________________\nBUSHFIRES MANAGEMENT (GENERAL) REGULATIONS 2017\nRegulations under the Bushfires Management Act 2016\nPart 1 Preliminary matters\n1 Citation\nThese Regulations may be cited as the Bushfires Management\n(General) Regulations 2017.\n2 Definitions\nIn these Regulations:\ninfringement notice, see regulation 4.\ninfringement notice offence, see regulation 3(1).\nprescribed amount, see regulation 3(2).\nPart 2 Infringement notice offences\n3 Infringement notice offence and prescribed amount payable\n(1) An infringement notice offence is an offence against a provision\nspecified in the Schedule.\n(2) The prescribed amount for an infringement notice offence is the\namount equal to the monetary value of the number of penalty units\nspecified for the offence in the Schedule.\n4 When infringement notice may be given\nIf a fire control officer or fire warden believes on reasonable\ngrounds a person has committed an infringement notice offence,\nthe fire control officer or fire warden may give a notice\n(an infringement notice) to the person.\n\nPart 2 Infringement notice offences\nBushfires Management (General) Regulations 2017 2\n5 Contents of infringement notice\n(1) The infringement notice must specify the following:\n(a) the name and address of the person, if known;\n(b) the date the infringement notice is given to the person;\n(c) the date, time and place of the infringement notice offence;\n(d) a description of the offence;\n(e) the prescribed amount payable for the offence;\n(f) the enforcement agency, as defined in the Fines and Penalties\n(Recovery) Act 2001, to which the prescribed amount is\npayable.\n(2) The infringement notice must include a statement to the effect of\nthe following:\n(a) the person may expiate the infringement notice offence and\navoid any further action in relation to the offence by paying the\nprescribed amount to the specified enforcement agency within\n28 days after the notice is given;\n(b) the person may elect under section 21 of the Fines and\nPenalties (Recovery) Act 2001 to have the matter dealt with by\na court instead of under that Act by completing a statement of\nelection and giving it to the specified enforcement agency;\n(c) if the person does nothing in response to the notice,\nenforcement action may be taken under the Fines and\nPenalties (Recovery) Act 2001, including (but not limited to)\naction for the following:\n(i) suspending the person's licence to drive;\n(ii) seizing personal property of the person;\n(iii) deducting an amount from the person's wages or salary;\n(iv) registering a statutory charge on land owned by the\nperson;\n(v) making a community work order for the person and\nimprisonment of the person if the person breaches the\norder.\n(3) Also, the infringement notice must include an appropriate form for\nmaking the statement of election mentioned in subregulation (2)(b).\n\nPart 2 Infringement notice offences\nBushfires Management (General) Regulations 2017 3\n6 Electronic payment and payment by cheque\n(1) If the person uses electronic means to pay the prescribed amount,\npayment is not effected until the amount is credited to the\nenforcement agency's bank account.\n(2) If the person tenders a cheque in payment of the prescribed\namount, payment is not effected unless the cheque is cleared on\nfirst presentation.\n7 Withdrawal of infringement notice\n(1) The chief fire control officer may withdraw the infringement notice\nby written notice given to the person.\n(2) The notice must be given:\n(a) within 28 days after the infringement notice is given to the\nperson; and\n(b) before payment of the prescribed amount.\n8 Application of Part\n(1) This Part does not prejudice or affect the start or continuation of\nproceedings for an infringement notice offence for which an\ninfringement notice has been given unless the offence is expiated.\n(2) Also, this Part does not:\n(a) require an infringement notice to be given; or\n(b) affect the liability of a person to be prosecuted in a court for an\noffence for which an infringement notice has not been\ngiven; or\n(c) prevent more than one infringement notice for the same\noffence being given to a person.\n(3) If more than one infringement notice for the same offence has been\ngiven to a person, the person may expiate the offence by paying\nthe prescribed amount in accordance with any of the notices.\n\nSchedule Infringement notice offences and prescribed amounts\nBushfires Management (General) Regulations 2017 4\nSchedule Infringement notice offences and prescribed\namounts\nregulation 3(1) and (2)\nProvision Prescribed amount\nin penalty units\nBushfires Management Act 2016\nsections 20(1), 45(1) and 53(1) 1\nsections 49(1), 68(1) and (2), 72(1), 75(1), 76(1),\n77(1), 87(5) and 95(1)\n2\n\nENDNOTES\nBushfires Management (General) Regulations 2017 5\nENDNOTES\n1 KEY\nKey to abbreviations\namd = amended od = order\napp = appendix om = omitted\nbl = by-law pt = Part\nch = Chapter r = regulation/rule\ncl = clause rem = remainder\ndiv = Division renum = renumbered\nexp = expires/expired rep = repealed\nf = forms s = section\nGaz = Gazette sch = Schedule\nhdg = heading sdiv = Subdivision\nins = inserted SL = Subordinate Legislation\nlt = long title sub = substituted\nnc = not commenced\n2 LIST OF LEGISLATION\nBushfires Management (General) Regulations (SL No. 11, 2017)\nNotified 24 May 2017\nCommenced 24 May 2017\nBushfires Management (General) Amendment Regulations (SL No. 5, 2018)\nNotified 2 March 2018\nCommenced 2 March 2018\n3 GENERAL AMENDMENTS\nGeneral amendments of a formal nature (which are not referred to in the table\nof amendments to this reprint) are made by the Interpretation Legislation\nAmendment Act 2018 (Act No. 22, 2018) to: rr 1 and 5 and sch.\n4 LIST OF AMENDMENTS\nsch amd No. 5, 2018, r 4","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Regulations appear to serve their original intended purpose: establishing an infringement notice scheme for the Bushfires Management Act 2016. The scope remains tightly focused on procedural mechanisms for on-the-spot fines without expansion into broader bushfire management matters."},"complexity_factors":["Only 8 regulations total, with minimal text","Just 3 defined terms (infringement notice, infringement notice offence, prescribed amount), all circular definitions referring to other regulations","Simple procedural structure: Part 1 (citation/definitions), Part 2 (infringement notice process), Schedule (offence list)","No nested exceptions or complex conditional logic – mostly straightforward 'if X, then Y' rules","Cross-references limited to the parent Act (Bushfires Management Act 2016) and the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001 for standard enforcement mechanisms","Schedule contains only 9 offence provisions with binary penalty structure (1 or 2 penalty units)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this legislation does:**\n\nThese Regulations create a system for issuing **infringement notices** (on-the-spot fines) for minor bushfire-related offences in the Northern Territory. Instead of taking someone to court for a small breach of the Bushfires Management Act 2016, fire control officers or fire wardens can issue a fine that the person can pay to avoid court.\n\n**Who it affects:**\n\n- **Fire control officers and fire wardens** – they have the power to issue infringement notices when they reasonably believe someone has broken specific bushfire laws\n- **People in the Northern Territory** – anyone who commits certain offences under the Bushfires Management Act 2016 (like lighting fires without permission or failing to comply with fire bans)\n\n**How it works:**\n\n- The **Schedule** lists exactly which offences attract fines and how much they cost (measured in \"penalty units\" – a standard way of calculating fines)\n- Most offences carry either **1 or 2 penalty units** (relatively small amounts)\n- The notice must tell the person:\n  - What they allegedly did wrong\n  - How much they must pay\n  - That they have **28 days** to pay\n  - That they can choose to go to court instead if they disagree\n  - What happens if they ignore it (licence suspension, property seizure, wage deductions, or even jail for ignoring community work orders)\n\n**Why it matters:**\n\nThis creates a **fast, cheap way to deal with minor bushfire offences** without clogging up courts. Bushfires are deadly serious in Australia, so having a streamlined penalty system helps enforce fire safety rules quickly. However, it also gives people proper rights – they can dispute the fine in court if they choose."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"A positive credit balance is required for all requests, including BYOK, so fallback providers remain available. Add credits at https://vercel.com/d?to=%2F%5Bteam%5D%2F%7E%2Fai%3Fmodal%3Dtop-up to continue.","source":"analysis-cron"},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"These Regulations implement an expiation (infringement notice) regime for specified offences under the Bushfires Management Act 2016. They set procedure, notice content, payment mechanics and limited withdrawal power. The published amendments noted are formal or procedural (see endnotes) and do not expand the types of conduct covered beyond the offences listed in the Schedule. In other words, the Regulations apply a standard infringement‑notice mechanism to a set of bushfire offences rather than changing the substantive criminal scope set by the principal Act."},"complexity_factors":["Short instrument: 8 substantive regulations plus a Schedule","3 defined terms in the interpretation provision (reg 2)","Schedule lists 12 specific subsection provisions of the Bushfires Management Act 2016","Cross‑references to two external Acts: Bushfires Management Act 2016 (for offence definitions) and Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001 (for enforcement and agency)","Monetary amounts expressed in penalty units (requires checking penalty unit value elsewhere)","Several time‑limited and conditional rules (28‑day payment window, 28‑day withdrawal window, payment effective only when credited/cheque clears)","Discretionary elements (belief on reasonable grounds for issuing, chief fire control officer may withdraw)"],"plain_english_summary":"**What these Regulations do (mechanics first)**\n\n- The Regulations create a simple infringement‑notice system (like a fixed penalty fine) for certain offences under the Bushfires Management Act 2016. The list of offences and how many penalty units each attracts is in the Schedule (reg 3 and the Schedule).\n- A fire control officer or a fire warden may give an infringement notice to a person they reasonably believe committed one of the listed offences (reg 4).\n- The notice must state the offender’s name/address (if known), when and where the alleged offence occurred, a short description of the offence, the prescribed amount (expressed as a number of penalty units) and the enforcement agency to which payment is payable (reg 5(1)–(1)(f)).\n- The notice must explain the recipient’s choices: pay the prescribed amount within 28 days to expiate (dispose of) the matter, or elect to have the matter heard in court instead (reg 5(2)(a)–(b)). The notice must include a form to elect court (reg 5(3)).\n- Payment is effective only when electronic payment is credited to the enforcement agency’s account or when a cheque clears on first presentation (reg 6).\n- The chief fire control officer can withdraw an infringement notice by written notice to the person, but only within 28 days of the notice being given and before payment (reg 7).\n- The Part does not prevent court prosecution, does not require an infringement notice to be given, and allows multiple notices for the same offence; a person can expiate by paying under any one of the notices (reg 8).\n\n**Who is affected**\n\n- People alleged to have committed the specific offences listed in the Schedule (these are offences under the Bushfires Management Act 2016; the Schedule lists 12 subsection provisions across that Act). Those people face a choice: pay the prescribed amount to avoid further action, or elect court (reg 5).\n- Fire control officers and fire wardens are the officers authorised to issue infringement notices (reg 4). The chief fire control officer has the administrative power to withdraw notices (reg 7).\n- The enforcement agency under the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001 will receive payments and may take enforcement steps for non‑payment (reg 5(1)(f) and reg 5(2)(c)).\n\n**Why it matters (stated purpose and practical effects)**\n\n- The stated operational purpose is to provide a relatively quick, administrable way to deal with some bushfire‑related offences without immediate court proceedings (see reg 3 and reg 5). That aims to reduce court workload and give an expiation option for minor offences.\n- Costs and incentives: individuals who receive a notice face an immediate monetary cost (the prescribed amount) if they choose to expiate; if they decline to pay, enforcement measures under the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001 can follow (including licence suspension, seizure of property, wage deduction, statutory charge on land, community work orders and imprisonment for breach of an order) (reg 5(2)(c)(i)–(v)). The option to elect court preserves access to judicial determination but shifts time and cost risk onto the alleged offender.\n- Administrative discretion and implementation risk: the power to issue notices rests on a belief on reasonable grounds (reg 4), and the chief fire control officer can withdraw notices within a limited window (reg 7). That creates ordinary administrative discretion and a potential area for dispute about whether the officer had reasonable grounds and whether withdrawal was timely.\n- Cross‑agency and legal dependencies: the monetary value of a prescribed amount depends on the current value of a penalty unit (set elsewhere in law) and enforcement and recovery are operated under the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001, so practical effect depends on those external regimes (reg 3(2), reg 5(1)(f)).\n\n**Concrete trade‑offs and likely behavioural effects**\n\n- Behavioural nudge: quick fines increase the marginal cost of non‑compliance for low‑level offences and may deter minor breaches of bushfire rules.\n- Cost distribution: the immediate financial burden falls on the individual alleged offender. Administrative costs fall to enforcement agencies to process notices, collect payments and, if necessary, pursue recovery.\n- Enforcement intensity vs. accuracy trade‑off: a low‑cost expiation pathway encourages speed but increases the chance of disputes about factual or legal correctness, since recipients may accept a small fine rather than contest a mistaken notice.\n\n**Where the Regulations concentrate power or burden**\n\n- Decision power to issue is held by operational officers (fire control officers and wardens) and to withdraw by the chief fire control officer (regs 4 and 7).\n- Enforcement burden and consequential sanctions are executed by agencies under the Fines and Penalties (Recovery) Act 2001, not by these Regulations themselves (reg 5(1)(f)–(2)(c)).\n\n**Key legal mechanics to watch in practice**\n\n- The prescribed amounts are expressed in penalty units (Schedule; reg 3(2)), so the cash amount will change if the penalty unit value changes.\n- Payment timing rules: electronic payments count only when credited; cheques count only when they clear on first presentation (reg 6).\n- The 28‑day windows are material: 28 days to pay to expiate (reg 5(2)(a)) and 28 days during which the chief fire control officer may withdraw a notice (reg 7(2)(a)).\n\n(For the exact procedural wording and the list of affected sections of the Bushfires Management Act 2016, see regs 3–8 and the Schedule.)"},"issue_detection":{"absurdities":[],"contradictions":[]},"summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"Based on the available information, there is no evidence that the scope of these regulations has changed from the original intent. They appear to remain focused on general bushfire management rules in the Northern Territory as originally designed. The reprint reference (REPB025R2) suggests the regulations have been reprinted, which may reflect minor amendments, but no material scope change is indicated."},"complexity_factors":["The provided text contains very limited actual legislative content — mostly metadata and headings — making full analysis impossible","Regulations (subordinate legislation) are generally less complex than Acts but require cross-referencing with the parent Act (Bushfires Management Act)","The Northern Territory's regulatory environment involves interaction with Commonwealth land rights frameworks and Aboriginal land management, adding potential jurisdictional layers","Fire management regulations often involve conditional rules (e.g. permits required only in certain seasons or zones), which can be moderately complex to navigate","Without the actual regulatory text, the true complexity cannot be fully assessed — score is a conservative estimate based on the type and subject matter"],"plain_english_summary":"These regulations, administered by the Northern Territory Fire and Emergency Service, set practical rules for preventing and managing bushfires across the NT — covering when and how fires may be lit, permit requirements for controlled burns, landholder duties, enforcement powers and penalties. \n\nThey directly affect landowners, pastoralists, Aboriginal land managers, businesses in fire-prone areas and NTFES officers because they define legal responsibilities and consequences for fire risk management."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017","history":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017/history","analysis":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/bushfires-management-general-regulations-2017/documents"}}