{"id":"F2022L00551","name":"Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Villawood Immigration Centre—Removal of Commonwealth Heritage Value) Instrument 2022","slug":"environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":441345,"registerId":"F2022L00551-fast-fetch-1775956658916","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Villawood Immigration Centre—Removal of Commonwealth Heritage Value) Instrument 2022","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 22.10.0\ntitle: Explanatory Statement Template\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Logo

Description automatically generated](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nEnvironment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Villawood Immigration Centre—Removal of Commonwealth Heritage Value) Instrument 2022\n\nI, Sussan Ley, Minister for the Environment, make the following instrument.\n\nDated  30th March 2022  \n\nSUSSAN LEY\n\nMinister for the Environment\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\nPart 1 —Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Removal of Commonwealth Heritage value\n\nSchedule 1—Statement of reasons for the removal of a value from the Commonwealth Heritage List\n\n1  Purpose of Schedule\n\n2  Legislation\n\n3  Evidence and material before me\n\n4  Findings on material questions of fact\n\n5  Reasons for decision\n\n \n\n \n\nPart 1—Preliminary\n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Villawood Immigration Centre—Removal of Commonwealth Heritage Value) Instrument 2022.\n\n2  Commencement\n\n (1) Each provision of this instrument specified in column 1 of the table commences, or is taken to have commenced, in accordance with column 2 of the table. Any other statement in column 2 has effect according to its terms.\n\n \n\n- Commencement information\n- Column 1 Column 2 Column 3\n- Provisions Commencement Date/Details\n- 1. The whole of this instrument As provided in paragraph 341L(6)(b) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (that is, on the first day this instrument is no longer liable to be disallowed, or to be taken to have been disallowed, under section 42 of the Legislation Act 2003).\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made. It will not be amended to deal with any later amendments of this instrument.\n\n (2) Any information in column 3 of the table is not part of this instrument. Information may be inserted in this column, or information in it may be edited, in any published version of this instrument.\n\n3  Authority\n\n  This instrument is made under subsection 341L(4) of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 528 of the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) Australian Heritage Council;\n\n(b) Commonwealth Heritage criteria;\n\n(c) Commonwealth Heritage List;\n\n(d) Commonwealth Heritage place;\n\n(e) Commonwealth Heritage value;\n\n(f) heritage value;\n\n(g) place.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.\n\ncriterion D means paragraph 10.01A(2)(d) of the Regulations.\n\ncriterion D heritage value, in relation to Villawood Immigration Centre, means the following heritage value:\n\nCriterion D—Characteristic values\n\nThe hostel demonstrates principal characteristics of migrant hostels throughout Australia, with the use of ex-military buildings, construction and adaptation of the buildings for civilian use, the arrangement of accommodation into units and the siting of the hostel close to industry.\n\nAttributes\n\nAdapted and reused buildings, the arrangement of buildings and site layout.\n\nRegulations means the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Regulations 2000.\n\nVillawood Immigration Centre means the Commonwealth Heritage place Villawood Immigration Centre, Miowera Rd, Villawood, NSW, Australia.\n\n5  Removal of Commonwealth Heritage value\n\n (1) For subsection 341L(3) of the Act, the criterion D heritage value, in relation to the Villawood Immigration Centre, is removed from the Commonwealth Heritage List.\n\n (2) For subsection 341L(4) of the Act, a statement of reasons for the removal is set out in Schedule 1.\n\n \n\n \n\n\n\n\nSchedule 1—Statement of reasons for the removal of a value from the Commonwealth Heritage List\n\n1  Purpose of Schedule\n\n  This statement of reasons is provided for the purposes of subsection 341L(4) of the Act.\n\n2  Legislation\n\nCommonwealth Heritage values\n\n (1) Under subsection 341D(1) of the Act, a place has a “Commonwealth Heritage value” if and only if the place meets one of the criteria (the “Commonwealth Heritage criteria”) prescribed by the Regulations. The “Commonwealth Heritage value” of the place is the place’s heritage value that causes the place to meet the criterion.\n\n             (2)  Under subsection 341D(2) of the Act, the “Commonwealth Heritage values” of a Commonwealth Heritage place are the Commonwealth Heritage values of the place included in the Commonwealth Heritage List for the place.\n\n (3) Under paragraph 10.03A(2)(d) of the Regulations, one of the Commonwealth Heritage criteria for the historic heritage values of places is criterion D.\n\nRemoving Commonwealth Heritage values included in the Commonwealth Heritage List for a Commonwealth Heritage place\n\n (4) Under paragraph 341L(3)(a) of the Act, I may remove a Commonwealth Heritage value included in the Commonwealth Heritage List for a Commonwealth Heritage place only if satisfied that, ignoring subsection 341D(2) of the Act, the place no longer has the Commonwealth Heritage value.\n\n (5) Under subsection 341L(4) of the Act, I may remove a Commonwealth Heritage value of a place only by an instrument including a statement of reasons for the removal.\n\n (6) Under subsection 341L(6) of the Act, if the instrument deals only with removal for loss of value:\n\n (a) it is a legislative instrument; and\n\n (b) it takes effect on the first day it is no longer liable to be disallowed, or to be taken to have been disallowed, under section 42 of the Legislation Act 2003.\n\nProcess for removing a Commonwealth Heritage value\n\n (7) Under subsection 341M(1) of the Act, before I remove from the Commonwealth Heritage List a place’s Commonwealth Heritage value in a removal for loss of value, I must:\n\n (a) give the Chair of the Australian Heritage Council a written request for the Council to give advice on the proposed removal, within a period specified in the request; and\n\n (b) publish, on the internet, in a daily newspaper circulating in each State and self‑governing Territory, and in each other way required by the regulations (if any), a notice:\n\n (i) describing the proposed removal; and\n\n (ii) inviting anyone to give comments, within 20 business days, on the proposed removal.\n\n  The notice must be published within 20 business days of giving the request.\n\n (8) Regulation 16.05A of the Regulations prescribes publication requirements. In relation to subsection 341M(1) of the Act, additional publication requirements are specified only for advertisements that are relevant to various external territories.\n\n (9) Under subsection 341M(2) of the Act, the Australian Heritage Council must give the advice within the specified period.\n\n (10) Under subsection 341M(3) of the Act, I must consider the advice, if I receive it by the end of that period, and the comments (if any) received in accordance with the notice.\n\n (11) Under subsection 341M(5) of the Act, I must:\n\n (a) decide whether to remove from the Commonwealth Heritage List the Commonwealth Heritage value of the place concerned; and\n\n (b)   if I so decide—ensure that an instrument removing the value is made under subsection 341L(4) of the Act;\n\n  within 60 business days after the earlier of the advice being received and the specified period for giving advice ending.\n\n3  Evidence and material before me\n\n (1) In reaching this decision, I have considered the following:\n\n (a) the listing of the Villawood Immigration Centre on the Commonwealth Heritage List (Place ID 105543);\n\n (b) the criterion D heritage value, one of its Commonwealth Heritage value;\n\n (c) the written request I gave to the Chair of the Australian Heritage Council on 26 November 2020 to give advice on the proposed removal of the criterion D heritage value from the Commonwealth Heritage List entry for the Villawood Immigration Centre, requesting advice by on or before the end of 2021;\n\n (d) the notices describing the proposed removal, and inviting comments on it within 20 business days, which were published:\n\n (i) on the internet http://www.environment.gov.au/heritage/laws/publicdocuments/pubs/105543_comment_call_proposal_values_change_20210728.pdf on 31 July 2021; and\n\n (ii) in The Australian newspaper on 31 July 2021;\n\n (e) the written advice from the Australian Heritage Council which was provided to me on 15 March 2022.\n\n (2) No comments were received in response to the internet or newspaper notices.\n\n (3) The Australian Heritage Council’s advice:\n\n (a) referred to:\n\n (i) claims that the Villawood Immigration Centre had significant heritage value because of the place’s importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of a post war migrant hostel; and\n\n (ii) a major redevelopment of the Villawood Immigration Centre, which reflects the fact that the Centre now functions as a detention facility, and that there has been a need to improve the conditions for people residing in the Centre; and\n\n (b) advised the following:\n\n (i) while most of the migrant hostel buildings have been demolished, there are some that remain to represent the use of the site as a hostel;\n\n (ii) in view of the place’s recent transformation and conversion into a different land use, the site is considered to have only limited capacity to demonstrate the principal characteristics of a post war migrant hostel;\n\n (iii) the remnant aspects or characteristics of the place are considered to be better assessed under paragraph 10.01A(2)(a) of the Regulations;\n\n (iv) the place might not have significant heritage value under criterion D.\n\n4  Findings on material questions of fact\n\n  I find that, as a result of this redevelopment, the Villawood Immigration Centre no longer demonstrates the principal characteristics of migrant hostels in the way that it did prior to the redevelopment, and that it now has only limited capacity to demonstrate those characteristics.\n\n5  Reasons for decision\n\n (1) I decide to remove, from the Commonwealth Heritage List entry for the Villawood Immigration Centre, the criterion D heritage value because:\n\n (a) as a result of the above finding, the Villawood Immigration Centre no longer satisfies criterion D, as it no longer has outstanding heritage value to the nation because of the place’s importance in demonstrating the principal characteristics of:\n\n    (i) a class of Australia’s natural or cultural places; or\n\n (ii) a class of Australia’s natural or cultural environments; and\n\n (b) as a result, the Villawood Immigration Centre no longer has the criterion D heritage value; and\n\n (c) as a result, I am able to exercise the discretion under paragraph 341L(3)(a) of the Act to remove the criterion D heritage value from the Commonwealth Heritage List for the Villawood Immigration Centre; and\n\n (d) there are no countervailing reasons not to exercise this discretion in this manner.\n\n (2) In accordance with paragraph 341L(3)(a) of the Act, in reaching this view, I have ignored the effect of subsection 341D(2) of the Act. This subsection provides that the “Commonwealth Heritage values” of a Commonwealth Heritage place are the Commonwealth Heritage values of the place included in the Commonwealth Heritage List for the place. That is to say, subsection 341D(2) of the Act has the effect of deeming that the Villawood Immigration Centre does have, relevantly, the criterion D heritage value.\n\n \n\nSUSSAN LEY\n\nMinister for the Environment\n\n \n\n \n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":true,"description":"The instrument narrows the legal scope of the Commonwealth Heritage List entry for the Villawood Immigration Centre by removing its criterion D heritage value, thereby reducing the place’s recorded Commonwealth Heritage values and the Act’s application to that specific criterion. The removal was made under paragraph 341L(3)(a) after seeking Australian Heritage Council advice and public notice, and was taken while disregarding the deeming effect of subsection 341D(2) for the decision (Instrument s5(1); Schedule 1, paras 2(4)–2(6), 3 and 5)."},"complexity_factors":["Cross‑references to multiple provisions in the EPBC Act and Regulations (Instrument s3; Schedule 1, paras 2(1)–2(6)).","Statutory procedural steps for removal: request for Australian Heritage Council advice, publication and comment period, timed decision window (Schedule 1, paras 2(7)–2(11); 3(1)(c)–(e)).","Ministerial discretion under paragraph 341L(3)(a) to remove a listed value after satisfying a loss‑of‑value test (Instrument s5(1); Schedule 1, para 5(1)(c)).","Deeming provision (subsection 341D(2)) affects legal status and was expressly set aside for the decision, adding interpretive complexity (Schedule 1, para 5(2)).","Factual assessment required of heritage attributes and impact of redevelopment (Schedule 1, paras 3(1)(e) and 4).","Commencement tied to disallowance procedures under the Legislation Act, affecting timing (Instrument s2; Schedule 1, para 2(6)).","Limited public input (no submissions received) narrows the evidentiary record (Schedule 1, para 3(2))."],"plain_english_summary":"This instrument removes the 'criterion D' Commonwealth Heritage value for the Villawood Immigration Centre from the Commonwealth Heritage List because redevelopment means the site no longer demonstrates the principal characteristics of post‑war migrant hostels (Instrument s5(1); Schedule 1, paras 4–5). The Minister (Sussan Ley) made the decision after seeking advice from the Australian Heritage Council and publishing a public notice (Schedule 1, paras 3–4). The change alters the site’s recorded heritage values and how the Act applies to that specific value."},"flash_summary_failed":{"failed":true,"reason":"Unauthenticated. Configure AI_GATEWAY_API_KEY or use a provider module. Learn more: https://ai-sdk.dev/unauthenticated-ai-gateway","source":"analysis-cron"},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument performs exactly the function contemplated by section 341L of the EPBC Act—removing a specific heritage value when the place no longer meets the relevant criterion. The scope has not expanded beyond this statutory purpose."},"complexity_factors":["Straightforward single-purpose instrument with clear procedural structure","Only 5 defined terms in section 4, all clearly explained","Heavy reliance on cross-referencing the parent Act (EPBC Act 1999) and Regulations, but these references are explicit and traceable","Contains nested legislative references (e.g., 'paragraph 10.01A(2)(d) of the Regulations') but follows a standard administrative decision-making template","Schedule 1 provides detailed reasoning but follows predictable administrative law structure (evidence → findings → reasons)","No exceptions, exemptions, or conditional operative provisions—the removal is absolute once the instrument commences","Length is moderate (approximately 1,500 words) with clear headings and logical flow"],"plain_english_summary":"The Minister’s decision removes the Commonwealth Heritage List’s “criterion D” protection for Villawood Immigration Centre, which had recognised its significance as a post‑war migrant hostel. The change reflects that redevelopment and demolition for use as an immigration detention centre have largely erased the site’s original hostel fabric.\n\nThis affects the Department of Home Affairs, heritage advocates and former residents, and the public—reducing legal protection for the site’s migrant‑hostel history while other heritage values may still remain."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw","history":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw/history","analysis":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/environment-protection-and-biodiversity-conservation-villawood-immigration-centre-removal-of-commonw/documents"}}