{"id":"F2024L01108","name":"Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI-03-2024) Declaration 2024","slug":"offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":442556,"registerId":"F2024L01108-fast-fetch-1775957532633","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-12","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI-03-2024) Declaration 2024","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![Commonwealth Coat of Arms of Australia](image.001.jpeg)\n\n \n\nOffshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI‑03‑2024) Declaration 2024\n\nI, Chris Bowen, Minister for Climate Change and Energy, make the following instrument.\n\nDated    30 August 2024  \n\nChris Bowen\n\nMinister for Climate Change and Energy\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nContents\n\n1  Name\n\n2  Commencement\n\n3  Authority\n\n4  Definitions\n\n5  Declared area\n\n6  Conditions\n\nSchedule 1—Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 1\n\nSchedule 2—Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 2\n\nSchedule 3—Simplified map of declared area\n\n \n\n \n\n1  Name\n\n  This instrument is the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Declared Area OEI-03-2024) Declaration 2024.\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 The day after this instrument is registered\n\n\nNote: This table relates only to the provisions of this instrument as originally made.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 section 17 of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021.\n\n4  Definitions\n\nNote 1: A number of expressions used in this instrument are defined in section 8 of the Act, including the following:\n\n(a) Defence Minister;\n\n(b) feasibility licence;\n\n(c) licence area;\n\n(d) management plan;\n\n(e) offshore renewable energy infrastructure;\n\n(f) research and demonstration licence.\n\nNote 2: For the purposes of the Act, the position on the surface of the Earth of a point, a line or an area is to be determined by reference to the Geocentric Datum of Australia as defined in Gazette No. 35 of 6 September 1995 (GDA94 geocentric data set). See section 49 of the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Regulations 2022.\n\n  In this instrument:\n\nAct means the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021.\n\nAustralian Maritime Safety Authority means the Authority within the meaning of the Australian Maritime Safety Authority Act 1990.\n\nBureau of Meteorology means the Bureau within the meaning of the Meteorology Act 1955.\n\nCivil Aviation Safety Authority means CASA within the meaning of the Civil Aviation Act 1988.\n\nDeclared Area OEI-03-2024 means the area made up of:\n\n1.     Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 1 as specified in Schedule 1; and\n2.     Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 2 as specified in Schedule 2.\n\n\nDepartment of Defence means the Department administered by the Defence Minister.\n\n5  Declared area\n\n (1) Declared Area OEI-03-2024 (the declared area) is declared for the purposes of the Act.\n\nSimplified map of declared area\n\n (2) Schedule 3 sets out a simplified map that shows the location of the declared area.\n\n6  Conditions\n\nNote: Licences will also be subject to other conditions: see sections 35, 45 and 54 of the Act.\n\n  A licence in relation to which the matters set out in column 1 of the following table are satisfied must be subject to the corresponding condition set out in column 2.\n\n \n\n- Conditions\n- Item Column 1Matters Column 2Conditions\n- 1 (a) the licence is a:(i) feasibility licence; or(ii) research and demonstration licence; and(b) the licence is granted in respect of the declared area or any part of the declared area. The licence holder must:(a) in preparing a management plan for the licence, consult:(i) the Australian Maritime Safety Authority; and (ii) the Civil Aviation Safety Authority; and(b) in the management plan for the licence, address the outcomes of this consultation.\n- 2 (a) the licence is a:(i) feasibility licence; or(ii) research and demonstration licence; and(b) the licence is granted in respect of the declared area or any part of the declared area. The licence holder must:(a) in preparing a management plan for the licence, consult the Department of Defence; and(b) in the management plan for the licence, address the outcomes of this consultation, including how impacts may be avoided and mitigated.\n- 3 (a) the licence is a:(i) feasibility licence; or(ii) research and demonstration licence; and(b) the licence is granted in respect of the declared area or any part of the declared area. The licence holder must:(a) in preparing a management plan for the licence, consult the Bureau of Meteorology; and(b) in the management plan for the licence, address the outcomes of this consultation, including how impacts may be avoided, mitigated, or offset.\n- 4 (a) the licence is a feasibility licence; and(b) the licence is granted in respect of the declared area or any part of the declared area; and(c) rights under one or more:(i) commercial fishing concessions granted under the Fisheries Management Act 1991; or(ii) commercial fishing licences issued under the Fish Resources Management Act 1994 (WA); can be exercised in relation to any part, or parts, of the licence area. The licence holder must:(a) in preparing a management plan for the licence, consult:(i) in the case of a concession or licence holder that has nominated a representative organisation for the purposes of the consultation—the representative organisation; and(ii) in any other case—the concession or licence holder; where the concession or licence confers rights that can be exercised in relation to any part, or parts, of the licence area; and(b) in the management plan for the licence, address the outcomes of this consultation, including how impacts on these holders may be avoided, mitigated, or offset.\n\n\n \n\n\n\n\nSchedule 1—Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 1\n\nDefinition of “Declared Area OEI-03-2024” in section 4.\n\n \n\n \n\nDeclared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 1 consists of the line commencing at point OEI-03-2024-P1-1 in the following table and running along the geodesics sequentially connecting the points as described in the table and then along the geodesic to the point of commencement:\n\n \n\n- Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 1\n- Item Latitude Longitude\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-1 32° 47' 30.47\" S 114° 57' 32.85\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-2 32° 47' 30.41\" S 114° 57' 45.29\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-3 32° 47' 30.41\" S 114° 57' 45.78\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-4 32° 47' 29.60\" S 115° 00' 26.00\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-5 32° 47' 26.48\" S 115° 10' 43.90\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-6 32° 47' 24.54\" S 115° 17' 07.23\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-7 32° 47' 24.61\" S 115° 17' 07.24\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-8 33° 00' 31.31\" S 115° 19' 25.96\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-9 33° 09' 20.04\" S 115° 14' 20.70\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-10 33° 12' 30.23\" S 114° 59' 35.05\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-11 33° 14' 42.69\" S 114° 58' 36.45\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-12 33° 19' 10.30\" S 114° 46' 17.61\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-13 33° 14' 00.94\" S 114° 45' 51.73\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-14 33° 05' 01.09\" S 114° 49' 50.55\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-15 32° 56' 31.09\" S 114° 53' 35.36\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P1-16 32° 47' 30.97\" S 114° 57' 32.62\" E\n\n\n\n\n\nSchedule 2—Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 2\n\nDefinition of “Declared Area OEI-03-2024” in section 4.\n\n \n\n \n\nDeclared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 2 consists of the line commencing at point OEI-03-2024-P2-1 in the following table and running along the geodesics sequentially connecting the points as described in the table and then along the geodesic to the point of commencement:\n\n \n\n- Declared Area OEI-03-2024 Part 2\n- Item Latitude Longitude\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-1 33° 28' 55.25\" S 114° 23' 05.83\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-2 33° 28' 55.08\" S 114° 14' 29.65\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-3 33° 28' 52.28\" S 114° 14' 28.94\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-4 33° 23' 10.15\" S 114° 12' 13.89\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-5 33° 11' 35.48\" S 114° 11' 27.14\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-6 33° 05' 39.53\" S 114° 12' 22.94\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-7 32° 58' 25.28\" S 114° 17' 21.61\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-8 32° 50' 56.35\" S 114° 20' 10.26\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-9 32° 47' 41.43\" S 114° 21' 23.37\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-10 32° 47' 35.47\" S 114° 41' 03.70\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-11 32° 58' 10.81\" S 114° 36' 29.26\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-12 33° 08' 15.72\" S 114° 32' 06.87\" E\n- OEI-03-2024-P2-13 33° 18' 50.69\" S 114° 27' 30.28\" E\n\n\n\n\n\n \n\nSchedule 3—Simplified map of declared area\n\n \n\nSubsection 5(2)\n\n \n\n \n\n![A map of the declared area, as defined by the coordinates in Schedule 1 and Schedule 2 of this instrument](image.002.jpeg)\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":3,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument serves its original intended purpose exactly as designed under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021. It is a standard 'declared area' declaration that fits within the established framework for progressively opening offshore zones for renewable energy development. The consultation conditions attached are consistent with the Act's requirements for managing multiple ocean uses."},"complexity_factors":["Straightforward structure with only 6 operative sections plus schedules","Minimal defined terms (only 5 explicit definitions in section 4, plus incorporated definitions from parent Act)","Simple conditional logic in section 6 (table format with clear triggers)","No nested exceptions or complex cross-referencing beyond standard parent Act references","Technical complexity limited to geospatial coordinate tables in Schedules 1-2","Single-purpose instrument with narrow scope (declaration of specific area only)"],"plain_english_summary":"This ministerial declaration creates Declared Area OEI-03-2024 — a two-part offshore zone off Western Australia (roughly between Perth and Bunbury) — making it available for offshore wind and other renewable projects. It doesn’t grant licences but requires mandatory consultation with agencies (maritime, aviation, Defence, Bureau of Meteorology) and commercial fishers, formally recognising fishing rights and setting engagement rules for future applicants."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument exercises the Minister’s declaration power under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 to identify a specific declared area and to attach consultation and management‑plan conditions to licences affecting that area. It does not change the statutory scope of the Act or create new licence categories; it specifies spatial boundaries and procedural obligations for certain licence holders without expanding the underlying regulatory coverage."},"complexity_factors":["Precise geodetic coordinates and geodesic linking for two separate spatial parts (Schedules 1–2) requiring technical mapping and GIS expertise","Attachment of tailored conditions only to particular licence types (feasibility and research & demonstration), creating conditional regulatory pathways","Multiple cross‑agency consultation requirements (AMSA, CASA, Defence, Bureau of Meteorology) increasing administrative steps and interagency coordination","Explicit consultation with commercial fishing concession or licence holders where rights overlap, introducing stakeholder negotiation and potential compensation/offset issues","Dependence on definitions and powers in the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 and a separate regulations provision for datum (GDA94), creating inter‑instrument legal dependencies","Management‑plan content obligation to ‘address outcomes’ of consultations (avoid, mitigate, offset) which leaves room for operational judgement and potential regulator discretion"],"plain_english_summary":"This declaration designates a specific offshore area (defined by precise coordinates) under the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Act 2021 and ties that area to the Act’s licensing regime. It primarily affects applicants and holders of feasibility and research-and-demonstration licences by imposing mandatory consultations and management‑plan obligations with AMSA, CASA, Defence, the Bureau of Meteorology and certain commercial fishing concession or licence holders. Licence‑holders pay the compliance costs and must document how impacts will be avoided, mitigated or offset."},"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"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024","history":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024/history","analysis":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/offshore-electricity-infrastructure-declared-area-oei-03-2024-declaration-2024/documents"}}