14Climate Change Authority to give the Minister advice that relates to the preparation of an annual climate change statement

#### 14 Climate Change Authority to give the Minister advice that relates to the preparation of an annual climate change statement (1) The Climate Change Authority must give the Minister advice that relates to the preparation of an annual climate change statement. (1A) Advice given to the Minister under subsection (1) must include advice about: (a) whether safeguard emissions and net safeguard emissions for the financial year to which the annual climate change statement relates are declining consistently with each of the safeguard outcomes in paragraphs 3(2)(b), (c) and (d) of the National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting Act 2007, taking into account: (i) the impact of any expanded designated large facilities, or new designated large facilities, for the financial year; and (ii) the impact of any expected expanded designated large facilities, or expected new designated large facilities, for future financial years; and (iii) any emissions estimates that are given to the Climate Change Authority under section 15A of this Act; and (b) if safeguard emissions, or net safeguard emissions, for the financial year are not so declining—whether any amendments to the safeguard rules are needed in order to achieve each of those safeguard outcomes. (2) If a period is: (a) specified in an agreement between the Minister and the Climate Change Authority; and (b) designated by the agreement as the advice period for a particular annual climate change statement; advice under subsection (1) that relates to the preparation of the annual climate change statement must be given within the advice period designated by the agreement. (3) In considering advice to be given to the Minister under subsection (1) in relation to the first annual climate change statement, the Climate Change Authority may make provision for public consultation. (3A) In considering advice to be given to the Minister under subsection (1) in relation to: (a) the second annual climate change statement; or (b) a subsequent annual climate change statement; the Climate Change Authority must make provision for public consultation. (4) If the Climate Change Authority gives the Minister advice under subsection (1) that relates to the preparation of a particular annual climate change statement, the Minister must have regard to that advice in preparing that statement. (5) Subsection (4) does not prevent the Minister from having regard to other advice. (6) If the Climate Change Authority gives the Minister written advice under subsection (1), the Climate Change Authority must: (a) publish a copy of that advice on its website no later than the day the annual climate change statement to which the advice relates is tabled in a House of the Parliament in accordance with subsection 12(3); and (b) cause a copy of that advice to be tabled in each House of the Parliament: (i) within 15 sitting days of that House after giving the advice to the Minister; and (ii) no later than the day the annual climate change statement to which the advice relates is tabled in that House in accordance with subsection 12(3). (7) If: (a) the Climate Change Authority gives the Minister written advice under subsection (1) that relates to the preparation of a particular annual climate change statement; and (b) the Minister decides not to accept one or more material aspects of that advice; then: (c) the Minister must prepare a written statement of reasons for the decision not to accept those aspects of that advice; and (d) the Minister must cause a copy of the statement of reasons to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 5 sitting days of that House after the completion of the preparation of the annual climate change statement.