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Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
170BInformation critical to protecting matters of national environmental significance not to be disclosed
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170B Information critical to protecting matters of national environmental significance not to be disclosed
(1) The Minister may, by notice in writing to a person, direct the person not to disclose specified information when publishing a document or material as required or permitted by a specified provision of this Chapter, if the Minister considers that the information is critical to the protection of a matter protected by a provision of Division 1 of Part 3 (about matters of national environmental significance).
(2) A provision of this Chapter that is specified in a direction under subsection (1) has effect as if it did not require or permit the publication of the information specified in the direction.
(3) A person who is given a direction under subsection (1) must not contravene the direction.
Civil penalty: 100 penalty units.
170BA Designated proponent may request Minister to permit commercial‑in‑confidence information not to be disclosed
(1) This section applies in relation to the assessment documentation that must be published by the designated proponent of an action to which Division 4, 5 or 6 of Part 8 applies.
(2) The designated proponent may request the Minister, in writing, to permit the designated proponent not to publish so much of the assessment documentation relating to the action as the designated proponent considers is commercial‑in‑confidence.
(3) A request under subsection (2) must include the information prescribed by the regulations.
(4) If the Minister is satisfied that a part of the assessment documentation relating to the action is commercial‑in‑confidence, the Minister may, by written notice to the designated proponent, permit the designated proponent not to publish that part of the assessment documentation.
(5) The Minister must not be satisfied that a part of the assessment documentation relating to the action is commercial‑in‑confidence unless a person demonstrates to the Minister that:
(c) the information in that part is not required to be disclosed under another law of the Commonwealth, a State or a Territory; and
(6) If the Minister permits the designated proponent not to publish a part of the assessment documentation that the Minister considers is commercial‑in‑confidence, the provision of Division 4, 5 or 6 of Part 8 that requires the designated proponent to publish the assessment documentation has effect as if it did not require the publication of that part of the assessment documentation.
(7) In this section:
assessment documentation, in relation to an action to which Division 4, 5 or 6 of Part 8 applies, means:
(a) if Division 4 of Part 8 (assessment on preliminary documentation) applies to the action:
(i) the information referred to in paragraphs 95(2)(a) and (b) or 95A(3)(a), (b) and (c), as the case requires; and
(ii) the document prepared under paragraph 95B(1)(a) or the information referred to in subsection 95B(4), as the case requires; or
(b) if Division 5 of Part 8 (public environment reports) applies to the action:
(i) the draft public environment report relating to the action given to the Minister under paragraph 98(1)(ab); and
(ii) the finalised public environment report relating to the action given to the Minister under section 99; or
(c) if Division 6 of Part 8 (environmental impact statements) applies to the action:
(i) the draft environmental impact statement relating to the action given to the Minister under paragraph 103(1)(ab); and
(ii) the finalised environmental impact statement relating to the action given to the Minister under section 104.
Division 6—Withdrawal of referrals