7General functions of Authority

7 General functions of Authority

7 General functions of Authority

(1) The Authority has such environment protection and other functions as are conferred or imposed on it by or under the environment protection legislation or any other legislation.

(2) The Authority has general responsibility for the following—

(a) ensuring that the best practicable measures are taken for environment protection in accordance with the environment protection legislation and other legislation,

(b) co-ordinating the activities of all public authorities in respect of those measures,

(c) inquiring into and reporting on the efficacy of those measures,

(d) reviewing the regulatory framework for environment protection and advising on its rationalisation and simplification,

(e) investigating and reporting on alleged non-compliance with environment protection legislation for the purposes of prosecutions or other regulatory action,

(f) establishing a database on the state of the environment,

(g) advising persons engaged in industry and commerce and other members of the community on environment protection,

(h) advising the Government on methods to ensure the integration of the Authority’s pollution approvals and licensing processes with the development consent process so that the importance of environment protection is recognised.

(3) Persons may be employed in the Public Service under the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 to enable the Authority to exercise its functions.

Note.

Section 59 of the Government Sector Employment Act 2013 provides that the persons so employed (or whose services the Authority makes use of) may be referred to as officers or employees, or members of staff, of the Authority. Section 47A of the Constitution Act 1902 precludes the Authority from employing staff.

s 7: Am 1997 No 156, Sch 4.15 [5]; 2006 No 2, Sch 4.54 [1]; 2014 No 33, Sch 3.25 [1].