Section 516A — Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Annual reports to deal with environmental matters

Annual reports for Commonwealth entities (1) The accountable authority of a Commonwealth entity (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013) must ensure that an annual report prepared under section 46 of that Act complies with subsection (6) of this section. Annual reports of Commonwealth companies (4) The directors of a Commonwealth company (within the meaning of the Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013) that is a Commonwealth agency must ensure that the documents given to the responsible Minister (within the meaning of that Act) under section 97 of that Act include a report complying with subsection (6) of this section. Annual reports of other Commonwealth agencies (5) A Commonwealth agency that is: (a) established by or under a law of the Commonwealth; and (b) required by law to give the Minister responsible for it an annual report; and (c) not described in subsection (1) or (4); must ensure that the annual report complies with subsection (6). Content of report (6) A report described in subsection (1), (4) or (5) relating to a body or person (the reporter) for a period must: (a) include a report on how the activities of, and the administration (if any) of legislation by, the reporter during the period accorded with the principles of ecologically sustainable development; and (b) identify how the outcomes (if any) specified for the reporter in an Appropriations Act relating to the period contribute to ecologically sustainable development; and (c) document the effect of the reporter’s activities on the environment; and (d) identify any measures the reporter is taking to minimise the impact of activities by the reporter on the environment; and (e) identify the mechanisms (if any) for reviewing and increasing the effectiveness of those measures. Note: The Auditor-General Act 1997 lets the Auditor-General audit a reporter’s compliance with these requirements. (7) In subsection (6): activities includes: (a) developing and implementing policies, plans, programs and legislation; and (b) the operations of a department, authority, company or agency referred to in this section.