Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Minister for Broadband, Communications and the Digital Economy) Share this | Hansard source

The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has provided the following answer to the honourable senator's question:

Due to the various permissions structures operating across the portfolio, a separate response is provided from each relevant area of the portfolio.

Bureau of Meteorology (BoM)

BoM has a number of cost recovery arrangements under s31 of the Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997. BoM produces and distributes a variety of data, information and services and derives revenue from:

For the purposes of these questions the above services have been included as item c) "fee for services".

(1) Data is not available on how many fee for service items are administered to the non-government sector.

(2) In addition to appropriation funded public information services, the Bureau provides enhanced weather and climate information to meet residual public needs. The current fees for services are as set out below:

Notes:

Category 1 (Cat 1) relates to requests where the details are fully specified by the requestor.

Category 2 (Cat 2) relates to requests where additional assistance is required to specify the details required.

These charging rates are current as of 21 November 2012.

For annual subscriptions, services range from Level 1 for the delivery of public products on a managed delivery platform to Level 5 for the provision of complex and custom products. The fee at each level has been standardised to reflect the per product production effort required.

Otherwise the Bureau's cost recovered services (non-commercial) are enhanced information services pursuant to the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines. Fees for commercial services are competitively neutral and set in accordance with the Australian Government Competitive Neutrality Guidelines for Managers.

The Bureau's cost recovered services are demand driven and optional for all users. A significant proportion of the total is services to the aviation industry.

(3) N/A.

(4) Fees for services paid since 2007-08:

(5) A total of $278,781,000 has been paid since 2007-08.

Environment Assessment Compliance Division and Heritage and Wildlife Division

Permits are issued by the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities for the import and export of wildlife specimens (live and dead) in accordance with Part 13A of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. In addition to an import or export permit, a facility assessment is required for live animals for animal welfare purposes.

The department administers the Commonwealth Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976, which involves the issuing of registrations and permits.

The department charges a fee for services for the assessment of Sea Dumping Permit applications under the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981.

(1) Wildlife trade import and export permits and fees: exact data are not available. In 2011-12, 1855 permits and approximately 15,900 personal baggage permits were issued for the export and import of wildlife specimens. The majority of these were for non-government bodies, companies and individuals. In 2011-12 the department completed 48 facility assessments but the majority of these were for government institutions.

Approximately 60 permits and 30 registrations are issued annually under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976.

All fees for services are administered to either the non-government sector or state government based corporate entities.

(2) Wildlife trade import and export permits:

Personal baggage permit $1.00

Single use permit $30.00

Multiple use permit $75.00 per 6 months (max 3 years)

Testing permits $150.00

Exceptional circumstances permit $150.00

Household pets permits $150.00

Facility assessment $150.00

Any individual or organisation wishing to import or export wildlife specimens is required to obtain/hold a permit.

No registration, application or permit fees are currently charged under the Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976. The permits and registrations relate to the either the control of protected shipwreck relics or visitation to historic shipwrecks within protected zones and are issued to private individuals, associations and businesses.

As at April 2009 fees for the assessment of applications for sea dumping permits are as follows:

The fee for an application to vary a permit is $860.

Prior to April 2009, but within the period to which QoN 2344 refers, the fees for the assessment of applications were as follows:

The fee for an application to vary a permit was $500.

Only the non-government (private) sector or state government based corporate entities applying for a permit to dump material at sea pay a fee for the assessment of an application (Part 5 - Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations1983).

(3) Wildlife trade import and export permits: are not renewed but they do have an expiry date, which varies with the type of permit. Facility assessments do not have an expiry date.

Expiry dates for sea dumping permits range from 1 to 12 months depending on the purpose.

Fees for the assessment of applications are not subject to renewal, but are occasionally varied upon payment of a variation fee as above.

(4) Fees that have been paid for sea dumping permits:

Fees that have been paid for wildlife trade import and export permits and facility assessments:

(5) For sea dumping permits, a total of $1,268,550 has been paid since 2007-08.

For wildlife trade permits, a total of $736,146.02 has been paid since 2007-08.

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority (GBRMPA)

(1) The GBRMPA administers permits and other permission structures under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Regulations 1983, the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Zoning Plan 2003, the Sea Installations Act 1987, the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Act 1981, and the Environment Protection (Sea Dumping) Regulations 1983. Most of these are issued to the non-government sector, and of the 1367 current permits, approximately 2.5 per cent (33 permits) are issued to the government sector.

(2) Permits are required for anyone (including individuals, companies, incorporated bodies and government departments and agencies) intending to conduct activities in the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park which require permission under any of the pieces of legislation that the GBRMPA administers.

Permit Application Assessment Fees (applies for calendar year 2012 only)

Fees for other applications and requests

(3) Permit tenure forms part of the decision of the delegate, however in some cases, is informed by GBRMPA policy. In general, permits are usually issued for between one and fifteen years with the most common tenure being six years.

(4) Totals for this year and the five preceding years are:

(5) A total of $1,729,369 has been paid since 2007-08.

Marine Division

Commonwealth Marine Reserves

(1) 258 permits have been issued to the non-government sector in the 2012/13 financial year.

(2) There are no fees associated with permits or approvals issued by the Director of National Parks in relation to Commonwealth marine reserves. People, companies or government agencies undertaking activities in Commonwealth marine reserves that would otherwise be an offence under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 and Regulations 2000 are required to have a permit or an approval to undertake their activity.

(3) There is no set period for the renewal of permits or approvals.

(4) No fees have been paid.

(5) No revenue is collected.

Australian Bird and Bat Banding Scheme (ABBBS) Banding Authorities

ABBBS Banding Authorities authorise the holder to use the Scheme's bands and may be regarded as 'skills tickets', confirming that the authority holder has a specified level of skills in the capture, handling and banding of birds or bats.

(1) Approximately 600 banding authorities are administered to the non-government sector on an annual basis.

(2) The annual fee to hold an authority is $54.25. Anyone wishing to attach metal ABBBS bands to birds or bats in Australia is required to hold an ABBBS Authority.

(3) ABBBS Banding Authorities are renewed annually.

(4)Total revenue collected annually:

*estimate of fees at 16/10/2012

(5) A total of $160,661.62 has been paid since 2007-08.

Section 238 Permits to interfere with cetaceans

Permits to interfere with cetaceans are administered under Section 238 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. The requested details are as follows:

(1) Since the 2007-08 financial year, 20 permits have been administered to the non-government sector.

(2) The associated fee for applying to obtain a Section 238 permit is $25 per application. All Australian citizens, research institutions, non-government organisations and private enterprises are required to obtain a permit to interfere with cetacean in the Australian Whale Sanctuary and beyond, which includes for the purpose of research.

(3) There is no set timeframe for renewal. The duration of the permit is based on application and assessment of the activity.

(4) The following fees have been paid for application for a Section 238 permit in each of the following financial years:

(5) A total of $500 has been paid since 2007-08.

Australian Antarctic Division

(1) Of the permits and environmental authorisations issued by the Australian Antarctic Division, approximately one-third are provided to individuals within the non-government sector.

(2) No fees are associated with these permissions.

(3) Permits are valid for one year. Environmental authorisations typically cover a number of years.

(4) N/A.

(5) N/A.

Environment Quality Division

(1) For permits granted under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989, 18 permits were granted to applicants in the non-government sector in 2011-12.

For licenses under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989, at any given time approximately 1000 import/export licences are being administered.

All registrations that are processed under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards (WELS) scheme are from the non-government sector. There are approximately 500 registrants currently registering products with the WELS scheme.

Fees are charged by the department to process applications for a fuel standard variation under the Fuel Quality Standards Act 2000 (the Act). All applications are from the non-government sector.

(2) Under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 all sectors of the community are required to obtain a (d) permit for the import, export and transit of hazardous waste. The fees for applications are as follows:

Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 a licence (or exemption) must be held by any person or entity from all sectors of the community wishing to import, export or manufacture substances regulated. A cost recovery levy (or fee for service) of $165/tonne imported is paid quarterly.

The Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 (WELS Act) requires specified products to be registered and labelled with their water efficiency before they can be offered for supply. Products currently administered under the scheme are showers, taps, toilets, urinals, washing machines (including combination clothes washers/dryers) and dishwashers. Flow controllers are also included in the scheme on a voluntary basis. The WELS Determination 2011 currently specifies a fee of $1500 to register a WELS product, family of models or a set of minor products.

In most instances, manufacturers are usually the registrants but other parties, such as importers, wholesalers, trade suppliers, and retailers of WELS products are also able to register WELS products.

Fees are set by the Fuel Quality Standards Regulations 2001 and based on a sliding scale related to the volume of fuel to be supplied. Applications to vary the fuel standards are received from:

(3) Under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 the majority of permits are for up to one year. Under certain conditions, a permit can be issued for up to three years.

Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989 renewal of licences is undertaken every two years, except for a 'Low Volume Import Licence' which is valid for fourteen days.

Each registration currently lasts for five years under WELS.

Approvals for racing fuel and mid-range suppliers are normally granted for up to two years.

Approvals for other small businesses and major fuel refiners may be granted for up to five years.

(4) Under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989:

Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act 1989:

Total fees and revenue collected under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 are as follows:

* Total fees and revenue collected from 1 July 2012 to 21 November 2012 (rounded to the nearest dollar).

Annual revenue under the Fuels Quality Standards Act 2000:

(5) Under the Hazardous Waste (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1989 a total of $113,410 has been paid since 2007-08.

Under the Ozone Protection and Synthetic Greenhouse Gas Management Act a total of $21,560,676 has been paid since 2007-08.

Under the Water Efficiency Labelling and Standards Act 2005 a total of $3,230,235 has been paid since 2007-08.

Under the Fuels Quality Standards Act 2000 a total of $1,007,025 has been paid since 2007-08.

Sydney Harbour Federation Trust

For each of the following items: (a) licences; (b) registrations; (c) fee for services; and (d) permits (and all other permission structures):

(1) The Sydney Harbour Federation Trust administers the following types of permits to the non-government sector:

(2) The fees for each type of permit are as follows:

(3) Renewal for each permit:

(4) Fees paid since 2007-08 to 2012-13 (up to 1 November 2012).

(5) A total of $1,620,134 has been paid since 2007-08.

Parks Australia Division including the Director of National Parks

Parks Australiahas 6 categories of permits that have been issued to the non-government sector. Parks Australia administered 1212 permits since 2007-08.1

Parks Australia has 6 categories of fee for service that are charged to the non-government sector. Given the nature of fee for service activities, Parks Australiais unable to provide a figure for how many have been administered.

1 Note: the information provided in this response includes the Director of National Parks.

(2) Any sector of the community undertaking an activity that requires a permit or incurs a fee for service in Commonwealth national parks or reserves must apply for one. Associated fees for 2012-13 are:

Permits:

Fee for Service: see Attachment A for the Australian National Botanic Gardens current fee for service charges.

Fees for camping within Kakadu and Booderee National Parks range from $5.00 to $49.00 depending on site size, amenities and if it is "peak" season or not.

Park Use fees are charged for Booderee ($11.00 per day per car), Kakadu ($25 for fourteen days) and Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Parks ($25.00 for three days).

(3) Renewal times are as follows:

Fee for service activities are charged each time the service is requested unless otherwise noted in the response to Question 2.

(4) Fees per financial year are as follows:

(5) A total of $47,849,566 has been paid since 2007-08.

Freedom of Information

The Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities and its portfolio agencies follow the advice and protocols provided by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner (the OAIC) in line with the Freedom of Information Act 1982 (the FOI Act) and Freedom of Information (FOI) Guidance Notes. The department also follows the FOI Guidance notes provided by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet on 28 July 2011 which are available at www.dpmc.gov.au/foi/guidance_notes.cfm.

Fees collected for Freedom of Information since 2010-11 are reported by the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner at www.oaic.gov.au/publications/reports.html. Fees collected for Freedom of Information prior to 2010-11 are reported by the Attorney-General's Department at www.ag.gov.au/Freedomofinformation/Pages/Freedom-of-information-annual-reports.aspx.

ATTACHMENT A

Fee for service charges – Australian National Botanic Gardens.

The fee for service charges apply to a range of users, government, non-government and general public. Currently fees are: