Dear Ehab

 

Thank you for your email. We note that you have asked for responses to 3
questions, and consider this not to be an FOI request as it does not
relate to specific documents within the possession of the Department of
Agriculture, Water and the Environment (the Department).

 

Nevertheless, we have consulted with the relevant business areas of the
department and have collated the below responses for your information.

 

Queries 1 and 2 - 1- Release date of the new Koala referral guidelines? 2
- What other guidelines we can use temporarily to submit a Koala referral
application in absence of the new koala referral guidelines?

 

Response:

The previous EPBC Referral Guidelines for the Vulnerable Koala were based
on the 2012 conservation advice for the species.  With the recent
up-listing of Koala to endangered that conservation advice is no longer
current. The government has drafted a recovery plan, which is now with
relevant state governments to ensure that the recovery plan aligns with
their Koala plans and strategies and responds to the recent bushfire
impacts on Koalas.

 

Once the Koala Recovery Plan has been finalised, this will form the basis
for updated guidance materials (including around koala habitat), and we
anticipate that the development of guidance materials will include
industry consultation.   We do not have an indicative release date for
this at present.

 

In the interim, project proponents should use the [1]Significant Impact
Guidelines 1.1 – Matters of National Environmental Significance to
determine if their proposed action may need to be referred under the EPBC
Act.  These guidelines include the criteria for assessing potential
impacts on endangered species, and include general guidance on ‘habitat
critical to the survival of the species’.

 

If any proponents feel that their project might have potential impacts on
Koala, we recommend booking a [2]pre-referral meeting with the department
to better understand obligations under the EPBC Act.

 

Query 3 - 3- How can we find some land-based offset development
applications to learn about?

 

Response:

For information on offsets please see our department website that
introduces offsets (link to the new external website). On the website
there is a link to the EPBC Act Offsets Policy and great introductory
videos. In addition, the Department’s EPBC notice board is where you can
see decisions made under the EPBC Act relating to referrals, assessments,
management plans, variations, conditions of approvals and offset
management plans.
([3]http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/pu...).
Furthermore, you can find specific information relating to an actions
assessment documentation, which will contain information about proposed
offsets, and offset management plans published on the proponents/approval
holders website.

 

We consider that the above information resolves your query and consider
your query as finalised.

 

Kind regards

 

FOI Contact Officer | Information Law Team  |  Commercial, Information and
Agriculture Legal Branch  |  Legal Division

T: (02) 6274 2098 | E: [4][AWE request email]

___________________________________________

Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment

GPO BOX 858 CANBERRA ACT 2601

[5]www.awe.gov.au

 

This email and any attachments may contain information subject to legal
professional privilege or information that is otherwise sensitive or
confidential. If you are not the intended recipient of this email, you are
prohibited from using or disseminating this communication. If you have
received this communication in error please notify the sender immediately
and permanently delete this email.

-----Original Message-----
From: Ehab Salama [6][FOI #8581 email]
Sent: Wednesday, 9 March 2022 5:44 PM
To: FOI requests at AWE [7][AWE request email]
Subject: Freedom of Information request - Koala Referral guidelines
[SEC=UNOFFICIAL]

 

Dear Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment,

 

Hope this mail find you well.

 

We would like to know about the following:

1- Release date of the new Koala referral guidelines?

2- What other guidelines we can use temporarily to submit a Koala referral
application in absence of the new koala referral guidelines?

3- How can we find some land-based offset development applications to
learn about?

 

Thank you

 

Yours faithfully,

Ehab

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Please use this email address for all replies to this request:

[8][FOI #8581 email]

 

Is [9][AWE request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests
to Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment? If so, please
contact us using this form:

[10]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...

 

This request has been made by an individual using Right to Know. This
message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet.
More information on how Right to Know works can be found at:

[11]https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

 

Please note that in some cases publication of requests and responses will
be delayed.

 

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web
manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

 

 

-------------------------------------------------------------------

 

------ IMPORTANT - This email and any attachments have been issued by the
Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Water and the
Environment. The material transmitted is for the use of the intended
recipient only and may contain confidential, legally privileged, copyright
or personal information. You should not copy, use or disclose it without
authorisation from the Department. It is your responsibility to check any
attachments for viruses and defects before opening or forwarding them. If
you are not an intended recipient, please contact the sender of this email
at once by return email and then delete both messages. Unintended
recipients must not copy, use, disclose, rely on or publish this email or
attachments. The Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment is
not liable for any loss or damage resulting from unauthorised use or
dissemination of, or any reliance on, this email or attachments. If you
have received this e-mail as part of a valid mailing list and no longer
want to receive a message such as this one, advise the sender by return
e-mail accordingly. This notice should not be deleted or altered ------

References

Visible links
1. https://www.awe.gov.au/environment/epbc/...
2. https://www.awe.gov.au/environment/epbc/...
3. http://epbcnotices.environment.gov.au/pu...
4. mailto:[AWE request email]
5. http://www.awe.gov.au/
6. mailto:[FOI #8581 email]
7. mailto:[AWE request email]
8. mailto:[FOI #8581 email]
9. mailto:[AWE request email]
10. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/change_re...
11. https://www.righttoknow.org.au/help/offi...

hide quoted sections