Strategic assessments of an endorsed policy, plan or program

In a strategic assessment, we consider environmental and heritage impacts over time. It's a progressive way to assess and approve a broad set of actions and development under one process. Think about this approach for complex developments or programs that overlap with protected matters.

 

Strategic assessment overview

Strategic assessments are landscape-scale assessments defined under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

They allow a big-picture approach to protecting nationally significant (protected) animals, plants, habitats or places. We call these things 'protected matters'.

This approach can be more efficient than doing project-by-project assessments.

Strategic assessments provide greater long-term certainty for the community, government, and business by identifying:

  • areas that are protected from development and activities
  • areas where development and activity is allowed
  • the type of development and activity allowed
  • the conditions of approval.

A strategic assessment is useful for:

  • a consistent approach across jurisdictional boundaries
  • large-scale housing development and associated infrastructure
  • areas with proposals for different types of industries or other development activities
  • implementing landscape-scale policies, plans or programs to manage fire, vegetation, resources or pests.

The EPBC Act also has provisions for strategic assessments of Commonwealth-managed fisheries.

Key features and steps of a strategic assessment

A strategic assessment is a collaboration between the Australian Government and a strategic assessment partner.

This partner could be:

  • an Australian Government department or agency
  • a state or territory government or agency
  • a local government or authority
  • an urban development industry
  • an Aboriginal Land Council
  • a mining or resource company.

Partners consider the needs of the development or activity, while making sure to deliver agreed environmental outcomes.

Steps to a strategic assessment

Design, preparation and approval follows these steps:

  1. After initial negotiations, the Environment minister and the strategic assessment partner sign an agreement to undertake a strategic assessment and develop draft terms of reference.
  2. The draft terms of reference are available for public comment for at least 28 days before the minister finalises them.
  3. The strategic assessment partner prepares a draft strategic impact assessment report, and a draft policy, plan or program document.
  4. These draft documents are available for public review and comment for at least 28 days.
  5. The minister considers public feedback and may recommend changes to these draft documents.
  6. If appropriate, the minister endorses the resulting policy, plan or program document.
  7. The minister may also approve classes of actions and attach conditions informed by earlier steps. These conditions appear in the approval notice the minister signs, which is published on the department's website.

If your activity or development is already covered by a strategic assessment approval, you don't need to refer the action to us.

To find out more, read:

Benefits of a strategic assessment

Strategic assessments deliver conservation and planning outcomes on a much larger scale than project-by-project assessments. They provide an upfront approval for development. This means you don't have to separately refer an action if it's covered by a strategic assessment approval.

Setting clear requirements upfront also gives greater certainty and clarity into the future. This is a collaborative process that determines:

  • what development and activities are and aren't allowed
  • where development and activities can occur
  • what environmental measures to take.

Strategic assessments also streamline administration. After the Environment minister approves a strategic assessment, future actions don't need individual approval. However, you must undertake those actions in accordance with the endorsed policy, plan or program and any approval conditions. We monitor this using streamlined annual audits and through longer-term reviews.

Strategic assessments also:

  • reduce the number of environmental referrals needed for an area
  • avoid duplicating environmental approvals at different levels of government
  • allow a coordinated approach to setting up and managing offsets
  • have longer timeframes for better planning into the future
  • achieve better environmental outcomes, including addressing cumulative impacts

Current strategic assessments

The Australian Government has signed a number of agreements with strategic assessment partners under section 146 of the EPBC Act. Individual strategic assessments may be at different stages of development. Refer to each strategic assessment to learn more.

National

Australian Capital Territory

New South Wales

Northern Territory

Queensland

South Australia

Tasmania

Victoria

Western Australia

Get in touch

Please speak with us early in your planning and design stages. If you think a strategic assessment might be suitable for your activities or development, fill out the summary of a proposed strategic assessment form.

If your activity or development is already covered by a strategic assessment approval, you don't need to refer the action to us.

If you have any other questions contact the EPBC referrals gateway on either: