2012
Director of National Parks, January 2012
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About this document
Purpose
The recent review of cost recovery arrangements highlighted that the Director of National Parks (DNP) is required to prepare a Cost Recovery Impact Statement (CRIS) for the cost recovery of visitor management and provision of educational services. The purpose of this CRIS is to clearly demonstrate the DNP's compliance with the Australian Governments Cost Recovery Guidelines.
Background
The DNP is a corporation sole established under Division 5 of Part 19 of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act), and a Commonwealth authority for the purposes of the Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act).
The DNP is responsible for the administration of Divisions 4 and 5 of Part 15 of the EPBC Act (Commonwealth reserves and conservation zones) and regulations made for the purposes of those divisions.
The functions of DNP as set out in section 514B(1) of the EPBC Act include:
- to administer, manage and control Commonwealth reserves and conservation zones.
The powers of DNP as set out in section 514C of the EPBC Act include:
- to enter into contracts;
- to do all things necessary or convenient to be done for or in connection with the performance of the Director's functions.
DNP's general power to enter into contracts, leases and licences includes the power to charge a fee (subject to Ministerial approval for agreements involving amounts greater than $250,000).
Australian Government Cost Recovery Policy
In December 2002, the Australian Government adopted a formal cost recovery policy to improve the consistency, transparency and accountability of its cost recovery arrangements and promote the efficient allocation of resources. The underlying principle of the policy is that agencies set charges to recover all the costs of a product or service where it is efficient and effective to do so, where the beneficiaries are a narrow and identifiable group and where charging is consistent with Australian Government policy objectives. The Cost Recovery Policy is administered by the Department of Finance and Deregulation and is detailed in the Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines (Cost Recovery Guidelines).
The policy applies to all Financial Management and Accountability Act 1997 (FMA Act) agencies and to relevant Commonwealth Authorities and Companies Act 1997 (CAC Act) bodies that have been notified. In line with the policy, individual portfolio ministers are ultimately responsible for ensuring agencies' implementation and compliance with the Cost Recovery Guidelines. The Australian Government Cost Recovery Guidelines and the accompanying Finance Circular can be found at: finance.gov.au/financial-framework/financial-management-policy-guidance/cost-recovery.html