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Timestamp: 2013-05-26 03:09:20
Document Index: 678473130

Matched Legal Cases: ['art 2', 'art 3', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art\n40', 'art 6', 'art\n61', 'art 1', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 6', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 3', 'art 2', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art\n3', 'art 5', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 4', 'art 3', 'art.26', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 3', 'art 7', 'art 4', 'art 7', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 5', 'art 6', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 7', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 4', 'art 9', 'art 7', 'art(1', 'art 8', 'art 1', 'art 2', 'art 1', 'art 4', 'art 5', 'art 3', 'art 4']

Plantations and Reafforestation Act 1999 No 97
Current version for 1 January 2013 to date (accessed 26 May 2013 at 13:09).
5 Definition of plantation
6 Exempt farm forestry
7 Land excluded from operation of Act
Part 2 Authorisation of plantations
8 Purposes of authorisation
9 Offence with respect to unauthorised plantations
10 Classes of authorised plantations
11 Application for authorisation of plantation or proposed
12 Determination of applications for authorisation
13 Provisions relating to complying plantations
14 Provisions relating to non-complying
15 Provisions relating to threatened species
17 Provisions relating to plantations already
17A Notification of change in ownership or management of
17B Changes in ownership and management not affecting
authorisation of plantations
17C Changes in ownership and management affecting
18 Time within which applications for authorisation to be
19 Related regulatory approvals for authorised
20 Conditions of authorisations
21 Duration of authorisation
22 Cancellation of authorisation
23 Public register relating to authorisations
24 Appeals to Land and Environment Court
Part 3 Plantations and Reafforestation Code
25 Preparation of Code
27 Content of Code
28 The Code not to be inconsistent with laws applying to
29 Making and amendment of Code by regulations
30 Review of Code
31 Compliance with Code
Part 4 Protection of unique or special wildlife values of
authorised plantations
32 Meaning of unique or special wildlife values
33 Requirement to give notice of likely impact on unique or
special wildlife values
34 Evaluation of impact on unique or special wildlife
35 Determination of Minister after receipt of
36 Availability of compensation in respect of harvesting
operations on timber plantations
37 Procedure if parties fail to agree on
38 Powers to acquire land not affected
Part 5 Financial contribution for transport infrastructure
expenditure for timber plantations
39 Transport infrastructure expenditure to which Part
40 Regional committees
41 Regional contribution plans
42 Obligation to make financial contribution
43 Liability for payment of financial contribution
44 Payment of financial contributions
45 Financial contributions to be paid into regional
46 Charge on land to secure payment of financial
Part 6 Application of other legislation
47 Plantation operations and exempt farm forestry not subject
to EPA Act
48 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
Conservation Act 1995
49 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
50 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
51 Plantation operations not subject to certain orders under
52 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
53 Plantation operations not subject to notices under Soil Conservation Act
54 Plantation operations on unformed Crown roads
55 Orders and instruments for protecting Aboriginal objects
56 Plantation operations subject to Code and other
57 Civil enforcement—Land and Environment
58 Minister may make stop work order
59 Directions for remedial work
60 Appeals under this Part
61 Appointment of authorised officers
61A Powers of entry and inspection
61B Power to obtain information
61C Offences in respect of authorised officers
61D Protection from personal liability
62 Penalty notices
65 Act binds Crown
68 Plantation certificates
71 Repeal of Timber
Plantations (Harvest Guarantee) Act 1995 No 92 and regulation
under that Act
74 Review of Act
Schedule 1 Areas excluded from Act
An Act to facilitate the reafforestation of land and the
establishment of timber and other forest plantations; to repeal the Timber Plantations (Harvest Guarantee) Act
1995; to amend certain other Acts; and for other
purposes.Part 1 Preliminary1 Name of ActThis Act is the Plantations and
Reafforestation Act 1999.2 CommencementThis Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by
proclamation.3 Objects of ActThe objects of this Act are:(a) to facilitate the reafforestation of land, and
(b) to promote and facilitate development for timber plantations on
essentially cleared land, and
(c) to codify best practice environmental standards, and provide a
streamlined and integrated scheme, for the establishment, management and
harvesting of timber and other forest plantations, and
(d) to make provision relating to regional transport infrastructure
expenditure in connection with timber plantations,
consistently with the principles of ecologically sustainable development
(as described in section 6 (2) of the Protection of the Environment Administration Act
1991).4 Definitions(1) In this Act:authorised
officer means a person appointed under section 61.authorised
plantation means a plantation or proposed plantation authorised for
the time being under this Act.authorised timber
plantation means an authorised plantation that is authorised under
this Act as a timber plantation.Code means the
Plantations and Reafforestation Code made under Part 3 and in force for the
time being.complying
plantation—see section 13.Crown-timber
lands has the same meaning as in the Forestry Act 2012.Department means the Department
of Industry and Investment.Director-General means the
Director-General of the Department.establishment
operations means (subject to subsection (2)) activities carried out
for the purpose of establishing a plantation, for example, the clearing of
land, the use of pesticides, herbicides and fertilisers and the provision of
access roads in establishing a plantation, and the planting of trees or
shrubs.exempt farm
forestry—see section 6.harvesting
operations means (subject to subsection (2)) the cutting and removal
of timber from a plantation for the purpose of timber production, including
the provision of access roads after establishment of a plantation to enable or
assist the cutting and removal of timber or the carrying out of such other
activities as are necessary for the efficient cutting and removal of
timber.management
operations means (subject to subsection (2)) the carrying out of
activities relating to the on-going management of a plantation (for example,
silvicultural thinning, weed control, grazing, the maintenance of access roads
and similar maintenance operations). Management operations includes any
harvesting of timber that does not exceed the maximum amount of harvesting
permitted by the Code for management operations.manager of a
plantation or proposed plantation means the person in charge of plantation
operations on the plantation or proposed plantation.owner of a
plantation or proposed plantation includes:(a) an owner or lessee of the land comprising the plantation or
proposed plantation, or
(b) in the case of a plantation or proposed plantation that is a State
forest or other Crown-timber lands under the management of the Forestry
Corporation—the Forestry Corporation, or
(c) a person who has a forestry right (within the meaning of section
87A of the Conveyancing Act
1919) in relation to the plantation or proposed
plantation—see section
5.plantation
operations means any or all of the following:(a) establishment operations,
(b) management operations,
(c) harvesting operations.
planted means
planted in the ground, and does not include planted in a pot or other
container.tree includes a
sapling, but does not include a shrub.unique or special
wildlife values—see section 32.(2) For the purposes of this Act:(a) the Code may declare that particular operations relating to
plantations are or are not establishment, management or harvesting operations,
(b) except as provided by paragraph (a)—plantation operations do
not include the demolition or erection of buildings (within the meaning of the
1979), or the building of dams, weirs or
(3) In this Act, a reference (however expressed) to the planting or
harvesting of trees or shrubs for the purpose of timber production includes a
reference to the planting or harvesting of trees or shrubs for use in energy
production.5 Definition of plantation(1) In this Act, plantation means an area of
land on which the predominant number of trees or shrubs forming, or expected
to form, the canopy are trees or shrubs that have been planted (whether by
sowing seed or otherwise):(a) for the purpose of timber production, or
(b) for the protection of the environment (including for the purpose
of reducing the salinity of the land or otherwise repairing or improving the
land, for the purpose of biodiversity conservation or for the purpose of
acquiring or trading in carbon sequestration rights), or
but not principally for the purpose of the production of food or any
other farm produce other than timber.(2) To avoid doubt, a natural forest is not a plantation for the
purposes of this Act. However, an area is not a natural forest merely because
it contains some native trees or shrubs that have not been
planted.(3) The Code may specify the distance between planted trees or shrubs
that constitute a single canopy and plantation for the purposes of this
Act.(4) A plantation can be a privately owned area of land, or it can be a
State forest or other Crown-timber lands, or any other
land.(5) A plantation can comprise more than one area of land if those
areas are under the same ownership or management and the Minister determines
that those areas may comprise a single plantation for the purposes of this
Act.6 Exempt farm forestry(1) For the purposes of this Act, exempt farm forestry is
the carrying out of plantation operations on a farm that complies with each of
the following:(a) the total area in which plantation operations of any kind are
carried out on the farm does not exceed 30 hectares at any one
(b) any clearing of native vegetation (within the meaning of the
Native Vegetation Act 2003)
is exempt from the requirement under section 12 of that Act that the clearing
be in accordance with a development consent or a property vegetation
(b1) any clearing of State protected land which is subject to the
provisions of the Native Vegetation
Conservation Act 1997 (1997 Act) because of the
operation of clause 4 of Schedule 3 to the Native Vegetation Act 2003
(2003 Act) and the
regulations under the 2003 Act is exempt from any requirement under Part 2 of
the 1997 Act for development consent,
(c) any harvesting of timber does not exceed the maximum amount of
harvesting permitted by the Code for exempt farm
(2) A farm is an
area of land (or contiguous areas of land) owned by the same person or
persons. However, the Code may make provision as to areas of land that are or
are not to be regarded as contiguous or that are or are not to be regarded as
owned by the same person or persons.Note. Section 9 (2) provides that exempt farm forestry may be
authorised, but is not required to be authorised, under this Act. Part 6
provides that exempt farm forestry is not subject to the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979.7 Land excluded from operation of Act(1) This Act does not apply to the following land:(a) land that is within a local government area (or part of a local
government area) specified in Part 1 of Schedule 1,
(b) land described in Part 2 of Schedule 1 that is subject to an
environmental planning instrument (within the meaning of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
(c) land that is dedicated or set apart as a flora reserve under the
Forestry Act 2012 or
declared to be a special management zone under that Act,
(d) land that is declared as wilderness area under the Wilderness Act 1987 or the National Parks and Wildlife Act
(e) land that is dedicated or reserved under the National Parks and Wildlife Act
(f) land that is subject to a conservation agreement entered into
under Division 7 of Part 4 of the National
(g) land that is subject to an interim protection order made under
Part 6A of the National Parks and Wildlife
Act 1974,
(h) land that is declared as an aquatic reserve under Part 7 of the
(i) land that is critical habitat under Part 3 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act
(j) land to which an interim heritage order or listing on the State
1977 applies,
(k) Lord Howe Island.
(2) The regulations may amend Schedule 1.(3) This Act does not cease to apply to an authorised plantation
merely because the land becomes land referred to in subsection (1) after the
authorisation was granted.Part 2 Authorisation of plantations8 Purposes of authorisationThe purposes of the authorisation of plantations under this Act
are:(a) to provide a streamlined and integrated process for obtaining
approval to establish timber and other forest plantations,
(b) to guarantee harvesting operations on timber plantations,
(c) to apply codified environmental standards to establishment,
management and harvesting operations on
Note. See Part 6 which provides that authorised plantations are not
subject to the Environmental Planning and
Assessment Act 1979 and certain other
Acts.9 Offence with respect to unauthorised plantations(1) A plantation or proposed plantation is required to be authorised
under this Act if plantation operations are carried out on it after the
commencement of this section, except if the plantation operations are:(a) exempt farm forestry, or
(c) ancillary plantation operations.
(2) Nothing in this Act prevents a plantation or proposed plantation
that is not required to be authorised from being authorised under this
Act.(3) A person who carries out, or causes or permits the carrying out
of, plantation operations on a plantation or proposed plantation required to
be authorised under this Act is guilty of an offence if:(a) the plantation or proposed plantation is not authorised under this
Act at the time the operations are carried out, or
(b) the plantation or proposed plantation is so authorised but the
plantation operations carried out are not of a kind authorised under section
10 by the class of the authorisation.
Maximum penalty: 1,000 penalty units and, in addition, 100 penalty
units for each day the offence continues.(4) In this section:ancillary plantation
operations means plantation operations that are ancillary to:(a) the carrying out of development in accordance with development
consent under Part 4, or in accordance with the requirements of Part 5, of the
(b) the carrying out of an approved project within the meaning of Part
3A of that Act, or
(c) the carrying out of approved State significant infrastructure
within the meaning of Part 5.1 of that Act,
but only if the development or project does not comprise mainly
plantation operations.Note. Provisions relating to plantations authorised under other laws
before the commencement of this section (existing plantations) are contained
in clause 6 of Schedule 3.10 Classes of authorised plantations(1) The following 2 classes of plantations may be authorised under
this Act:(a) Timber plantations,
(b) Plantations (other than timber
(2) The Code may divide those classes of plantations into separate
classes of plantations and prescribe the kind of plantation operations
authorised under each such class of plantation.(3) Harvesting operations (other than any such operations permitted by
this Act as part of management operations) are not authorised under this Act
on an authorised plantation unless it is an authorised timber
plantation.11 Application for authorisation of plantation or proposed
plantation(1) An application for the authorisation of the plantation or proposed
plantation under this Act may be made to the Minister:(a) by an owner of the plantation or proposed plantation,
(b) by any other person with the consent in writing of an owner of the
plantation or proposed plantation.
(2) An application for authorisation must:(a) be in such form as the Minister may determine,
(b) be accompanied by such reasonable administrative fee to cover the
costs of dealing with the application as the Minister may determine,
(c) identify the area or areas of land comprising the plantation or
proposed plantation by way of a map or other suitable means,
(d) state the class of plantation for which authorisation is sought,
(e) be accompanied by such information relating to the plantation or
proposed plantation as is required by this Part or by the
(3) The Minister may require the applicant to provide further
information in order to determine the application.(4) Any such information or further information may relate to evidence
of compliance with the requirements of any other law (including a law of the
Commonwealth) or evidence that any lease or other tenure of the land concerned
permits plantation operations of the kind to which the application
relates.(5) An applicant may, with the approval of the Minister, amend the
application before it is determined.(6) An application for authorisation may be made for the purpose of
changing the class of an authorised plantation.12 Determination of applications for authorisation(1) The Minister is (subject to this Part) to determine an application
for authorisation under this Act:(a) by granting the application and authorising the plantation or
proposed plantation concerned, or
Note. See section 20 for the imposition of conditions of
authorisations.(2) Written notice of the Minister’s decision is to be given to
the applicant as soon as practicable after the decision is
made.(3) Written notice of the Minister’s decision to grant an
application is also to be given, within 40 days after the decision is
made:(a) to the council of any local government area within which the
plantation or proposed plantation is situated, and
(b) to the Minister administering the Crown Lands Act 1989, in respect of
plantation operations to be carried out on a road (within the meaning of
Division 6 of Part 4 of that Act) that is unformed.
review by the Minister of any determination of an application for
authorisation under this Act.13 Provisions relating to complying plantations(1) For the purposes of this Act, a complying plantation
is a plantation:(a) whose establishment complies with the relevant complying
development standards of the Code, and
(b) that is not a plantation in respect of which a species impact
statement is required to be provided by this Part.
(2) The applicant for authorisation of a complying plantation is
required to provide the Minister with a statement that demonstrates compliance
or proposed compliance with all the relevant complying development standards
of the Code.(3) The Minister is required to grant the application if the Minister
determines that it is a complying plantation. The authorisation is to be
identified as an authorisation for a complying
plantation.(4) It is a condition of any such authorisation that establishment
operations comply with the relevant development standards of the
Code.(5) However, the Minister may decide to deal with an application for
authorisation of a complying plantation under section 14 because of any
special circumstance that requires consideration under that
section.(6) An authorised plantation does not require further authorisation
under this Act merely because it ceases to be a complying plantation as a
result of any change to the complying development standards of the
Code.14 Provisions relating to non-complying
plantations(1) This section applies to an application for authorisation under
this Act that is not dealt with under section 13.(2) The applicant for authorisation is required to provide the
Minister with:(a) a statement that demonstrates the extent of any compliance or
proposed compliance with the relevant complying development standards of the
(b) a statement of the environmental effects of those plantation
operations that do not or will not comply with those standards, being a
statement that addresses the matters required to be assessed by the Code or by
(3) The Minister is to forward a copy of the application (and any
relevant statements provided in connection with the application) to the
following:(a) any council for a local government area within which the
plantation or proposed plantation is situated,
(b) the owner or occupier of any land adjoining the plantation or
proposed plantation,
(c) any other person or body required by the Code to be provided with
a copy of the application or the Minister considers
Note. Section 23 provides that copies of any authorisation are to be
kept by the Minister on a public register.(3A) The Minister is to invite any person or body provided with a copy
of the application in accordance with this section to make submissions on
those aspects of the application that indicate non-compliance with the
relevant complying development standards of the Code:(a) within 3 weeks after receipt of a copy of the application,
(b) in the manner specified by the
(4) In determining the application, the Minister is required to take
into consideration such of the following matters as are of relevance to the
plantation or proposed plantation sought to be authorised under this
Act:(a) the provisions of the Code that apply to the plantation or
(b) the likely impacts of the plantation operations concerned,
including environmental impacts on both the natural and built environments,
and social and economic impacts in the locality,
(c) in the case of a proposed plantation, the suitability of the site
for the plantation,
(d) any submissions duly sought and made under this
(5) In determining the application, the Minister may (but need not)
take into consideration the provisions of any environmental planning
instrument or other instrument under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979 that would, but for this Act, apply to the carrying out
of the development concerned.15 Provisions relating to threatened species
conservation(1) This section applies if the Minister makes a determination that a
species impact statement is required for the purposes of an application for
authorisation under this Act. This section applies even if the plantation or
proposed plantation the subject of the application is (but for that
requirement) a complying plantation.(2) The Minister is to make such a determination if the Minister is of
the opinion that a species impact statement would be required to accompany the
application if it were a development application under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979 for the plantation or proposed
plantation.(3) The applicant for authorisation is required to provide the
Minister with a relevant species impact statement.(4) The Minister may not authorise the plantation or proposed
plantation without the concurrence of:(a) the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife, except in
respect to a matter referred to in paragraph (b), or
fish or marine vegetation, or their habitats—the Director of NSW
(5) Despite subsection (4):(a) the Minister administering the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974 may elect to act in the place of the Director-General of
National Parks and Wildlife for the purposes of that subsection,
(b) the Minister administering the Fisheries Management Act 1994 may
elect to act in the place of the Director of NSW Fisheries for the purposes of
If any such Minister so elects, that Minister must supply the
Minister to whom the application for authorisation was made with any
recommendations made by the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife or
the Director of NSW Fisheries with respect to the matter and with his or her
reasons for not accepting any of those
recommendations.(6) In determining whether or not concurrence should be granted under
subsection (4), the following matters must be taken into consideration:(a) any species impact statement provided by the applicant for
(b) any assessment report prepared on behalf of the
(c) any submissions or objections received concerning the application
for authorisation,
(e) whether the plantation operations proposed are likely to reduce
the long-term viability of the species, population or ecological community in
(f) whether the plantation operations proposed are likely to
accelerate the extinction of the species, population or ecological community
or place it at risk of extinction,
(g) the principles of ecologically sustainable development (as
(h) the likely social and economic consequences of granting or
refusing concurrence.
(7) Concurrence under subsection (4) may be granted subject to
conditions of the kind to which the authorisation of the plantation may be
made subject under this Act. Any authorisation of the plantation under this
Act must be made subject those conditions.(8) A species impact statement and any decision with respect to the
application for authorisation need not take account of any relevant listing of
a species, population or ecological community after the application was made
(other than a provisional listing).(9) A species impact statement is not required to be provided (despite
anything to the contrary in this section) if authorisation for a timber
plantation is sought for an existing plantation (within the meaning of clause
6 of Schedule 3). However, if a species impact statement would be required
(but for this subsection), the plantation cannot be a complying plantation and
the Minister may:(a) refuse the application if the plantation operations sought to be
authorised might harm any unique or special wildlife values of the land
(b) impose conditions on the grant of any authorisation for the
purpose of protecting those values in connection with any harvesting or other
plantation operations.
(10) In this section, species impact
statement and development
application have the same meanings as they have in the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979.16 (Repealed)17 Provisions relating to plantations already
established(1) This section applies to an application for authorisation under
this Act in respect of which establishment operations have already been fully
or partly carried out.(2) The Minister may (without limiting this Part) refuse the
application if the Minister determines that the establishment operations were
not carried out in accordance with any applicable requirements of this Act,
Act 1979, any law dealing with native vegetation conservation
and any other relevant law.(3) If any such application is granted, the Minister may grant the
authorisation subject to any condition the Minister considers appropriate
(including in connection with management or harvesting
operations).(4) Despite anything to the contrary in this Part:(a) this section applies even though a plantation is a complying
(b) this section does not apply to or in respect of a plantation that
is required by section 17C to be authorised.
plantation(1) If there is a change in the ownership of the whole or part of a
plantation that was authorised before that change in ownership, the former
owner must give notice to the Minister in accordance with this section within
28 days after the change in ownership.(2) The owner of an authorised plantation must give notice to the
Minister in accordance with this section within 28 days after a new manager is
appointed for the whole or part of the plantation.(3) The notice must:(a) be in the form approved by the Director-General,
(b) identify the area or areas of land comprising the authorised
plantation and the part or parts of land subject to a change in ownership or
(c) identify the new owner or owners, or manager or managers, of the
part or parts of the land.
units.17B Changes in ownership and management not affecting
authorisation of plantationsThe authorisation of an authorised plantation is not affected
by:(a) any change in ownership or management of the whole of the
plantation, or
(b) any change in the ownership of a part of the plantation so long as
the whole of the plantation remains under the same management,
(c) any change in the management of a part of the plantation so long
as the whole of the plantation remains under the same
authorisation of plantations(1) For the purposes of this section, a significant change to
an authorised plantation is:(a) a change in the ownership of part only of the land comprising the
plantation that occurs at the same time as a change in the management of that
part of the land, or
(b) a change in the ownership of part only of the land comprising the
plantation that follows a change in the management of that part of the land,
(c) a change in the management of part only of the land comprising the
plantation that follows a change in the ownership of that part of the
(2) If there is a significant change to an authorised plantation
plantation) and the owner of any part of the land comprising the
original plantation intends to continue plantation operations on that part
after the change, the owner must make an application under section 11 for the
authorisation of that part as a plantation.(3) The Minister may waive or modify any of the requirements of this
Act in relation to an application for authorisation as a plantation of any
part of the land comprising the original plantation, but only if the
application does not relate to any other land.(4) The Minister must grant an authorisation of a part of the land
comprising the original plantation but may impose any conditions on the
authorisation that the Minister considers
appropriate.(5) An authorisation in respect of an original plantation ceases to
have effect on the date on which the significant change
occurs.(6) However, any part of the land comprising the original plantation
is taken to be an authorised plantation subject to the same conditions that
applied to the original plantation (to the extent that those conditions are
relevant to that part of the land), but only until:(a) 28 days after the significant change, or
(b) if an application is made within that 28-day period for the
authorisation of that part of the land as a plantation, the application is
(7) Nothing in this section requires an application to be made for
authorisation of land as a plantation if authorisation would not be required
because of section 9.18 Time within which applications for authorisation to be
determined(1) The Minister is to determine an application for authorisation
within the following period after receiving the application:(a) in the case of an application that relates to a complying
plantation—14 days,
(b) in any other case—40 days,
or within such longer period as is agreed to by the
applicant.(2) If an application is not determined within that period, the
Minister is taken, for the purpose only of any appeal under section 24, to
have refused the application. This subsection does not prevent the Minister
from subsequently granting the application.(3) A period referred to in this section does not include any period
after the Minister requests further information from the applicant to
determine the application and before the information is supplied to the
Minister.19 Related regulatory approvals for authorised
plantations(1) This section applies to approvals and other authorities obtained
under other Acts for the purposes of plantation operations on authorised
plantations.Note. The authorities concerned, which have not been integrated into the
authorisation granted under this Act by Part 6, may only be applicable in the
case of some plantations. They include licences and approvals under the
environment protection licences under the Protection of the Environment Operations Act
1997, excavation permits under section 141 of the Heritage Act 1977 and authorities
in connection with Aboriginal relics or places under the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974.(2) The Minister may act as the agent of an applicant for
authorisation for the purpose of obtaining any such
authority.(3) For that purpose, the Minister may provide to an agency from whom
such an authorisation is sought any relevant information contained in the
application for authorisation under this Act.(4) If the agency that grants such an authorisation is authorised to
delegate the granting of the authorisation to an officer of the agency, the
agency may delegate the granting of the authorisation to the Minister or to an
officer of a Department administered by the
Minister.20 Conditions of authorisations(1) An authorisation under this Act (other than for a complying
plantation) may be granted subject to conditions.(2) Subsection (1) does not affect the operation of section 13
(4).(3) If establishment operations on a proposed plantation were subject
(under this Act or any other law) to any area of habitat being reserved for
the protection of native plants, animals or fish, the authorisation of the
plantation is subject to the condition that any such habitat must not be
damaged by any harvesting or other plantation
operations.(4) An authorisation cannot be made subject to any condition other
than a condition authorised or imposed by this Act.(5) A condition to which an authorisation is subject may, by notice
served on the owner or manager of the authorised plantation, be altered or
omitted by the Minister. However, a condition with respect to financial
contributions to transport infrastructure expenditure or with respect to
management or harvesting operations may only be altered at the request of the
owner or manager.(6) An owner or manager of an authorised plantation who contravenes,
or causes or permits the contravention of, any condition to which the
authorisation is subject is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty (subsection (6)): 1,000 penalty units and, in
addition, 100 penalty units for each day the offence
continues.21 Duration of authorisationSubject to section 17C, the authorisation of a plantation remains
in force unless it is cancelled by the Minister in accordance with this
Act.22 Cancellation of authorisation(1) The authorisation of a plantation (or any part of the plantation)
may be cancelled by the Minister at the request of the owner of the plantation
or if the Minister is satisfied:(a) that there has been a significant breach of the provisions of the
Code applying to the plantation and that the breach cannot or has not been
remedied, or
(b) that there has been a significant breach of the conditions to
which the authorisation is subject and that the breach cannot or has not been
(c) that the plantation has been abandoned, or
(d) that the cancellation of the authorisation is necessary to protect
unique or special wildlife values of the land concerned and that any
compensation required to be paid to the owner or manager of the plantation in
accordance with Part 4 to protect those wildlife values has been duly
(2) In addition, the authorisation of a plantation (or any part of a
plantation) that was not established at the time of its authorisation under
this Act may be cancelled by the Minister if the Minister is satisfied that
the plantation has not been established, or is not being established, in
accordance with the Code, the conditions of the authorisation or any relevant
law. Any such authorisation may only be cancelled within 3 years after the
completion of those establishment operations.(3) In addition, the authorisation of a plantation (or any part of a
plantation) that was not established at the time of its authorisation must be
cancelled by the Minister on a date that is 3 years after the date of the
grant of authorisation unless, before that date:(a) the Minister is satisfied, either by the evidence provided by the
owner or manager or by his or her own investigations, that the planting of
trees or shrubs forming the plantation has been completed in accordance with
the Code and any conditions of the authorisation, or
(b) the Minister is satisfied that the owner or manager has provided a
satisfactory reason for the delay.
(4) Cancellation of authorisation takes effect when a written notice
by the Minister of the cancellation is given to the owner of the plantation or
proposed plantation.(5) Cancellation of the authorisation of a part of a plantation has
the effect of excluding that part from the area authorised as a plantation
under this Act.(6) The Minister and the State do not incur any liability for any
cancellation of an authorised plantation (or part of any such plantation), or
for any direction under Part 4, except for the payment of compensation
provided under Part 4.23 Public register relating to authorisations(1) The Minister is to maintain a register of:(a) (Repealed)
(b) authorised plantations (including the identity of the plantation
and a description of its location),
(c) the conditions to which an authorisation under this Act is
(d) any other matter relating to plantations that the Minister
(2) The register is to be made available for inspection on the
internet site of the Department.24 Appeals to Land and Environment Court(1) An applicant for authorisation under this Act may appeal to the
Land and Environment Court against a decision of the Minister:(a) not to grant the authorisation, or
(b) to impose conditions on the grant of the
Any such appeal may be made within 28 days after written notice of
the decision of the Minister is given to the
applicant.(2) The owner or manager of a plantation may appeal to the Land and
Environment Court against a decision of the Minister to cancel the
authorisation of the plantation (or any part of the plantation). Any such
appeal may be made within 28 days after written notice of the decision of the
Minister is given to the owner or manager.Part 3 Plantations and Reafforestation Code25 Preparation of CodeThe Minister is to arrange for the preparation of a draft
Plantations and Reafforestation Code as soon as practicable after the
commencement of this Part.26 Public consultation(1) The Minister is required to give the public an opportunity to make
submissions on the proposed Code and to take any submission that is duly made
into account.(2) In order to give the public an opportunity to do so, the Minister
must:(a) exhibit the proposed Code at the head office of the Department of
Land and Water Conservation and at its regional offices (including on the
internet site of the Department), and
(b) allow a period of not less than 30 days for public comment,
(c) before the proposed Code is exhibited, advertise the dates and
places of exhibition and the period allowed for public comment in a newspaper
circulating throughout the State and in any local newspaper that the Minister
(3) Before the proposed Code is made, the Minister is to prepare and
make public a report on the public consultation under this section (including
information about any submissions received by the
Minister).27 Content of Code(1) The Code may, for the purpose of furthering the objects of this
Act:(a) specify standards with respect to establishment operations for
complying plantations, and
(b) specify guidelines with respect to establishment operations for
the purpose of the assessment of applications for the authorisation of
plantations that are not complying plantations, and
(c) make integrated provision with respect to plantation operations
for matters that would otherwise be regulated by the separate regulatory
provisions replaced by Part 6, and
(d) regulate the replanting of trees or shrubs on authorised timber
plantations that have been harvested (including prescribing replantings that
are covered by the authorisation), and
(e) generally regulate the carrying out of plantation operations on
authorised plantations, and
(f) prescribe the matters otherwise authorised or permitted by this
Act to be prescribed by the Code.
(2) The Code may (without limiting this section) deal with the
following matters:(a) The conservation and management of native vegetation in accordance
with the objects of the Native Vegetation
(b) The prevention of soil erosion and the control of sediment in
rivers and other waters.
(c) The protection of rivers and lakes (including preventing
operations that obstruct or detrimentally affect the flow of
(d) The conservation of native animals and plants, and their
(e) The conservation of fish and marine vegetation, and their habitat
(including the provision of fishways in connection with dams, weirs and
reservoirs, and the protection of the spawning areas of salmon and
(f) The conservation of threatened species, populations and ecological
communities, and their habitats, within the meaning of the Threatened Species Conservation Act
1995 and of Part 7A of the Fisheries Management Act 1994, and
critical habitats within the meaning of that Act or that
(g) The protection of Aboriginal relics and
(h) Plantation operations on Crown roads.
(i) Bush fire hazard reduction and the construction and maintenance of
(j) The control of plant diseases in plantations.
(k) Harvesting plans for plantations.
(l) The carrying out of works ancillary to harvesting operations on
plantations(1) Except as provided by this Act, the Code may not contain
provisions that are inconsistent with any Act applying to the carrying out of
plantation operations. Any such inconsistent provision in the Code is
void.(2) In particular, the provisions of the Code may not be inconsistent
with the provisions of the Protection of
the Environment Operations Act 1997 in their application to
plantations.29 Making and amendment of Code by regulations(1) The Code is to be made by a regulation.(2) The Code:(a) does not have any effect unless it is so made,
(b) ceases to have effect if the regulation that makes it is
(3) The Code may be replaced or amended by a
regulation.(4) A regulation that makes a Code is not repealed by the operation of
Part 3 of the Subordinate Legislation Act
1989.30 Review of Code(1) The Minister is to arrange for the Code to be reviewed at least
every 5 years after it is made.(2) Section 26 (Public consultation) applies to the making of any new
Code or any amendment of the Code that the Minister determines is not a minor
amendment.31 Compliance with Code(1) The owner and manager of an authorised plantation must ensure that
plantation operations on the plantation are carried out in accordance with any
provisions of the Code applying to the plantation.(2) In the case of an authorised plantation which is a State forest or
other Crown-timber lands, this requirement is a condition of any relevant
licence, lease or other authority under the Forestry Act 2012 (whether issued
before or after the commencement of this section).(3) The regulations may create an offence punishable by a penalty not
exceeding 100 penalty units for any contravention of a provision of the Code
by the owner or manager of an authorised
plantation.Note. See also Part 7 for enforcement provisions relating to this Act
(including the Code).Part 4 Protection of unique or special wildlife values of
authorised plantations32 Meaning of unique or special wildlife values(1) For the purposes of this Act, land has unique or special
wildlife values if:(a) any unique or special wildlife grows on or inhabits the land,
(b) any such wildlife is likely to grow on or inhabit the
(2) Unique or special wildlife is:(a) any endangered species, endangered ecological community or species
presumed extinct (within the meaning of the Threatened Species Conservation Act
1995), being a species of (or ecological community that
includes) a vascular plant, amphibian, bird, mammal or reptile,
(b) any endangered species, endangered ecological community or species
presumed extinct (within the meaning of Part 7A of the Fisheries Management Act 1994),
being a species of (or ecological community that includes)
(3) Unique or special wildlife does not include any tree or shrub that
is planted on an authorised plantation in the course of establishment or other
operations on the plantation.33 Requirement to give notice of likely impact on unique or
special wildlife valuesIt is a condition of the authorisation of a plantation that the
owner or manager of the plantation notify the Minister as soon as the owner or
manager becomes aware that plantation operations on the plantation have or are
likely to have an impact on unique or special wildlife values of the land
concerned.34 Evaluation of impact on unique or special wildlife
values(1) As soon as the Minister is notified under this Part, or otherwise
becomes aware, of the impact or likely impact of plantation operations on
unique or special wildlife values of any land within an authorised plantation,
the Minister is to arrange:(a) for an evaluation of any such impact or likely impact to be
(b) for a report to be provided on the matters specified in subsection
The Minister is to notify the Minister administering the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974 of those arrangements.(2) The report is to deal with the following matters:(a) the existence and extent of unique or special wildlife
(b) the extent to which plantation operations are likely to have an
adverse impact on unique or special wildlife values,
(c) whether plantation operations in all or part of the authorised
plantation must be prevented, suspended for a period or modified so as to
minimise the adverse impact on unique or special wildlife
(d) in the case of an authorised timber plantation—the extent of
the direct financial loss, if any, arising from harvesting operations on the
plantation being so delayed, restricted or prevented altogether in order to
protect unique or special wildlife values.
(3) The Minister may, by notice in writing to the owner or manager of
the authorised plantation, direct that plantation operations are to be
suspended in all or part of the plantation for a specified period or periods
pending the determination of the matter under this Part. Any such direction
has effect as a condition of the authorisation.35 Determination of Minister after receipt of
report(1) The Minister may, after consideration of the report, by notice in
writing to the owner or manager of the authorised plantation, direct
that:(a) plantation operations are not to be carried out in all or part of
the authorised plantation, or
(b) plantation operations are to be suspended in all or part of the
authorised plantation for a specified period or periods,
(c) the carrying out of plantation operations in all or part of the
authorised plantation is subject to specified
(2) Any such direction has effect as a condition of the authorisation
of the plantation.(3) Any such direction may, if it results from a notification of the
owner or manager under this Part, only be given within 6 months after the
notification was received by the Minister.36 Availability of compensation in respect of harvesting
operations on timber plantations(1) This section sets out the circumstances in which compensation will
be available in order to protect unique or special wildlife values on an
authorised timber plantation. The authorisation of the plantation, or part of
the plantation, may (but need not) be cancelled following payment of such
compensation.(2) Compensation is available if harvesting operations in relation to
an authorised timber plantation are delayed, restricted or precluded
altogether by a direction of the Minister under this Part in order to protect
unique or special wildlife values.(3) Compensation is available only to an owner or manager of the
authorised timber plantation who has suffered a direct financial loss as a
result of the direction.(4) The amount of compensation payable is to be determined by
agreement between the Minister and the owner or manager concerned, having
regard to the report to the Minister on the matter.(5) Compensation is to be paid out of money available to the Minister
and may be paid as a lump sum or in periodic
amounts.(6) Compensation is not payable unless the direction giving rise to
the compensation is complied with. Compensation is repayable if the direction
is not complied with after compensation has been paid (and may be recovered as
a debt).37 Procedure if parties fail to agree on
compensation(1) If the Minister and the owner or manager of an authorised timber
plantation fail to agree on an amount of compensation payable under this Part,
the determination of the amount of compensation is to be made by:(a) an independent arbitrator appointed by the parties,
(b) if they cannot agree, an independent arbitrator appointed in
(2) For the purposes of any such arbitration, the Minister may vary
the direction under this Part for which compensation is to be
paid.(3) The determination of any such arbitrator as to an amount of
compensation payable under this Part is final.38 Powers to acquire land not affectedNothing in this Part prevents land affected by a direction of the
Minister under this Part, or an interest in any such land, from being acquired
under any other Act or law.Part 5 Financial contribution for transport infrastructure
expenditure for timber plantations39 Transport infrastructure expenditure to which Part
appliesFor the purposes of this Part, transport
infrastructure expenditure is:(a) expenditure on the provision or upgrading of roads and bridges for
the purpose of the efficient removal and delivery of timber harvested from
authorised timber plantations, and
(b) expenditure on the maintenance of roads and bridges that is
required as a result of the use of vehicles for that
40 Regional committees(1) The Minister is to establish regional committees under this Part
for different regions of the State.(2) A regional committee is to comprise representatives of local
councils in the region and of other relevant bodies, as determined by the
Minister.(3) The function of a regional committee is to prepare a contribution
plan under this Part in respect of authorised timber plantations in the
region. The committee may exercise such other functions as are conferred under
this Part with respect to the recovery and expenditure of financial
contributions made by the owners of authorised
plantations.(4) The Minister is to issue guidelines with respect to the exercise
of the functions of a regional committee.(5) The Minister is required to consult the Local Government
Association of New South Wales and the Shires Association of New South Wales
about the composition of regional committees and about the nature and scope of
guidelines under this section.41 Regional contribution plans(1) A contribution plan prepared by a regional committee in respect of
authorised timber plantations in its region is to be submitted to the
Minister. The contribution plan does not have effect until it is approved by
the Minister.(2) A contribution plan is to make provision with respect to transport
infrastructure expenditure in the region, including:(a) identifying the transport infrastructure expenditure likely to be
required for authorised timber plantations in the region,
(b) fixing a reasonable rate of financial contribution to be made by
the owners of those plantations, and
(c) specifying the time at which the expenditure is likely to be
(d) any other provision required by the guidelines issued by the
(3) If there is no relevant contribution plan in force at the time a
timber plantation is authorised under this Act, the Minister may determine the
matters required to be dealt with in the contribution
plan.42 Obligation to make financial contribution(1) The Minister is required to impose, as a condition of the
authorisation of a timber plantation granted by the Minister under this Act, a
requirement that the owner of the plantation make a financial contribution to
transport infrastructure expenditure in accordance with this
Part.Note. Section 20 provides that such a condition cannot be varied after
it is imposed except at the request of the owner of the authorised plantation
concerned.(2) The rate or amount of the financial contribution and the time or
times at which the contribution is to be made is to be determined by the
Minister in accordance with the relevant contribution plan in force at the
time the timber plantation is authorised under this
Act.(3) The Minister is not to impose a requirement for a financial
contribution if the Minister is satisfied that the contribution plan exempts
the plantation concerned.(4) (Repealed)(5) The Minister must, at the time a financial contribution becomes
payable and at the request of the owner of the authorised plantation, waive
payment of so much of the financial contribution as exceeds the amount of
financial contribution that would have been imposed by the Minister if the
timber plantation had been authorised at that later time. This subsection does
not apply if the Minister is satisfied that the owner, or any person
associated with that owner, has failed to pay any other financial contribution
under this Part.(6) A condition of an authorisation imposed under this Part may be
disallowed or amended by the Land and Environment Court on an appeal under
this Act because it is unreasonable, even if it was determined in accordance
with a contribution plan.43 Liability for payment of financial contribution(1) A financial contribution that is required to be made by a
condition imposed under this Part is payable by the owner of the authorised
timber plantation at the time the contribution becomes payable or at any later
time (whether or not the person was the owner of the plantation at the time
the condition was imposed).(2) In the case of land owned by the Crown (other than the Forestry
Corporation), the Crown is not liable to pay the financial contribution if a
lessee or other person is also an owner of the authorised timber plantation
for the purposes of this Act.(3) If there are 2 or more owners of an authorised timber plantation
liable to pay a financial contribution, they are jointly and severally liable
to pay the financial contribution.44 Payment of financial contributions(1) Payments of financial contributions are to be made to a relevant
local authority or other body designated by the
Minister.(2) The amount of any financial contribution that is not paid by the
due date may be recovered as a debt by the local authority or other body to
which it is required to be paid from the person liable to pay it (together
with interest on that amount since the due date at the rate at which interest
accrues on unpaid judgements of the Supreme Court).(3) The Minister may, as a condition of the granting of an application
for authorisation under this Act, require the applicant to secure the payment
of a financial contribution (by bank guarantee or otherwise) when it becomes
due.(4) The Minister may, in accordance with any relevant provisions of
the contribution plan, waive payment of a financial contribution if the person
liable to pay it provides materials or services of equal value for the
purposes for which the relevant transport infrastructure expenditure is to be
incurred.45 Financial contributions to be paid into regional
accounts(1) Money paid or recovered under this Part is not payable into the
Consolidated Fund but into separate regional accounts approved by the
Minister.(2) Money in those regional accounts must be used to meet the
transport infrastructure expenditure for which the financial contributions
were required.(3) Those regional accounts are to be accounts established and
operated by relevant local authorities liable to meet that transport
infrastructure expenditure. The Minister is not to approve of any such account
unless satisfied that the money in the account will be properly applied for
that purpose.(4) The contribution plan for a region may make provision with respect
to the establishment and operation of those regional
accounts.46 Charge on land to secure payment of financial
contribution(1) The Minister may, for the purposes of this section, issue a notice
as to any financial contribution payable under this Part (whether or not it
has become payable).(2) The Minister may, at the request of the local authority to whom
the financial contribution is payable, apply to the Registrar-General for
registration of the notice in relation to any land owned by a person that
comprises all or any of the authorised timber plantation to which the notice
relates.(3) An application under this section must define, in the form and
manner required by the Registrar-General, the land to which it
relates.(4) The Registrar-General must, on application under this section and
lodgment of the notice, register the notice in relation to the land in such
manner as the Registrar-General thinks fit.(5) If the notice relates to land under the provisions of the Real Property Act 1900, the notice
is to be registered under that Act.(6) There is created by force of this section, on the registration of
to secure the payment of the financial contribution set out in the
notice.(7) Such a charge ceases to have effect in relation to the
land:(a) on payment of the amount of the financial contribution concerned,
consent of the Minister, or
whichever first occurs.(8) Such a charge is subject to every charge or encumbrance to which
registered.(9) Such a charge is not affected by any change of ownership of the
land, except as provided by subsection (7).(10) If:(a) such a charge is created on land of a particular kind and the
registration of the charge is, for the purposes of subsection (7), taken to
have notice of the charge.(11) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the
removal of a charge under this section.Part 6 Application of other legislation47 Plantation operations and exempt farm forestry not subject
to EPA Act(1) The Environmental Planning and
Assessment Act 1979 does not apply to plantation operations on
an authorised plantation or to exempt farm
forestry.(2) Accordingly:(a) development consent under Part 4 of that Act is not required for
plantation operations on an authorised plantation or for exempt farm forestry,
(b) Part 5 of that Act does not apply in respect of the carrying out
of plantation operations on an authorised plantation or of exempt farm
forestry (including the giving of any approval to carry out those operations),
(c) plantation operations carried out on an authorised plantation or
exempt farm forestry cannot be prohibited or restricted by an environmental
planning instrument (whether made before or after the commencement of this
section) under that Act.
(3) To avoid doubt:(a) (Repealed)
(b) the authorisation of a plantation or proposed plantation is not to
be regarded for the purposes of any law as an approval under Part 5 of the
1979, and the Minister is not a determining authority for the
purposes of that Part when granting an authorisation, and
(c) this section does not affect the application of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979 to ancillary plantation operations (within the meaning of
Conservation Act 1995(1) A person carrying out plantation operations on an authorised
plantation is exempt from the following provisions of the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974:(a) section 98 (2) (relating to protected fauna),
(b) section 99 (1) (relating to threatened interstate
(c) section 117 (relating to native plants),
(d) section 118A (relating to threatened species, populations and
ecological communities),
(e) section 118C (relating to critical habitat),
(f) section 118D (relating to the habitat of a threatened species,
population or ecological community).
(2) Subsection (1) exempts the person only:(a) if the operations are carried out in accordance with the
conditions of authorisation and the provisions of the Code applying to the
(b) in relation to things that are reasonably connected with the
carrying out of the operations.
(3) An interim protection order (within the meaning of the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974 or the Threatened
Species Conservation Act 1995) may not be made so as to
prevent or interfere with the carrying out of plantation operations on an
authorised plantation.(4) An order under Division 1 (Stop work orders) of Part 6A of the
1974 or Division 1 (Stop work orders) of Part 7 of the Threatened Species Conservation Act
1995 may not be made so as to prevent or interfere with the
carrying out of plantation operations on an authorised
plantation.Note. See section 55 for continuation of power to make orders to protect
relics or Aboriginal places within the meaning of the National Parks and Wildlife Act
1974.49 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
1994(1) A person carrying out plantation operations on an authorised
plantation is exempt from the following provisions of Part 7A of the Fisheries Management Act
1994:(a) Division 3 of Part 7 (relating to dredging and
reclamation),
(b) Division 4 of Part 7 (relating to marine
(c) Division 5 of Part 7 (relating to the spawning of salmon, trout
and certain other fish),
(d) sections 218 and 219 (relating to fishways and the passage of
(e) section 220ZA (relating to threatened species, populations and
(f) section 220ZC (relating to critical habitat),
(g) section 220ZD (relating to the habitat of a threatened species,
conditions of the authorisation and provisions of the Code applying to the
(3) An order under Division 7 (Stop work orders) of Part 7A of the
1994 may not be made so as to prevent or interfere with the
plantation.50 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
1977An interim heritage order cannot be made under the Heritage Act 1977, a listing on the
State Heritage Register under that Act cannot be effected and an order under
section 136 of that Act cannot be made, so as to prevent or interfere with the
plantation.51 Plantation operations not subject to certain orders under
1993A local council may not give an order under section 124 of the
Local Government Act 1993 so
as to prevent or interfere with the carrying out of plantation operations on
an authorised plantation.52 Plantation operations not subject to certain provisions of
2000(1) A controlled activity approval is not required under the Water Management Act 2000 for
plantation operations on an authorised plantation.(2) A direction cannot be given under Part 1 of Chapter 7 of that Act
so as to prevent or interfere with the carrying out of plantation operations
on an authorised plantation.53 Plantation operations not subject to notices under Soil Conservation Act
1938A soil conservation notice under Part 2A of the Soil Conservation Act 1938 cannot be
served so as to prevent or interfere with the carrying out of plantation
operations on an authorised plantation.54 Plantation operations on unformed Crown roads(1) Plantation operations on an authorised plantation may be carried
out on a road (within the meaning of Division 6 of Part 4 of the Crown Lands Act 1989) that is
unformed, but only if the operations are carried out in accordance with the
conditions of the authorisation and the provisions of the Code. For that
purpose, the Minister administering that Act is taken to have authorised the
enclosure and cultivation of that road.(2) Any such plantation operations on the road do not require consent
from the appropriate roads authority under Division 3 of Part 9 of the Roads Act
1993.55 Orders and instruments for protecting Aboriginal objects
and placesNothing in this Part affects the making of any order or instrument
that is made for the purpose of protecting any Aboriginal object or Aboriginal
place within the meaning of the National
Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.56 Plantation operations subject to Code and other
lawsPlantation operations on an authorised plantation are subject to
the provisions of the Code applying to the plantation and, except as provided
by this Act, are subject to the provisions of any other law that relate to
activities carried out for the purpose of establishing or managing a
plantation or for the purpose of harvesting timber.Part 7 Enforcement57 Civil enforcement—Land and Environment
Court(1) The Minister may bring proceedings in the Land and Environment
Court for an order to remedy or restrain a breach of this Act or the
Code.(2) Any such proceedings may be brought whether or not any right of
the Minister or the State has been or may be infringed by or as a result of
the breach.(3) If the Land and Environment Court is satisfied that a breach of
this Act or the Code has been committed or that a breach of this Act or the
Code will, unless restrained by order of the Court, be committed, it may make
such orders as it thinks fit to remedy or restrain the
breach.(4) In this section:breach
includes a threatened or apprehended breach.58 Minister may make stop work order(1) If the Minister is of the opinion that any plantation operations
on a plantation are being or are about to be carried out in contravention of
this Act or the Code, the Minister may, by notice in writing given to the
owner or manager of the plantation, order the owner or manager not to carry
out the plantation operations concerned.(2) The order:(a) takes effect immediately (or from a later date specified in the
(b) is subject to such conditions as the Minister may specify in the
(3) The Minister may vary or revoke the order or the conditions of the
order by further notice in writing given to the owner or manager of the
plantation.(4) An order under this section remains in force until whichever of
the following happens first:(a) the order is revoked by the Minister,
(b) the period (if any) for which the order is expressed in the notice
to be in force ends,
(c) the period of 2 years from the day on which the order took effect
(5) A person who, without reasonable excuse, does not comply with an
order in force under this section is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 1,000 penalty units and in addition, in the case
of a continuing offence, 100 penalty units for each day the offence
continues.(6) The Minister is not required, before making, varying or revoking
an order under this section, to notify any person who may be affected by the
order.59 Directions for remedial work(1) If the Minister is satisfied that any plantation operations have
been carried out on a plantation in contravention of this Act or the Code, the
Minister may, by notice in writing, direct the owner or manager of the
plantation to carry out specified work in a specified manner and within a
specified time.(2) Any one or more of the following types of work may be directed to
be carried out by a notice under this section:(a) work to repair any damage caused by the plantation
(b) work to rehabilitate any land affected by the plantation
(c) work to ensure that specified land (including any river or other
body of water) will not be damaged or detrimentally affected, or further
damaged or detrimentally affected, by the plantation
(3) A direction under this section may be varied or revoked by a
further notice.(4) A person who, without reasonable excuse, does not comply with a
direction under this section is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 1,000 penalty units and in addition, in the case
continues.(5) If a person fails to comply with a direction under this section,
the Minister may authorise any other person to enter the land and carry out
the specified work.(6) The Minister may recover the cost of that work from the person
given the direction in any court of competent jurisdiction as a debt due by
that person to the State.(7) The Minister is not required, before giving, varying or revoking a
direction under this section, to notify any person who may be affected by the
direction.60 Appeals under this Part(1) The owner or manager of a plantation may appeal against an order
or direction of the Minister under this Part to the Land and Environment Court
within 30 days of the service of the notice of the order or
direction.(2) The lodging of an appeal does not, except to the extent that the
operate to stay action on the order or direction appealed
against.61 Appointment of authorised officers(1) The Minister may appoint any appropriately qualified person as an
authorised officer to investigate and report to the Minister on whether this
Act and the Code are being complied with.(2) The authority of an authorised officer may be limited by the
instrument of appointment.(3) An authorised officer cannot exercise the functions of an
authorised officer under this Act unless the officer is in possession of an
identification card issued on behalf of the
Minister.(4) In the course of exercising the functions of an authorised officer
under this Act, the officer must, if requested to do so by any person who is
subject to the exercise of the functions, produce the officer’s
identification card to the person.61A Powers of entry and inspection(1) For the purpose of exercising his or her functions under this Act,
an authorised officer may, on giving reasonable notice to the owner or
manager, enter an authorised plantation or land that the authorised officer
reasonably suspects is required to be authorised as a plantation under this
Act.(2) However, an authorised officer may enter such a plantation or land
without giving reasonable notice if:(a) the officer considers there is a risk of significant harm to the
environment occurring in respect of the plantation or land,
(b) the officer has attempted to contact the owner or manager before
entering the plantation or land.
(3) An authorised officer may, for the purpose of exercising his or
her functions under this Act:(a) conduct such investigations, make such inquiries, examinations and
inspections, and take such samples and recordings (including photographs) as
the officer considers necessary, and
(b) require the owner or manager to provide such reasonable assistance
and facilities as may be requested by the officer to exercise the
officer’s functions under this section.
(4) A person may accompany an authorised officer and take all
reasonable steps to assist an officer in the exercise of the officer’s
functions under this Act if the officer is of the opinion that the person is
capable of providing assistance to the officer in the exercise of those
functions.(5) An authorised officer is not entitled to enter any part of
premises used only for residential purposes except with the consent of the
occupier of the premises.61B Power to obtain information(1) If an authorised officer enters land for the purpose of exercising
functions under this Act, the authorised officer may require the owner or
manager of the land to provide such relevant information as the officer
requires.(2) The Director-General may, by notice in writing served on the owner
or manager of land, require the owner or manager to give to an authorised
officer, in accordance with the notice, any relevant
information.(3) In this section, relevant
information means information or documents relating to matters that
are reasonably connected with the administration of this Act or required for
the purposes of determining whether this Act or the Code is being complied
with, but does not include information or documents of a commercially
sensitive nature.(4) A person is not excused from giving relevant information under
this section on the ground that the information may tend to incriminate the
person.(5) Any relevant information obtained from a natural person under this
section is not admissible against the person in criminal proceedings other
than proceedings for an offence under section 61C.61C Offences in respect of authorised officers(1) A person must not, without reasonable excuse:(a) obstruct an authorised officer in the exercise of the
officer’s functions under this Act, or
(b) fail or refuse to comply with a requirement made by an authorised
officer or the Director-General under this Act, or
(c) provide information to an authorised officer which the person
knows is false or misleading in a material respect.
units.(2) In this section, obstruct includes delay,
threaten or hinder.61D Protection from personal liability(1) Any matter or thing done or omitted to be done by an authorised
officer does not, if the matter or thing was done or omitted to be done in
good faith for the purpose of exercising a function under this Act, make the
authorised officer personally liable to any action, liability, claim or demand
in respect of that matter or thing.(2) However, any such liability attaches instead to the
Crown.62 Penalty notices(1) An authorised officer may serve a penalty notice on a person if it
taken in respect of offences.(9) (Repealed)63 EvidenceA certificate signed by the Minister or an officer prescribed by
the regulations certifying any one or more of the following:(a) that any land specified in the certificate was or was not, at a
time or during a period specified in the certificate, an authorised
(b) that any land specified in the certificate was or was not, at a
time or during a period specified in the certificate, an authorised timber
(c) that a written notice, order or direction purporting to be given
under this Act, and a copy of which is set out or annexed to the certificate,
was given on a day specified in the certificate,
(d) that a person was, at a time or during a period specified in the
certificate, the owner or manager of a plantation,
(e) that a person was, at a time or during a period specified in the
certificate, an authorised officer,
(f) that any instrument made under this Act was, at a time or during a
period specified in the certificate, in force,
is admissible in any proceedings under this Act and is prima facie
evidence of the matters so specified.64 Proceedings for offences(1) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations are
to be dealt with:(a) summarily before the Local Court, or
(b) summarily before the Land and Environment
(2) If the proceedings are brought before the Local Court, the maximum
of the offence.(3) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations may
only be brought by or with the approval of the
Minister.(4) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations may
be brought at any time within 2 years after the act or omission alleged to
constitute the offence, despite any Act to the
contrary.(5) However, proceedings for any such offence may also be commenced
within, but not later than, 2 years after the date on which evidence of the
alleged offence first came to the attention of an authorised
officer.(6) If subsection (5) is relied on for the purpose of commencing
proceedings for an offence, the process commencing the proceedings must
contain particulars of the date on which evidence of the offence first came to
the attention of an authorised officer and need not contain particulars of the
to the attention of an authorised officer is the date specified in the process
commencing the proceedings, unless the contrary is
established.Part 8 Miscellaneous65 Act binds CrownThis Act binds the Crown in right of New South Wales and also, so
far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, in all its other
capacities.66 NotesNotes included in this Act do not form part of this
Act.67 Delegation(1) The Minister may delegate the exercise of any function of the
Minister under this Act (other than this power of delegation) or the
regulations to:(a) any member of staff of a Division of the Government Service for
which the Minister is responsible, or
of this subsection by the regulations.
(2) The Director-General may delegate the exercise of any function of
the Director-General under this Act (other than this power of delegation) or
the regulations to:(a) any member of staff of the Department, or
68 Plantation certificates(1) A person may, on payment of the fee (if any) prescribed by the
regulations, apply to the Minister for a certificate under this section (a
certificate) with respect to any land to which this Act
applies.(2) The Minister must, as soon as practicable after receiving any such
application, issue a plantation certificate:(a) stating whether or not the land to which the certificate relates
is an authorised plantation, and
(b) stating whether or not any such authorisation is subject to a
condition under section 42 with respect to a financial contribution to
transport infrastructure expenditure and, if so subject, stating the amount of
any contribution that is due but unpaid, and
(c) specifying such other matters relating to the application of this
Act to the land to which the certificate relates as may be prescribed by the
(3) The Minister may, in a plantation certificate, include advice on
such other relevant matters affecting the land of which the Minister may be
aware.(4) Neither the Minister nor the State incur any liability in respect
of any advice provided in good faith pursuant to subsection
(3).(5) The regulations may provide that information to be furnished in a
plantation certificate must be set out in a specified form and
manner.(6) The production of a plantation certificate is taken for all
purposes to be conclusive proof in favour of a bona fide purchaser for value
of the matters certified under subsection (2).(7) For the purpose of any proceedings for an offence against this Act
or the regulations which may be taken against a person who has obtained a
plantation certificate or who might reasonably be expected to rely on that
certificate, that certificate is, in favour of that person, to be conclusively
presumed to be true and correct.69 Service of noticesAny notice under this Act or the regulations that is required to
be served or given to a person may be served or given:(a) by delivering it personally to the person to whom it is addressed,
person to whom it is addressed and by leaving it there for the person with
some other person, or
(c) by posting it to the person to whom it is addressed to the
person’s place of residence or business last known to the person sending
70 Regulations(1) The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act,
respect to the following:(a) the making of applications for authorisation under this
(b) the determination of those
exceeding 100 penalty units.(4) A regulation that makes a Code may include any other matter for
which regulations may be made under this Act.71 Repeal of Timber
under that Act(1) The Timber Plantations (Harvest
Guarantee) Act 1995 is repealed.(2) The Timber
Plantations (Harvest Guarantee) Regulation 1997 is
repealed.72 (Repealed)73 Savings, transitional and other provisionsSchedule 3 has effect.74 Review of Act(1) The Minister is to review this Act to determine whether the policy
years.Schedule 1 Areas excluded from Act(Section 7)Part 1 Local government areas excluded from ActAshfield, Auburn, Bankstown, Baulkham Hills, Blacktown, Botany
Bay, Burwood, Canterbury, Concord, Drummoyne, Fairfield, Holroyd, Hornsby,
Hunters Hill, Hurstville, Kogarah, Ku-ring-gai, Lane Cove, Leichhardt,
Liverpool, Manly, Marrickville, Mosman, Newcastle, North Sydney, Parramatta,
Pittwater, Randwick, Rockdale, Ryde, South Sydney, Strathfield, Sutherland,
Sydney, Warringah, Waverley, Willoughby, Wollongong,
Woollahra.Part 2 Areas under EPA Act excluded from Act1 Land that is within a zone designated “residential”
(but not “rural-residential”), “village”,
“township”, “industrial” or “business”
under an environmental planning instrument (within the meaning of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979).2 Land to which State
applies.3 Land to which State
Rainforests applies.Schedule 2 (Repealed)Schedule 3 Savings, transitional and other
provisions(Section 73)Part 1 Preliminary1 Regulations(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or
transitional nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts:this ActPlantations and Reafforestation
Act2 Act extends to existing plantationsThis Act applies to plantations established before or after the
commencement of this Act.3 Existing plantations—current development consents etc
under EPA ActOn the authorisation of a plantation or proposed plantation under
this Act, any development consent under Part 4 of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979, any approval or conditions imposed under Part 5 of that
Act and any environmental planning instrument under that Act cease to have any
further effect with respect to plantation operations carried out on the
plantation while it is authorised under this Act.4 Existing plantations—current accreditation(1) A timber plantation or proposed timber plantation accredited under
the Timber Plantations (Harvest Guarantee)
Act 1995 immediately before the repeal of that Act is taken to
be authorised under this Act as a timber plantation. Accordingly, such a
plantation is not an existing plantation within the meaning of clause
6.(2) A condition of any such accreditation becomes a condition of its
authorisation under this Act.(3) If any such accreditation applies to a proposed plantation that
had not been cleared for planting before the repeal of that Act, it is a
condition of its authorisation under this Act that any such clearing be
carried out in accordance with the requirements of the law in force before
that repeal.(4) An application for accreditation that was made under that Act and
not determined before the repeal of that Act is taken to be an application for
authorisation under this Act duly made under this Act on the date of that
repeal.(5) Section 22 (2) extends to any accreditation under that Act of a
proposed timber plantation that is established before or after the repeal of
that Act.5 Preparation of the Code before commencement of
ActA Code may be adopted on or after the commencement of this Act
even though the Code was prepared before that commencement, so long as it was
prepared in accordance with the provisions of this Act relating to the
preparation of the Code.Part 3 Provisions consequent on enactment of Plantations and Reafforestation Amendment Act
20106 Existing plantations(1) An existing plantation is not required to be authorised under this
Act.(2) In this clause, existing
plantation means a plantation established before the commencement of
section 9 in accordance with the requirements of the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act
1979, any law dealing with native vegetation conservation and
any other relevant law:(a) including a proposed plantation that was cleared for planting
before the commencement of section 9 in accordance with those requirements,
(b) not including a plantation that is replanted after the
commencement of this clause if the area that is replanted exceeds 30
Part 4 Provision consequent on enactment of Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
20127 Application of amendmentSection 17A (as in force before its amendment by the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act
2012) continues to apply in relation to changes of ownership
that occurred before the commencement of the amendment to that
Am amended LW legislation website Sch Schedule Cl clause No number Schs Schedules Cll clauses p page Sec section Div Division pp pages Secs sections Divs Divisions Reg Regulation Subdiv Subdivision GG Government Gazette Regs Regulations Subdivs Subdivisions Ins inserted Rep repealed Subst substituted Table of amending instrumentsPlantations and Reafforestation
Act 1999 No 97. Assented to 8.12.1999. Date of commencement,
14.12.2001, sec 2 and GG No 190 of 14.12.2001, p 9834. This Act has been
Provisions) Act 2000. Assented to 29.6.2000.Date of commencement of Sch 3.17, assent, sec 2
2000. Assented to 8.12.2000.Date of commencement of Sch 8.21, 1.7.2004, sec 2 (1) and GG No 110 of
Provisions) Act 2004. Assented to 6.7.2004.Date of commencement of Sch 1.18, 1.12.2005, Sch 1.18 and GG No 140 of
Amendment Act 2010. Assented to 15.6.2010.Date of commencement of Sch 3.12, 2.7.2010, sec 2 and 2010 (344) LW
No 90Plantations and Reafforestation
Amendment Act 2010. Assented to 4.11.2010.Date of commencement, 1.1.2011, sec 2 and 2010 (671) LW
27.6.2011.Date of commencement of Sch 2.21, 1.10.2011, sec 2 and 2011 (509) LW
Provisions) Act 2012. Assented to 21.6.2012.Date of commencement of Sch 1.23, 6.7.2012, sec 2
2012. Assented to 21.11.2012.Date of commencement of Sch 4.29, 1.1.2013, sec 2 and 2012 (680) LW
Sec 3Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [1].Sec 4Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [2]; 2012 No 96, Sch 4.29 [1]
[2].Sec 6Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [3].Sec 7Am 2012 No 96, Sch 4.29 [1].Sec 9Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [4]–[7]; 2011 No 22, Sch
2.21.Sec 12Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [8].Sec 14Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1
[9]–[11].Sec 15Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [12].Sec 16Rep 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [13].Sec 17Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [14].Sec 17AIns 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [15]. Am 2012 No 42, Sch 1.23
[1].Secs 17B, 17CIns 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [15].Sec 19Am 2000 No 92, Sch 8.21 [1].Sec 20Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [16].Sec 21Subst 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [17].Sec 22Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [18]
[19].Sec 23Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [20]
[21].Sec 27Am 2004 No 55, Sch 1.18.Sec 31Am 2012 No 96, Sch 4.29 [1].Sec 42Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [22].Sec 43Am 2012 No 96, Sch 4.29 [2].Sec 47Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [23].Sec 52Subst 2000 No 92, Sch 8.21
[2].Sec 55Am 2010 No 38, Sch 3.12.Sec 58Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [24]
[25].Sec 59Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [26].Sec 60Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [27].Sec 61Subst 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [28].Secs 61A–61DIns 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [28].Sec 62Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [29].Sec 63Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [30].Sec 64Am 2007 No 94, Schs 2, 4; 2010 No 90, Sch 1
[31].Sec 67Subst 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [32].Sec 72Rep 2006 No 58, Sch 4.Sch 2Am 2000 No 53, Sch 3.17. Rep 2006 No 58, Sch
4.Sch 3Am 2010 No 90, Sch 1 [33]–[35]; 2012 No 42,
Sch 1.23 [2].