Aestra was engaged by the Australian Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water to advise on the need for Part 10 strategic assessment approvals to have a nominated approval holder and develop a supporting policy statement addressing the issue.

Strategic assessments under the Commonwealth Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act) are a mechanism to allow for the cumulative assessment of environmental impacts from activities at a landscape scale.

Under Part 10 of the EPBC Act, the Minister for the Environment can issue an approval for actions or classes of action which are taken in accordance with an endorsed Plan created through a strategic assessment process.

The draft Strategic Assessment Approval Holder Policy has provided the policy and regulatory basis to support the need for a named Part 10 approval holder.

Photo credit: Manny Moerno, 2020.