Victorian Consolidated Legislation

Environment Protection Act 1970 - SECT 18C

Policy impact assessment

18C. Policy impact assessment



(1) A policy impact assessment must include-

   (a)  a statement of the purposes of the declaration or variation of policy;
        and

   (b)  an identification of the different means by which the purposes of the
        declaration or variation of policy can be achieved including the
        alternative of not declaring the policy or varying the existing
        policy; and

   (c)  an assessment of the possible financial, social and environmental
        impacts of each alternative expressed in qualitative and, to the
        extent practicable, quantitative terms to ensure that the costs are
        not disproportionate to the benefits to be achieved.

(2) The Minister may appoint a person or persons as a review panel to review a
policy impact assessment.

(3) If a review panel is appointed, the Authority must submit to the review
panel-

   (a)  the proposed declaration or variation;

   (b)  the policy impact assessment;

   (c)  a summary of the submissions made under section 18A(2)(f) received by
        the Authority;

   (d)  a statement of the Authority's evaluation of the submissions and of
        any changes made to the draft declaration or variation of policy as a
        result of the Authority's consideration of the submissions.

(4) The review panel must advise the Authority as to whether or not the policy
impact assessment appears having regard to subsection (1) to adequately assess
the likely impact of the proposed declaration or variation of policy.

(5) The Authority must submit a copy of-

   (a)  the policy impact assessment;

   (b)  the advice under subsection (4) (if any);

   (c)  its response to the advice (if any)-

to the Governor in Council when the Authority submits its recommendation.