Regulatory Reform Omnibus Act 2025 (73 of 2025)

Schedule 3   Amendments to reduce regulatory burden

Part 3   Strengthening information sharing for more consistent regulatory outcomes

Division 1   Main amendments

Offshore Petroleum and Greenhouse Gas Storage Act 2006

14   After section 695W

Insert:

695WA Sharing offshore information or things for the purposes of managing or responding to certain events

Scope

(1) This section applies if:

(a) the responsible Commonwealth Minister has given a direction under section 380, relating to a serious situation in relation to an identified greenhouse gas storage formation specified in a greenhouse gas injection licence; or

(b) NOPSEMA has given a direction in accordance with section 576B in relation to a significant offshore petroleum incident; or

(c) the CEO has declared a declared oil pollution emergency.

Who may share and receive offshore information or things

(2) Any of the following persons may make offshore information or a thing relating to the situation, incident or emergency available to an agency or authority of the Commonwealth, or of a State or Territory (the recipient ), that is responsible for emergency management coordination and response, to use as mentioned in subsection (4):

(a) the responsible Commonwealth Minister;

(b) the Secretary;

(c) the CEO;

(d) the Titles Administrator.

(3) The CEO may also make available offshore information or a thing to the Secretary (also the recipient ) to use as mentioned in subsection (4).

Limitations on use by recipient

(4) The recipient may use the offshore information or thing in the course of the following:

(a) coordinating the management of, or responding to, the serious situation;

(b) coordinating the management of, or responding to, the significant offshore petroleum incident;

(c) coordinating the management of, or responding to, the declared oil pollution emergency.

(5) If offshore information or a thing is made available to a recipient under this section, the person who made the offshore information or thing available may, at any time, by written notice to the recipient, impose conditions in relation to:

(a) the recipient's use of the offshore information or thing; or

(b) whether, and the extent to which, the recipient itself may make the offshore information or thing available to any other agency or person.

(6) A notice under subsection (5) is not a legislative instrument.

Section applies in relation to inquiries into significant offshore incidents (Part 9.10A)

(7) Despite subsection 695U(5), this section applies in relation to offshore information or a thing obtained in the course of the exercise of a power, or the performance of a function, under or for the purposes of Part 9.10A (inquiries into significant offshore incidents).