On this page, you will find documents relating to bilateral agreements between the Commonwealth and the Northern Territory relating to environmental assessment.
Assessment Bilateral Agreement
Assessment bilateral agreements have existed with all states and territories since 2015.
About the agreement
The bilateral agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory Government relating to environmental assessments (the assessment bilateral agreement) allows the Commonwealth Minister for the Environment to rely on specified environmental impact assessment processes of the Northern Territory in assessing actions referred under the EPBC Act.
Updating the Assessment Bilateral Agreement
On 19 September 2019, the Northern Territory government passed new environmental legislation.
These changes mean that the 2014 assessment bilateral agreement no longer applies to some proposals.
The Australian and Northern Territory governments have agreed to enter into a new assessment bilateral agreement that reflects the Northern Territory’s new legislative framework.
This new agreement will revoke and replace the 2014 agreement.
This process is separate and distinct from negotiating approval bilateral agreements for single touch environmental approvals.
A new agreement will support streamlining efforts to maximise the number of projects that benefit from a single environmental assessment process.
Public consultation
Public consultation on the new draft assessment bilateral agreement was sought between 7 December 2020 and 29 January 2021.
All submissions received during this period will be considered by the Minister and the draft assessment bilateral agreement will be changed as necessary. Once the final assessment bilateral agreement has been developed, the Minister will invite the NT Environment Minister to enter into the agreement.
Notice of Intention to Develop a Draft Assessment Bilateral Agreement
Download
Notice of intention to develop a draft assessment bilateral agreement (PDF - 444.16 KB)
Notice of intention to develop a draft assessment bilateral agreement (DOCX - 23.67 KB)
2014 Assessment Bilateral Agreement
Agreement between the Commonwealth of Australia and the Northern Territory relating to environmental assessment
Department of the Environment, 11 December 2014
Download
Northern Territory Assessment Bilateral Agreement (PDF - 1.23 MB)
Northern Territory Assessment Bilateral Agreement (DOCX - 186.08 KB)
Agreement notice (PDF - 15.62 KB)
Agreement notice (DOCX - 22.49 KB)
Report on comments (PDF - 93.32 KB)
Report on comments (DOCX - 29.63 KB)
Statement of reasons (PDF - 1.65 MB)
Statement of reasons (DOCX - 61.59 KB)
Approval Bilateral Agreement
The Australian Government is putting in place approval bilateral agreements with states and territories. The first step is to publish a notice of intent to develop an environmental approval bilateral agreement.