Governance, accountability and reporting under the EPBC Act

We're the lead agency responsible for administering the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act). Our role is to protect Australia's unique animals, plants, habitats and places, and we take it seriously. We're also accountable to the Australian public in everything that we do.

As an Australian Government agency, we strive to:

  • make transparent decisions
  • maintain credible policies
  • practise in a fair and ethical way
  • deliver efficient services to the Australian public
  • meet our reporting requirements under the EPBC Act.

We're accountable to the Australian public for all of these things.

We also need to meet certain reporting requirements, including obligations under the:

  • Public Governance, Performance and Accountability Act 2013
  • Public Service Act 1999
  • Freedom of Information Act 1982
  • Government Procurement (Judicial Review) Act 2018

Independent advice

We engage experts to advise us and the Environment minister under the EPBC Act. We appoint them for their knowledge and experience across many topics, including:

  • biodiversity
  • conservation
  • threatened species
  • Indigenous heritage.

Learn more about our advisory committees.

Independent reviews

We need to organise independent reviews of the EPBC Act at least every 10 years. These help us to check how effective the Act is at protecting our environment and heritage. We also undertake targeted reviews as needed.

Learn how we arrange independent reviews.

Measuring our performance

We provide access to reports on our performance, including:

  • how the EPBC Act is operating
  • operational guidelines to help government agencies with the Act
  • outcomes of independent reviews and audits
  • quarterly assessment performance reports.

For departmental budgets, plans and reports, as well as Freedom of Information requests, please see Accountability and reporting.

Business improvements

Protecting our unique environment is always at the centre of what we do, but people matter too. We always strive to make our services easy for everyone to access.

Find out about our current projects.

Get in touch

For more information about the EPBC Act, please contact us by: