The Terms of Reference for the independent Inquiry into the EPA were established by the Minister for Environment, Climate Change and Water.
The Terms of Reference specify the scope of the Inquiry to be undertaken by the Ministerial Advisory Committee with reference to the following seven matters, listed in order of priority:
- the EPA's appropriate role in relation to public health issues, including at least: community concerns such as exposure to asbestos, chemicals and other pollutants; the prevention and management of site contamination, air quality, and water quality in rivers and other waterways;
- the Victorian community's and industry's expectations of the EPA as its environmental regulator;
- the EPA's appropriate role in protecting the environment;
- the ability of the EPA to ensure that the principle of environmental justice is adhered to, the environment is protected for the benefit of the community, and members of the community can be meaningfully involved in, and access fair treatment through, environmental regulation;
- the ability of the EPA's current governance structures and funding arrangements to enable it to effectively and efficiently discharge its powers, perform its duties and implement its required functions;
- the scope and adequacy of the EPA's statutory powers, and the effectiveness and efficiency of the suite of tools available to and utilised by the EPA, in enabling protection of the Victorian community and the environment, particularly in light of recent, new and emerging risks and issues; and
- any other matter reasonably incidental to these above matters.
The Ministerial Advisory Committee is also directed to:
- consider the best way to combine environmental protection with economic viability and growing sustainable jobs in Victoria, including through improving regulatory efficiency and minimising regulatory burden; and
- seek the views of the community, industry and workers in related industries, local government and Victorian government agencies, as well as those of other relevant stakeholders.
Terms Of Reference - Inquiry Into The Environment Protection Authority [PDF File - 302.1 KB]