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This is a Bill, not an Act. For current law, see the Acts databases.
South Australia
Local Government (Stormwater Management Agreement)
Amendment Bill 2015
A BILL FOR
An Act to amend the
Local
Government Act 1999
.
Contents
Part 2—Amendment of Local Government
Act 1999
Schedule 1A—Implementation of Stormwater
Management Agreement
2Approval of Stormwater
Management Agreement
Division 2—Stormwater Management
Authority
5Continuation of Stormwater
Management Authority
8Terms and
conditions of office
14Documents to be prepared and
maintained by Authority
15Stormwater Advisory
Committee
Division
3—Stormwater management plans
17Preparation of stormwater
management plans by councils
18Authority may require
preparation of stormwater management plan
19Approval of stormwater
management plans
Division
5—Stormwater Management Fund
21Establishment of
Stormwater Management Fund
24Special powers in relation to
land
25Entry and
occupation of land other than council land
26Vesting of infrastructure
etc
28Assessment of
reasonable costs and expenses
The Parliament of South Australia enacts as
follows:
This Act may be cited as the Local Government (Stormwater Management
Agreement) Amendment Act 2015.
This Act will come into operation on a day to be fixed by
proclamation.
In this Act, a provision under a heading referring to the amendment of a
specified Act amends the Act so specified.
Part 2—Amendment
of Local Government
Act 1999
Schedule 1A—delete the schedule and substitute:
Schedule 1A—Implementation of Stormwater Management
Agreement
Division 1—Preliminary
1—Interpretation
(1) In this Schedule—
approved stormwater management plan means a stormwater
management plan in relation to which a notice of approval has been published
under
clause 19
;
Authority means the Stormwater Management Authority continued
in existence under
clause 5
;
Committee—see
clause 15
;
Fund means the Stormwater Management Fund continued in
existence under
Division
5
;
infrastructure includes associated devices and
works;
Metropolitan Adelaide has the same meaning as in the
Development
Act 1993
;
metropolitan council means a council whose area is wholly or
partly within Metropolitan Adelaide;
public authority means—
(a) a Minister; or
(b) an agency or instrumentality of the Crown; or
(c) a council or council subsidiary;
regional NRM board means a regional NRM board within the
meaning of the
Natural
Resources Management Act 2004
;
Stormwater Management Agreement means the agreement approved
in accordance with
clause 2
;
stormwater management plan—see
Division 3
.
(2) A reference to the Minister in a provision of this
Schedule is a reference to—
(a) if the Governor has, by notice in the Gazette, assigned the functions
of the Minister for the purposes of that provision to a Minister specified in
the notice—the Minister so specified; or
(b) in any other case—the Minister responsible for the
administration of this Act.
2—Approval of Stormwater Management
Agreement
(1) The Agreement on Stormwater Management entered into by the
State of South Australia and the LGA in August 2013 is approved.
(2) If the State of
South Australia and the LGA agree—
(a) to vary the Stormwater Management Agreement; or
(b) to enter into a new agreement in substitution for the Stormwater
Management Agreement,
the agreement as so varied or substituted—
(c) must be laid before each House of Parliament; and
(d) when it has been
laid before both Houses of Parliament is (subject to
subclause (3)
) taken to be approved.
(3) An agreement
that has been laid before each House of Parliament in accordance with
subclause (2)
may be disallowed by resolution of either House of Parliament and will
cease to be taken to be approved.
(4) A resolution is not effective for the purposes of
subclause (3)
unless the resolution is passed in pursuance of a notice of motion given
within 14 sitting days (which need not fall within the same session of
Parliament) after the agreement was laid before the House.
(5) When a resolution referred to in
subclause (3)
of this clause has been passed, notice of that resolution must be
published in the Gazette.
(6) If an agreement laid before each House of Parliament in accordance
with
subclause (2)
(the later agreement) is disallowed by resolution of either
House of Parliament, the agreement approved in accordance with this clause
immediately before the later agreement was taken to be approved is then taken to
be approved.
3—Objects of Schedule
The objects of this Schedule are as follows:
(a) to ensure the proper operation of the Stormwater Management
Agreement—
(i) by the continuation of the Stormwater Management Authority referred to
in the Agreement; and
(ii) by putting in place administrative and funding arrangements, and
conferring powers, necessary for the proper discharge of State and local
government responsibilities relating to stormwater management as stated in the
Agreement;
(b) to ensure that environmental objectives and issues of sustainability
are given due consideration in the discharge of State and local government
responsibilities relating to stormwater management as stated in the
Agreement.
4—Interaction with other Acts
This Schedule is in addition to and does not limit or derogate from the
provisions of any other Act.
Division 2—Stormwater Management
Authority
5—Continuation of Stormwater Management
Authority
(1) The Stormwater Management Authority continues in
existence.
(2) The Authority—
(a) is a body corporate with perpetual succession and a common seal;
and
(b) is capable in its corporate name of acquiring, holding, dealing with
and disposing of real and personal property; and
(c) is capable of acquiring or incurring any other rights or liabilities
and of suing and being sued in its corporate name.
(3) The Authority may borrow money or accept other forms of financial
accommodation but only in accordance with the written approval of the
Treasurer.
6—Functions of Authority
The Authority has the following functions:
(a) to liaise with relevant public authorities with a view to ensuring the
proper functioning of the State's stormwater management system;
(b) to contribute to the urban water plan for Greater Adelaide and lead
the implementation of elements of that plan relating to stormwater;
(c) to facilitate and co-ordinate stormwater management planning by
councils;
(d) to formulate policies and provide information to councils in relation
to stormwater management planning (including policies and information promoting
the use of stormwater to further environmental objectives and address issues of
sustainability including the use of stormwater for human consumption, for the
maintenance of biodiversity and other appropriate purposes);
(e) to facilitate programs by councils promoting the use of stormwater to
further environmental objectives and address issues of sustainability including
the use of stormwater for human consumption, for the maintenance of biodiversity
and other appropriate purposes;
(f) to ensure that relevant public authorities co-operate in an
appropriate fashion in relation to stormwater management planning and the
construction and maintenance of stormwater management works;
(g) to provide advice to the Minister in relation to the State's
stormwater management system;
(h) to carry out other functions conferred on the
Authority—
(i) under this Schedule; or
(ii) by the Minister with the agreement of the LGA.
7—Board of Authority
(1) The board of
the Authority consists of an uneven number of members, being—
(a) a presiding member
appointed by the Minister on the nomination of the LGA (with the agreement of
the Minister); and
(b) not less than 6
other members appointed by the Minister (half of whom are to be appointed on the
nomination of the Minister and half of whom are to be appointed on the
nomination of the LGA).
(2) One of the members
appointed under
subclause (1)(b)
must be appointed by the Minister as the deputy presiding member and that
member may act as the presiding member if the presiding member is absent and no
person has been appointed to act as the presiding member in accordance with
subclause (5)
.
(3) A person nominated for appointment to the board must have appropriate
qualifications or experience in public administration, water resources,
stormwater management, mitigation of flood hazards, environmental management or
infrastructure development (and the qualifications or experience of appointed
members of the board must be made publicly available in a manner determined by
the board).
(4) At least 1 member of the board must be a woman and at
least 1 member must be a man.
(5) The Minister may
grant a member of the board leave of absence from the board and appoint a
suitable person to act as a member of the board during that period of absence
(provided that if the member being granted leave was appointed on the nomination
of the LGA, the person appointed to act as a member in his or her absence must
also be appointed on the nomination of the LGA).
8—Terms and conditions of
office
(1) A member of the board is appointed on conditions determined by the
Minister for a term, not exceeding 3 years, specified in the
instrument of appointment and, at the expiration of a term of appointment, is
eligible for reappointment.
(2) The Minister
may remove a member of the board from office—
(a) for breach of, or non-compliance with, a condition of appointment;
or
(b) for misconduct; or
(c) for failure or incapacity to carry out official duties
satisfactorily.
(3) The office of a member of the board becomes vacant if the
member—
(a) dies; or
(b) completes a term of office and is not reappointed; or
(c) resigns by written notice to the Minister; or
(d) is removed from office under
subclause (2)
.
9—Remuneration
A member of the board (other than a member who has been appointed as an
employee of a public authority) is entitled to remuneration, allowances and
expenses determined by the Minister.
10—Validity of acts
An act or proceeding of the board is not invalid by reason only of a
vacancy in its membership or a defect in the election or appointment of a
member.
11—Proceedings of board
(1) Subject to
subclause (2)
, a quorum of the board consists of 5 members.
(2) If any member of
the board is required, in accordance with procedures of the board, to leave a
meeting due to a declared conflict of interest, the member may still be counted
as if he or she were present at the meeting for the purpose of determining
whether a quorum is present at the meeting.
(3) The member appointed as the presiding member of the board will preside
at any meeting of the board or, in the absence of that member (or any person who
may act in the place of that member in accordance with
clause 7(2)
or
(5)
)—
(a) if a person present at the meeting has been appointed to act as the
presiding member in accordance with
clause 7(5)
—that person will preside; or
(b) if no person present at the meeting has been appointed to act as the
presiding member in accordance with
clause 7(5)
but the deputy presiding member is present—the deputy presiding
member will preside; or
(c) in any other case—a member chosen by those present will
preside.
(4) A decision carried by a majority of the votes cast by the members
present at a meeting of the board is a decision of the board, provided that at
least 3 of the members present vote in favour of the
decision.
(5) Each member present at a meeting of the board has 1 vote on
any question arising for decision.
(6) The board must hold meetings at least quarterly.
(7) A conference by telephone or other electronic means between the
members of the board will, for the purposes of this clause, be taken to be a
meeting of the board at which the participating members are present
if—
(a) notice of the conference is given to all members in the manner
determined by the board for the purpose; and
(b) each participating member is capable of communicating with every other
participating member during the conference.
(8) A proposed resolution of the board becomes a valid decision of the
board despite the fact that it is not voted on at a meeting of the board
if—
(a) notice of the proposed resolution is given to all members of the board
in accordance with procedures determined by the board; and
(b) a majority of the members express concurrence in the proposed
resolution by letter, facsimile transmission, email or other written
communication setting out the terms of the resolution.
(9) The board must have accurate minutes kept of its meetings.
(10) Subject to this Schedule, the board may determine its own
procedures.
12—Delegation
(1) The Authority may delegate a function or power—
(a) to a specified person, committee or other body; or
(b) to a person occupying a specified office or position.
(2) However, the Authority may not delegate—
(a) power to issue an order under
clause 20
; or
(b) power to make a recommendation to the Minister under
clause 26
.
(3) A delegation—
(a) may be made subject to conditions and limitations specified in the
instrument of delegation; and
(b) if the instrument of delegation so provides, may be further delegated
by the delegate; and
(c) is revocable at will and does not prevent the Authority from acting in
a matter.
13—Use of facilities
The Authority may, by arrangement with the relevant body, make use of the
services of the staff, equipment or facilities of—
(a) an administrative unit in the Public Service; or
(b) an agency or instrumentality of the Crown; or
(c) a council; or
(d) the LGA.
14—Documents to be prepared and maintained by
Authority
(1) The Authority
must, within 3 months after the commencement of this clause, prepare (to the
satisfaction of the Minister and the LGA) the following documents:
(a) a strategic plan that includes—
(i) details of the strategic approach to be taken by the Authority in
relation to implementation of the urban water plan for Greater Adelaide (as it
relates to stormwater) during the period to which the strategic plan relates;
and
(ii) details of the strategic approach to be taken by the Authority in
relation to stormwater management in regional South Australia during the period
to which the strategic plan relates; and
(iii) any other matters determined by the Authority;
(b) a business plan that is consistent with, and supports, the strategic
plan and includes—
(i) details of the manner in which the Authority will carry out its
functions during the period to which the business plan relates; and
(ii) a list of priority catchments for which stormwater management plans
should be prepared, and stormwater infrastructure projects are expected to be
completed, during the period to which the business plan relates; and
(iii) any other matters determined by the Authority;
(c) a code of ethics to apply to members of the board;
(d) a guide for persons wishing to apply to the Authority for money from
the Fund (in accordance with
clause 22
).
(i) review the strategic plan at least every 5 years;
and
(ii) review all
other documents required under
subclause (1)
every year,
and following such a review must make appropriate changes (to the
satisfaction of the Minister and the LGA) to the relevant document.
(3) In this clause—
period to which the business plan relates means the period
of 3 years after the plan was prepared or last reviewed (as the case
may require);
period to which the strategic plan relates means the period
of 10 years after the plan was prepared or last reviewed (as the case
may require).
15—Stormwater Advisory
Committee
(1) The Minister may, at the request of the Authority, establish a
Stormwater Advisory Committee (the Committee) to provide
advice to the Authority on technical, planning, policy or legal matters relating
to the functions of the Authority in accordance with terms of reference
established and maintained under the Stormwater Management Agreement.
(2) The Committee will, if established under this clause, consist of
members appointed by the Minister (and on conditions and for a term determined
by the Minister) of whom—
(a) at least 1 is to be
appointed on the nomination of the Minister (and 1 of the members so
appointed is to be appointed as the presiding member); and
(b) at least 1 and not more than 3 are to be appointed on the nomination
of the LGA (provided that the number of members appointed under this paragraph
will not exceed the number appointed under
paragraph (a)
).
(3) Subject to any written directions from the Minister, the Committee
will determine its own procedures.
Division 3—Stormwater management
plans
16—Guidelines
(1) The Authority must issue guidelines for the preparation of stormwater
management plans by councils.
(2) The guidelines—
(a) must be prepared—
(i) with advice of the Committee (if established under
clause 15
); and
(ii) in consultation with the LGA; and
(b) must set out objectives to be reflected in stormwater management
plans; and
(c) must set out appropriate public consultation processes to be followed
by councils in the preparation of stormwater management plans; and
(d) must be approved by the Minister and the Minister responsible for the
administration of the
Natural
Resources Management Act 2004
; and
(e) once approved, must be published in the Gazette.
(3) The objectives set out in the guidelines must—
(a) be consistent with the objectives of the Stormwater Management
Agreement; and
(b) include—
(i) environmental objectives; and
(ii) objectives addressing issues of sustainability,
that are consistent with the objects of the
Environment
Protection Act 1993
, the
Natural
Resources Management Act 2004
and other relevant legislation aimed at protection or enhancement of the
environment, the maintenance of biodiversity and the sustainable management of
natural resources.
17—Preparation of stormwater management plans by
councils
(1) A stormwater
management plan prepared by a council or group of councils must—
(a) comply with the guidelines issued by the Authority; and
(b) be prepared in
consultation with the relevant regional NRM board or boards; and
(c) be prepared in accordance with any other procedures or requirements
prescribed by the regulations.
(2) A regional NRM
board must consider any stormwater management plan prepared in respect of an
area that falls within the region of the board and must, by notice in writing
given as expeditiously as practicable, advise the Authority whether, in the
opinion of the board, the stormwater management plan contains appropriate
provisions.
18—Authority may require preparation of stormwater
management plan
(1) The Authority
may, of its own motion or at the request of a regional NRM board, by notice in
the Gazette require a specified council or specified councils—
(a) to prepare a
stormwater management plan; or
(b) to revise an
existing stormwater management plan and prepare a replacement stormwater
management plan.
(2) A stormwater management plan or replacement stormwater management plan
required to be prepared by a council or councils under this clause must be
provided to the Authority for approval under
clause 19
and the council or councils will not be taken to have complied with the
notice for the purposes of
Division 4
until such approval is given.
(3) A notice under
subclause (1)
must specify—
(a) in the case of a notice under
subclause (1)(a)
—the areas in respect of which the stormwater management plan is to
be prepared (whether described as hydrological catchment areas, towns, regions
or otherwise); and
(b) in the case of a notice under
subclause (1)(b)
—the existing stormwater management plan to which it relates and
whether the Authority want the whole or particular parts of the plan revised;
and
(c) in any case—the time within which the plan or the replacement
plan (as the case may be) is to be provided to the Authority for approval under
clause 19
.
(4) A notice under
subclause (1)
may be varied or revoked by the Authority by subsequent notice in the
Gazette.
19—Approval of stormwater management
plans
(1) The Authority may approve a stormwater management plan prepared by a
council or councils.
(2) However, the Authority must not approve a stormwater management plan
unless it has—
(a) received advice in relation to the plan from the relevant regional NRM
board or boards in accordance with
clause 17(2)
; and
(b) if the Committee has been established under
clause 15
—consulted with the Committee in relation to the plan.
(3) The Authority may
approve a stormwater management plan prepared by a council or councils subject
to 1 or more conditions requiring that specified action be undertaken by the
council or councils before a specified date (and the approval will be taken to
lapse on that specified date if the action has not been taken).
(4) The Authority must
publish notice in the Gazette of the approval of a stormwater management
plan.
Division 4—Orders
20—Authority may issue order
(a) a council fails
to comply with a notice under
clause 18(1)
; or
(b) a council fails
to comply with an approved stormwater management plan prepared by the council
(or prepared by the council and another council or other councils); or
(c) the Authority
is satisfied that action by a council is necessary to provide for the management
of stormwater by the provision of infrastructure or the performance of any work
or to preserve and maintain the proper functioning of any stormwater
infrastructure that the council has the care, control and management
of,
the Authority may serve on the council an order under this
clause.
(2) The Authority must not serve an order on a council under
subclause (1)(c)
unless the Authority has (not less than 5 days before serving the order)
given the council written notice of its intention to serve the order.
(3) An order issued by the Authority—
(a) must be in the form of a written notice; and
(b) must specify the council to whom it is issued; and
(c) must—
(i) in the case of an order issued under
subclause (1)(a)
—specify the notice and set out the particulars of the alleged
failure; or
(ii) in the case of an order issued under
subclause (1)(b)
—specify the plan and set out particulars of the alleged failure;
or
(iii) in the case of an order issued under
subclause (1)(c)
—specify the action that, in the opinion of the Authority, should be
undertaken by the council; and
(d) may impose any
requirement reasonably required for the purpose for which the order is
issued.
(4) If a council to
whom an order is issued fails to comply with the order, the Authority
may—
(a) take any action required by the order (as if the Authority were the
council); and
(b) apply monies from the Fund to cover the costs and expenses incurred by
the Authority in taking the action or recover such costs and expenses (or any
portion of them) from the council as a debt, as the Authority thinks
fit.
(5) However—
(a) the Authority must, before taking any action under
subclause (4)
, give the council a reasonable opportunity to make submissions to the
Authority in relation to the matter; and
(b) if the action required by the order was the preparation of a
stormwater management plan, the Authority—
(i) must, in taking action under
subclause (4)
to prepare the plan, comply with the guidelines issued under
clause 17
; and
(ii) must not publish a notice of approval under
clause 19(4)
unless the Minister has (after consultation with the LGA) approved the
plan prepared by the Authority.
(6) If costs and expenses are to be recovered from a council as a debt,
the Authority and the council may enter into an agreement for the debt to be
repaid over a period of time, subject to the payment by the council of interest
on the debt (at a rate agreed by the Authority and the council).
Division 5—Stormwater Management
Fund
21—Establishment of Stormwater Management
Fund
(1) The Stormwater Management Fund continues in
existence.
(2) The Fund must be kept as directed or approved by the
Treasurer.
(3) The Fund is to consist of the following money:
(a) any money appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the
Fund;
(b) any money contributed to the Fund by regional NRM boards;
(c) any money received from the Local Government Disaster Fund;
(d) any money paid into the Fund at the direction or with the approval of
the Minister or the Treasurer;
(e) any money received by way of grant, gift or bequest or any other
contribution for the purposes of the Fund;
(f) any income from investment of money belonging to the Fund;
(g) any money paid into the Fund under any other Act.
(4) The Authority may, with the approval of the Treasurer, invest any of
the money belonging to the Fund that is not immediately required for the
purposes of the Fund in such manner as is approved by the Treasurer.
22—Payments out of Fund
(1) The Authority may apply any part of the Fund (without further
appropriation than this subclause) for any of the following purposes:
(a) the preparation of stormwater management plans (or replacement
stormwater management plans);
(b) the carrying out of works or the acquisition of land (including by a
council or some other entity) in accordance with an approved stormwater
management plan or otherwise for the purpose of stormwater management;
(c) community education and awareness programmes related to stormwater
management;
(d) projects or measures relating to water quality or pollution
abatement;
(e) investigations, research, pilot programmes or other projects relating
to stormwater management;
(f) payment of the operational costs or expenses of the
Authority;
(g) the making of any payment required or authorised by or under this
Schedule or any other Act or law.
(2) If the Authority is satisfied that a council—
(a) has failed to comply with a condition imposed on an approval of a
stormwater management plan under
clause 19(3)
; or
(b) has failed to comply with an order under
clause 20
,
the Authority may refuse to make, or may cancel or suspend, a payment that
would otherwise have been made to the council from the Fund in respect of the
matter to which the stormwater management plan or order relates.
23—Accounts and audit
(1) The Authority must cause proper accounts to be kept of money paid to
and from the Fund.
(2) The Auditor-General may, at any time, and must at least once in each
year, audit the accounts of the Fund.
Division 6—Miscellaneous
24—Special powers in relation to
land
(1) Without
limiting any other provision of this Act, the Authority may, for the purpose of
taking action required by an order in accordance with
clause 20
and a council may, for the purpose of taking action consistent with the
provisions of an approved stormwater management plan or a condition imposed on
approval of a stormwater management plan or action required by an order under
clause 20
—
(a) enter and occupy any land; and
(b) construct,
maintain or remove any infrastructure; and
(d) inspect, examine or survey any land and for that purpose—
(i) fix posts, stakes or other markers on the land; and
(ii) dig trenches or sink test holes in the land to determine the nature
of the top soil and underlying strata; and
(iii) remove samples for analysis; and
(e) alter water table levels, stop or reduce the flow of water in a
watercourse, divert water flowing in a watercourse to another watercourse or to
a lake or control the flow of water in any other manner; and
(f) hold water in a watercourse or lake or by any other means;
and
(g) divert water to an underground aquifer, dispose of water to a lake,
underground aquifer or the sea, or deal with water in any other manner;
and
(h) deepen, widen
or change the course of a watercourse, deepen or widen a lake or take action to
remove any obstruction to the flow of water; and
(i) undertake any
other form of work (including work undertaken for the purposes of stormwater
management or flood mitigation); and
(j) undertake any testing, monitoring or evaluation; and
(k) undertake any other activity of a prescribed kind.
(2) A council or
the Authority must not exercise a power under
subclause (1)(b)
,
(c)
,
(h)
or
(i)
in relation to private land with the intention that any infrastructure
will be permanent unless—
(a) it is intended that the owner of the private land will undertake the
care, control or management of any relevant infrastructure and the council or
the Authority (as the case may be) is acting with the agreement of the owner;
or
(b) the council or the Authority (as the case may be) has first acquired
an easement or other appropriate interest over the relevant land by agreement
with the owner or in accordance with the
Land
Acquisition Act 1969
and any other applicable laws.
(3)
Subclause (2)
does not limit or affect the ability of a council or the Authority to
acquire land by agreement for the purpose of constructing any infrastructure or
performing any work.
(4) In this clause—
lake and watercourse have the same meaning as
in section 31 of the
Natural
Resources Management Act 2004
.
25—Entry and occupation of land other than council
land
(1) This clause does not apply to or in relation to land the use, or the
care, control and management, of which is vested in a council.
(2) The Authority or a council must give reasonable notice of an intention
to enter, or to enter and occupy, land in accordance with
clause 24
to the occupier of the land.
(3) The period of the notice must be at least 2 business days
except—
(a) where the occupier has given his or her consent; or
(b) in an emergency, in which case the Authority or council must give such
notice (if any) as it considers is reasonable in the circumstances.
(4) If the Authority or a council enters or occupies land to which this
clause applies, the Authority or council (as the case may be)—
(a) must cause as little harm and inconvenience as practicable;
and
(b) must not occupy the land for any longer than is reasonably necessary;
and
(c) must leave the land as nearly as possible in the condition in which it
found the land; and
(d) must co-operate as far as practicable with any owner or occupier of
the land.
26—Vesting of infrastructure
etc
(1) Subject to this
clause, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette made on the recommendation of
the Authority, vest in a public authority the care, control and management of
any stormwater infrastructure.
(2) Subject to this
clause, the Minister may, by notice in the Gazette made on the recommendation of
the Authority, vest in a public authority the care, control and management of
any public land that is specified in an approved stormwater management plan as
being land that should be under the care, control and management of the public
authority.
(3) The Minister must, before publishing a notice vesting the care,
control and management of infrastructure or land in a public authority under
subclause (1)
or
(2)
, give the public authority a reasonable opportunity to make submissions to
the Minister in relation to the proposed notice.
(4) If the care, control and management of infrastructure or land is
vested in a public authority under
subclause (1)
or
(2)
, the public authority is responsible for the maintenance and repair of the
infrastructure or the maintenance of the land.
(5) A public authority is not liable to pay compensation to another public
authority in respect of a notice under this clause.
(6) Subject to this
clause, the Minister may, by subsequent notice made on the recommendation of the
Authority, vary or revoke a notice under this clause.
(7) In this clause—
public land means land vested in, or under the care, control
and management of, a public authority.
27—Immunity from liability
No liability attaches to the Crown, the Authority or a council in respect
of the preparation or approval of a stormwater management plan in accordance
with this Schedule.
28—Assessment of reasonable costs and
expenses
For the purposes of this Schedule, the reasonable costs and expenses that
have been or would be incurred by the Authority in taking any action are to be
assessed by reference to the reasonable costs and expenses that would have been
or would be incurred in having the action taken by independent contractors
engaged for that purpose.
29—Evidentiary
(1) In any proceedings, a certificate executed by the Authority or the
Minister certifying as to a matter relating to—
(a) an order of the Authority under
clause 20
; or
(b) a notice under
clause 26
; or
(c) a delegation or authority under this Schedule,
constitutes proof, in the absence of proof to the contrary, of the matters
so certified.
(2) In any proceedings against a council for the recovery of reasonable
costs and expenses incurred by the Authority under this Schedule, a certificate
executed by the Authority detailing the costs and expenses, the purpose for
which they were incurred and (if relevant) the proportion payable by the council
constitutes proof, in the absence of proof to the contrary, of the matters so
certified.
(3) An apparently genuine document purporting to be an authorisation,
order or other document, or a copy of an authorisation, order or other document,
issued or executed by the Minister, the Treasurer or the Authority under this
Schedule will be accepted as such in the absence of proof to the
contrary.
30—Annual reports
(1) The Authority must, within 3 months after the end of each financial
year deliver to the Minister and to the President of the LGA a report on the
operations of the Authority during that financial year.
(2) The report must include the following:
(a) details of the extent to which the Authority's business plan has been
implemented during the financial year and of the changes to the business plan
proposed as part of the annual review required under
clause 14(2)(ii)
;
(b) details of any decisions made by the Authority that differ from
recommendations made by the Committee (if established under
clause 15
);
(c) details of any payments from the Fund during the financial
year;
(d) an assessment by the Authority of the adequacy of the Fund to meet
claims on the Fund under this Schedule and the Stormwater Management
Agreement.
(3) The Minister must cause a copy of the report to be laid before each
House of Parliament within 12 sitting days after his or her receipt of the
report.
31—Regulations
Without limiting section 303, regulations may be made—
(a) empowering the Authority to require the provision of reports,
statements, documents or other forms of information for the purposes of carrying
out its functions under this Schedule or otherwise in connection with the
administration or operation of this Schedule;
(b) requiring the Authority to disclose information or provide records to
the Minister or the Treasurer or otherwise providing for Ministerial supervision
of the operations of the Authority;
(c) imposing performance obligations on the Authority or requiring the
preparation of a charter or performance statements in relation to the operations
of the Authority;
(d) setting out the duties and liabilities of the board of the Authority
and members of the board of the Authority;
(e) making any provision in relation to the financial arrangements or
corporate governance of the Authority;
(f) prescribing penalties (not exceeding a fine of $20 000) for
contravention of a regulation made in accordance with this clause.