(1) The Minister
should seek to develop—
(a)
policies that will assist in—
(i)
reducing or limiting climate change or greenhouse gas
emissions, or mitigating the effects of climate change or greenhouse gas
emissions; and
(ii)
promoting or implementing measures to facilitate
adaptation to circumstances that will inevitably be caused by climate change;
and
(b)
without limiting paragraph (a), policies that seek to adopt, promote or
encourage opportunities or innovations that will further develop or support
action within industry or other sectors of the State's economy, and within the
community more generally, to increase the generation or use of renewable
energy, including by the development of an industry plan for the State's
renewable energy technologies industry; and
(c)
policies that otherwise seek to secure the objects of this Act.
(2) The Minister must,
in acting under this section—
(a) seek
to achieve consistency with policies adopted by the Government to promote
sustainability within the State; and
(b)
develop a policy or policies that demonstrate the Government's leadership in
dealing with climate change through the management and reduction of its own
greenhouse gas emissions, and through the development of related reporting
mechanisms, in a manner that is consistent with the objects of this Act; and
(c) seek
to have regard to the most up-to-date science and research with respect to
climate change rates, trends or impacts, and State, national and international
developments with respect to climate change technologies and industry best
practice; and
(d) seek
to apply up-to-date practices and methodologies in calculating greenhouse gas
emissions, and the use of renewable energy, taking into account national and
international developments; and
(e) take
into account the requirements of any relevant legislation (whether at the
State or national level); and
(f) seek
to take into account other relevant frameworks, policies, programs and
initiatives.
(3) The Minister may
vary a policy under this section at any time.
(4) The Minister must
publish any policy developed under this section (including any policy as
varied).
(5) The Minister must,
in association with the operation of subsection (4)—
(a) give
notice of the introduction or adoption of a policy under this section (and of
any variation of a policy) by notice in the Gazette; and
(b)
ensure that copies of any policy (including any policy as varied) are
reasonably available for inspection at a place or places determined by the
Minister.