24—Environment Protection Fund
(1) The Environment
Protection Fund is established.
(2) The Fund must be
kept as directed by the Treasurer.
(3) The Fund is to
consist of the following money:
(a) the
prescribed percentage of fees (other than expiation fees) paid under this Act;
(b)
expiation fees and the prescribed percentage of penalties recovered in respect
of offences against this Act (other than expiation fees or penalties to which
a council is entitled);
(ba) the
prescribed percentage of amounts recovered by the Authority, by negotiation or
as a result of civil proceedings, in respect of a contravention of this Act;
(c) any
money required to be paid into the Fund by way of a financial assurance under
Division 5 of Part 6;
(d) any
amount paid to the Authority, or the value of anything forfeited to
the Authority, as a result of exercise of the power of seizure under Division
1 of Part 10;
(e) the
prescribed percentage of money paid to the Authority by way of a levy under
Part 15;
(ea) any
amount paid to the Authority that is required under Part 15 to be paid into
the Fund;
(f) any
money appropriated by Parliament for the purposes of the Fund;
(g) any
money paid into the Fund at the direction or with the approval of the Minister
and the Treasurer;
(h) any
money received by way of grant, gift or bequest for the purposes of the Fund;
(i)
any income from investment of money belonging to the
Fund;
(j) any
money paid into the Fund under any other Act.
(4) The Fund may be
applied by the Minister or by the Authority with the approval of the Minister
(without further appropriation than this subsection)—
(a) in
making any payment required in connection with a financial assurance under
Division 5 of Part 6; or
(b) in
making any payment required by the terms of an environment
performance agreement under Part 7; or
(c) in
making payments for or towards the cost of action taken to deal with an
environmental emergency or its effects; or
(d) for
the purposes of education and training programmes in relation to the
protection, restoration or enhancement of the environment; or
(e) for
the purposes of any investigations, research, pilot programmes or other
projects relating to the protection, restoration or enhancement of the
environment; or
(f)
towards the costs of administration of this Act.
(6) 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.