The NPI is administered jointly. The National Environment Protection Council made the NPI NEPM under section 14(1) of the National Environment Protection Council Act 1994, and each government then gives it effect within its own jurisdiction.
Key points
- A joint Commonwealth, state and territory program
- State and territory agencies collect and check facility reports
- DCCEEW collates and publishes the national data
- Each jurisdiction enforces reporting under its own law
- The NEPM was made under section 14(1) of the NEPC Act 1994
Who does what
- Occupiers of facilities estimate their emissions and transfers and lodge a report each year.
- State and territory agencies, usually the environment protection authority, collect the reports, check their accuracy and develop estimates of diffuse emissions.
- DCCEEW collates the data, publishes it, maintains the reporting guidance and the NPI Online Reporting System, and assesses claims that information should be withheld on national security grounds.
The laws that apply in each jurisdiction
Reporting obligations are enforced under state and territory law, so the governing instrument depends on where the facility is. Examples include the Environmental Protection (NEPM-NPI) Regulations 1998 in Western Australia, the Protection of the Environment Operations (General) Regulation 2022 in New South Wales, the Environment Protection (National Pollutant Inventory) Policy 2008 in South Australia and the Environment Protection Regulations 2021 in Victoria. In Tasmania the NEPM takes effect as a State Policy. The Commonwealth implements it through administrative arrangements.
DCCEEW lists the implementing law for every jurisdiction on its implementation page. Some entries there cite older instruments, so check the state or territory regulator’s own page for the current law.
Who to contact
Questions about lodging a report go to the NPI team in the state or territory where the facility is located. DCCEEW publishes a contact list for every jurisdiction.
Funding and review
The NPI is jointly funded by the Australian Government and the states and territories and has operated since 1998. Clause 33 of the NEPM requires the measure to be reviewed at least every five years, and the most recent review report was published in 2022.
Why it matters
Because enforcement sits with the states and territories, penalties, record-keeping periods and confidentiality procedures differ by jurisdiction. Companies with facilities in several states need to track each jurisdiction’s rules rather than rely on a single national standard.
References & sources
Primary regulatory documents and authoritative references underpinning this answer.