Offshore Electricity Infrastructure 2021

✦ Plain-English Summary

# Offshore Electricity Infrastructure Bill 2021

## What it does
This law sets up a system to regulate renewable energy projects built in Australian ocean waters—like offshore wind farms and solar installations. The government can declare certain ocean areas available for these projects and issue licenses to companies that want to build them.

## Why it matters
Australia has massive potential for offshore wind energy, which could generate clean electricity and create jobs. This law removes the legal uncertainty that was blocking these projects from happening, because offshore renewable energy wasn't properly regulated before.

## Key details
- **Declared areas**: The government identifies specific ocean zones where renewable energy projects are allowed, with conditions attached (like environmental protections).
- **Licensing required**: Companies need a license to build anything offshore—you can't just start a project without permission.
- **Covers both generation and transmission**: The law regulates both the power stations themselves and the cables/infrastructure that carry electricity back to shore.

Official Description

Introduced with the Offshore Electricity Infrastructure (Regulatory Levies) Bill 2021 to facilitate and regulate the development of electricity infrastructure in Commonwealth waters, the bill: prohibits offshore renewable energy infrastructure and offshore electricity transmission infrastructure in the Commonwealth offshore area without a licence; provides for the minister to declare specified areas suitable for offshore infrastructure activities and to grant licences allowing proponents to undertake offshore infrastructure activities in specified areas; provides for safety and protection zones to protect offshore electricity infrastructure; establishes the Offshore Infrastructure Registrar to administer the licensing scheme, including maintaining a register of licences and managing the licence application process; identifies the National Offshore Petroleum Safety and Environmental Management Authority as the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator with work health and safety, environmental management, infrastructure integrity and regulatory functions; provides for directions, compliance and enforcement powers; and provides for the protection of worker safety through modified application of the Work Health and Safety Act 2011 .

Committee Referrals

Senate Environment and Communications Legislation Committee; Senate Standing Committee for the Scrutiny of Bills

Full bill PDF →APH page →

Audit History

Introduced

2 Sept 2021

Last updated on APH

10 Apr 2026

Outcome date

2 Dec 2021

Last checked by Crossbench

2 days ago

Full text indexed

2 days ago

🗳️

No formal division recorded

This bill passed by voice vote — parliament agreed without calling a formal count. A division is only recorded when a member explicitly requests one.

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