(1) The responsible Commonwealth Minister must cause to be conducted reviews of the operation of NOPSEMA in relation to NOPSEMA waters.
(2) Without limiting the matters to be covered by a review under subsection (1), the review must include an assessment of the effectiveness of NOPSEMA in bringing about improvements in:
(a) the occupational health and safety of persons engaged in offshore petroleum operations or offshore greenhouse gas storage operations; and
(b) the structural integrity of facilities, wells and well - related equipment; and
(c) offshore petroleum environmental management; and
(d) offshore greenhouse gas storage environmental management.
(3) A State or Northern Territory Petroleum Minister may give the responsible Commonwealth Minister a written request that a particular review under subsection (1) be conducted in conjunction with another review that:
(a) is a review of the operations of the NOPSEMA in the designated coastal waters of the State or of the Northern Territory, as the case may be; and
(b) is being, or is to be, conducted by the State or Northern Territory Petroleum Minister at the same time.
The responsible Commonwealth Minister must ensure that the request is complied with.
Report
(4) The responsible Commonwealth Minister must cause to be prepared a report of a review under subsection (1).
(5) The responsible Commonwealth Minister must cause copies of a report under subsection (4) to be tabled in each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is made available to the responsible Commonwealth Minister.
First review
(6) The first review is to relate to the 3 - year period beginning at the commencement of this section, and is to be completed within 6 months, or such longer period as the responsible Commonwealth Minister allows, after the end of that 3 - year period.
Subsequent reviews
(7) Subsequent reviews are to relate to successive 5 - year periods, and must be completed within 6 months, or such longer period as the responsible Commonwealth Minister allows, after the end of the 5 - year period to which the review relates.
(8) For the purposes of this section, a review is completed when the report of the review is made available to the responsible Commonwealth Minister.
Offshore Infrastructure Regulator
(9) This section does not apply in relation to any activities of NOPSEMA in its capacity as the Offshore Infrastructure Regulator.