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A new way of submitting EPBC Act referral applications on the new EPBC Act Business Portal was implemented on Thursday 7 April 2022.

From Wednesday 30 March the existing Online Services portal became read-only. This means you will still be able to log in, view and copy the content of the pdf of your draft referral, however you will not be able to submit this referral in Online Services.

Referrals submitted via Online Services before 29 March will be concluded using the existing system with public comments made via the EPBC Act Public Notices and Have Your Say pages.

Public comments for projects submitted in the new EPBC Act Business Portal are made through the new EPBC Act Public Portal which replaces the EPBC Act Public Notices and Have Your Say.

Referral of proposed action

The purpose of a referral is to determine whether your proposed action will need formal assessment and approval under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).

Your referral will be the principal basis for the Minister's decision as to whether approval is necessary and, if so, the type of assessment that will be taken.

You may still make a referral if you believe your action is not going to have a significant impact, or if you are unsure.

Who can I contact for help with the new form?

Please contact the Referrals Gateway through email on epbc.referrals@awe.gov.au, or by telephone on 02 6274 1112 during business hours (AEST/AEDT).

EPBC Act Referral Register