Who enforces compliance with threatened species legislation?
Threatened species legislation is enforced by DEC officers authorised by the Director General. Authorised DEC officers include, Operations Officers from the Environment Protection and Regulation Division, Regional Specialist Investigators, Rangers from the Parks Service Division and the centralised Specialist Investigation Unit. Police officers are also authorised to enforce threatened species legislation. Authorised officers have extensive legal powers to identify, locate, obtain, or secure evidence relating to suspected offences under the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 (the NP&W Act). Chapter 7 of the Protection of the Environment Operations Act 1997also provides these officers with powers of entry, search, seizure, the power to compel persons to answer questions and provide assistance. Under this legislation, authorised officers also have the power to perform an arrest.
