The Environment Protection Act 2017  (the Act) and the Environment Protection Regulations 2021  (the Regulations) change the way noise emissions are assessed and managed in Victoria.

The Act introduces a duties-based framework, with the general environmental duty (GED) at its centre. The GED requires any person engaging in an activity that may give rise to risks of harm to human health or the environment from pollution or waste to minimise those risks so far as reasonably practicable. Pollution can include the emission of noise.

In addition to these GED obligations, under section 166 and section 168 of the Act respectively, a person must not emit, or permit the emission of, 'unreasonable noise' or noise prescribed to be 'aggravated noise' from a place or premises that are not residential premises.