On 10 July 2011, the Australian Government released Securing a clean energy future: The Australian Government's climate change plan, which charted a course for reducing Australia's greenhouse gas emissions and addressing climate change. One component of the Government's plan was to establish a statutory authority to administer and enforce several pieces of climate change law. On 2 April 2012, the Clean Energy Regulator came into being.

This Statement of Intent is the Clean Energy Regulator's response to the Australian Government's Statement of Expectations, issued on 13 September 2012 by the Minister for Climate Change and Energy Efficiency, the Honourable Greg Combet AM MP. At an organisational level, the Statement of Intent details those elements to which the Clean Energy Regulator can be held accountable: roles and responsibilities; relationship with the Government; and operational issues such as governance and financial management. The Statement of Intent is an operational companion to the sections of the Portfolio Budget Statement pertaining to the Clean Energy Regulator and is the foundation from which our corporate plan will be constructed.

Our Statement of Intent outlines how we will address the Government's expectations in fulfilling our role and responsibilities, specifically:

• ensuring regulated entities are meeting their obligations, reporting correct information and receiving entitlements
• protecting the integrity of instruments (units)
• administering schemes effectively
• building confidence in the market and in the Clean Energy Regulator, and
• providing data and information to assist decision-makers (both internal and external).

By achieving these objectives the Clean Energy Regulator will be able to support Australia's transition to a low carbon economy through an informed and efficient market for carbon, while encouraging investment in renewable energy.

In bringing together both mature and newly introduced regulatory schemes, the Clean Energy Regulator has a distinctive remit and is highly motivated to establish an efficient and effective operating model. Whilst still in the formative stages of developing many of the systems and processes required to give full effect to this model, we are already transacting with our clients to meet their obligations and receive entitlements under the legislation. We look forward to continuing to build on these foundations and to supporting Australia's transition to a clean energy future.