2010-2011-2012-2013 

 

The Parliament of the 

Commonwealth of Australia 

 

THE SENATE 

 

 

 

 

Presented and read a first time 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity 

Conservation Amendment (Great 

Barrier Reef) Bill 2013 

 

No.      , 2013 

 

(Senator Waters) 

 

 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Environment 

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, 

and for related purposes 

   

   

 

 

i       Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 

2013       No.      , 2013 

 

Contents 

1 

Short title ........................................................................................... 1

 

2 

Commencement ................................................................................. 1

 

3 

Schedule(s) ........................................................................................ 2

 

Schedule 1--Amendment

 

3

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

 

3

 

 

 

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 

2013       No.      , 2013       1 

 

A Bill for an Act to amend the Environment 

1 

Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999, 

2 

and for related purposes 

3 

The Parliament of Australia enacts: 

4 

1  Short title 

5 

 

  This Act may be cited as the Environment Protection and 

6 

Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Act 

7 

2013. 

8 

2  Commencement 

9 

This Act commences on the day after this Act receives the Royal Assent. 

10 

   

   

 

 

2            Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) 

Bill 2013       No.      , 2013 

 

3  Schedule(s) 

1 

 

  Each Act that is specified in a Schedule to this Act is amended or 

2 

repealed as set out in the applicable items in the Schedule 

3 

concerned, and any other item in a Schedule to this Act has effect 

4 

according to its terms. 

 

5 

  Schedule 1 

   

 

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 

2013       No.      , 2013            3 

 

Schedule 1

--

Amendment 

1 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 

2 

1999 

3 

1  After Subdivision FA of Division 1 of Part 3 of Chapter 2 

4 

Insert: 

5 

Subdivision FB--Developments impacting the Great Barrier 

6 

Reef World Heritage Area 

7 

24D  No port development in designated areas  

8 

 

  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, or of a regulation 

9 

made pursuant to this Act, the Minister must not approve the taking 

10 

of an action if: 

11 

 

(a)  the action relates to the building or development of a port 

12 

outside existing port areas; or 

13 

 

(b)  the action relates to the building, development, expansion or 

14 

improvement of a port located in any of the following areas: 

15 

 

(i)  the Fitzroy Delta; 

16 

 

(ii)  Balaclava Island; 

17 

 

(iii)  Port Alma; 

18 

 

(iv)  northern Curtis Island (north of 23°45'S);  

19 

  

(v)  the north section of the Great Barrier Reef as defined by 

20 

Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority maps as at 

21 

20 March 2013; 

22 

 

(vi)  any other area, to the extent that the building or 

23 

development of the port in that area could have a 

24 

significant impact on the environment of an area 

25 

referred to in subparagraphs (i) to (v). 

26 

24E  Development of existing port 

27 

 

(1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, or of a regulation 

28 

made pursuant to this Act, the Minister must not approve an action 

29 

after 20 March 2013: 

30 

Schedule 1   

   

 

 

4            Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) 

Bill 2013       No.      , 2013 

 

 

(a)  if the action would occur in an existing port area that is 

1 

located in, or adjoining, the Great Barrier Reef world heritage 

2 

area; and 

3 

 

(b)  if the action would impact individually or cumulatively on 

4 

the world heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef world 

5 

heritage area. 

6 

 24F  Moratorium on all developments impacting the Reef until 

7 

strategic assessment completed  

8 

 

  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, or of any 

9 

regulation made for the purpose of this Act, the Minister must not 

10 

give an approval, or revoke or amend an approval, for an activity 

11 

that is likely to individually or cumulatively have a significant 

12 

impact on the world heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef on or 

13 

after 20 March 2013 unless: 

14 

 

(a)  a strategic assessment of the long term sustainability of 

15 

development impacting the Great Barrier Reef world heritage 

16 

area and areas adjoining the Great Barrier Reef world 

17 

heritage area, has been undertaken; and 

18 

 

(b)  the strategic assessment has been provided to the World 

19 

Heritage Committee for review and consideration; and 

20 

 

(c)  the World Heritage Committee has completed its review and 

21 

consideration of the strategic assessment and has deemed it to 

22 

be adequate. 

23 

24G  Minister cannot approve any developments which do not 

24 

deliver a net benefit for the Great Barrier Reef world 

25 

heritage area 

26 

 

(1)  Notwithstanding any other provision of this Act, or of any 

27 

regulation made for the purpose of this Act, the Minister must not 

28 

approve the taking of an action that impacts the Great Barrier Reef 

29 

world heritage area if the action will not deliver an overall net 

30 

benefit for the world heritage values of the Great Barrier Reef 

31 

world heritage area. 

32 

 

(2)  The Minister must, within 6 months of the date that this section 

33 

commences, make a determination, in writing, setting out a 

34 

  Schedule 1 

   

 

 

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Great Barrier Reef) Bill 

2013       No.      , 2013            5 

 

methodology to be applied to determine whether an activity has an 

1 

overall net benefit for the Great Barrier Reef world heritage area. 

2 

 

(3)  The determination under subsection (2) is a legislative instrument. 

3 

 

(4)  In determining whether an action delivers an overall net benefit to 

4 

the world heritage areas as required in subsection (1), the Minister 

5 

must: 

6 

 

(a)  apply the methodology established under subsection (2); and 

7 

 

(b)  prepare a statement of reasons that clearly explains how the 

8 

methodology in subsection (2) has been applied; and 

9 

 

(c)  publish the statement on the Department's website at the time 

10 

the decision is made. 

11