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ENVIRONMENT PROTECTION AND BIODIVERSITY CONSERVATION ACT 1999 - SECT 197

Certain actions are not offences

    Sections   196, 196A, 196B, 196C, 196D, 196E and 207B do not apply to:

  (a)   an action authorised by a permit that was issued under section   201 and is in force; or

  (b)   an action provided for by, and done in accordance with, a recovery plan in force under Division   5; or

  (c)   an action that is covered by an approval in operation under Part   9 for the purposes of subsection   18(1), (2), (3), (4), (5) or (6) or 18A(1) or (2); or

  (d)   an action that:

  (i)   is one of a class of actions declared by the Minister under section   33 not to require an approval under Part   9 for the purposes of subsection   18(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) or 18A(1) or (2); and

  (ii)   is taken in accordance with a management arrangement or authorisation process that is an accredited management arrangement or an accredited authorisation process for the purposes of the declaration; or

  (da)   an action that:

  (i)   is an action, or one of a class of actions, declared by the Minister under section   37A not to require an approval under Part   9 for the purposes of subsection   18(1), (2), (3), (4), (5), or (6) or 18A(1) or (2); and

  (ii)   is taken in accordance with the bioregional plan to which the declaration relates; or

  (db)   in the case of sections   196B, 196C, 196D and 196E--an action that is trading, keeping or moving a member of a listed threatened species or a listed ecological community, if:

  (i)   when the member of the species or community was taken, the species or community was not a listed threatened species or a listed threatened ecological community, as the case requires; and

  (ii)   the trading, keeping or moving of the member of the species or community occurs during the period of 6 months that started when the species or community became a listed threatened species or a listed threatened ecological community, as the case requires; or

  (e)   an action that is taken in a humane manner and is reasonably necessary to relieve or prevent suffering by a member of a listed threatened species or listed threatened ecological community; or

  (f)   an action that is reasonably necessary to prevent a risk to human health; or

  (g)   an action by a Commonwealth agency, or an agency of a State or of a self - governing Territory, that is reasonably necessary for the purposes of law enforcement; or

  (h)   an action that is reasonably necessary to deal with an emergency involving a serious threat to human life or property; or

  (i)   an action that occurs as a result of an unavoidable accident, other than an accident caused by negligent or reckless behaviour; or

  (j)   an action that is taken in accordance with a permit issued under regulations made under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 and in force; or

  (k)   an action provided for by, and taken in accordance with, a plan or regime that is accredited under section   208A; or

  (l)   an action, to the extent that it is covered by subsection   517A(7); or

  (m)   an action provided for by, and done in accordance with, a conservation agreement in force under Part   14; or

  (n)   an action taken in a Commonwealth reserve in accordance with a management plan made under Part   15 and in operation for the reserve; or

  (o)   an action provided for by, and taken in accordance with, a traditional use of marine resources agreement that:

  (i)   was made and accredited in accordance with regulations made under the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975 ; and

  (ii)   is in force; or

  (p)   an action that is taken in accordance with a permit that:

  (i)   was issued under the Antarctic Treaty (Environment Protection) Act 1980 or under regulations made under that Act; and

  (ii)   is in force; or

  (q)   an action that consists of the transit of a member through a Commonwealth area in circumstances where the member was:

  (i)   obtained from an area that is not a Commonwealth area; or

  (ii)   taken from a Commonwealth area in circumstances covered by paragraph   (a), (c), (d), (da), (db), (j), (k), (m), (n), (o) or (p).

Note:   A defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in this section. See subsection   13.3(3) of the Criminal Code .


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