01/04/2005 - The Australian
Government Minister for the Environment and
Heritage, Senator Ian Campbell, today invited
public comment on the possible addition of
new matters of national environmental significance
to the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act 1999 (EPBC Act).
"The EPBC Act provides a national framework
for environment protection involving a rigorous
assessment and approval process for any actions
that are likely to have an impact on matters
of national environmental significance,"
Senator Campbell said.
Seven matters of national environmental significance
- World Heritage properties, National Heritage
places, Ramsar wetlands of international importance,
nationally threatened species and ecological
communities, migratory species, nuclear actions
(including uranium mining) and the Commonwealth
marine environment - are currently provided
protection under the EPBC Act.
"To ensure the EPBC Act continues to
offer maximum protection for our environment,
the legislation requires a review every five
years, to assess the need for new matters
of national environmental significance,"
he said.
"I encourage the community to provide
input to this review process, which will include
seeking public comment on the matters to be
covered by the review, preparation of a draft
report and public comment on the final report
before its publication."
The call for comment will be advertised in
the 2-3 April edition of The Australian newspaper.
