Access keys | Skip to primary navigation | Skip to secondary navigation | Skip to content | Skip to footer |
Problems viewing this site

Related legislation

The Environmental Protection Agency has obligations under and direct involvement and interest in other Commonwealth and Queensland legislation and local laws of local government.

The Environmental Protection Agency also has responsibilities to observe numerous conventions, agreements, protocols and memorandums of understanding relating to its activities.

Some of those items are summarised or listed here.

While some of these might seem distant from Environmental Protection Agency/Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service activities, details reveal otherwise. The Environmental Protection (Regulation) 1998 states that complaints about, say, unreasonable noise need not be investigated if an administering authority considers the complaint would be more appropriately dealt with under another law. A complaint about noise from licensed premises could be dealt with under the Liquor Act 1992.

Queensland Acts (not administered by the Environmental Protection Agency):

State Development and Public Works Organisation Act 1971
This places a responsibility on each Government department, corporation, statutory authority and local body to take environmental factors into account not only when considering an application for approval for a development but also when considering the undertaking of works. Schedule 4 identifies development proposals and public works which may require an impact assessment study. This includes development which could affect areas of high conservation values such as wetlands, coastal lands, estuaries, forests, native vegetation communities, and particularly those of restricted occurrence, unique flora and fauna, and areas containing uncommon or protected species.

Schedule 3 identifies advisory bodies for certain types of development. The Environmental Protection Agency is an advisory body for the following development proposals:

Integrated Planning Act 1997
This establishes a framework to co-ordinate and integrate planning and to manage development assessment at the local, regional and State levels so that development and its effects are managed in ecologically sustainable ways.

This legislation, which took effect in early 1998, is beginning to affect many Environmental Protection Agency activities.

Currumbin Bird Sanctuary Act 1976
This provides for the control and conduct of the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary on the Gold Coast by the National Trust of Queensland. The Sanctuary's founder Mr Alex Griffiths generously donated it to the people of Queensland.

The National Trust is required to operate the Sanctuary as a commercial undertaking in the form in which it was conducted immediately before the passing of the Act. It must maintain special accounts and any surplus funds must be spent only on maintaining, improving or enlarging the Sanctuary.

The Act provides for the Queensland Government to appoint two representatives on each body established to advise or help the National Trust in its control or conduct of the Sanctuary or the operation of any commercial undertaking there.

Other

Various Acts relating to economic development and impact assessment
Various Acts relating to small business and industry

Agricultural Chemicals Distribution Control Act 1966
Agricultural and Veterinary Chemicals (Queensland) Act 1994
Animal Care and Protection Act 2001
Apiaries Act 1982
Biological Control Act 1987
Brisbane Forest Park Act 1977
Brisbane River Tidal Lands Improvement Act 1927
Building Act 1975
Building Units and Group Titles Act 1980
Chemical Usage (Agricultural and Veterinary) Control Act 1988
Children Services Tribunal Act 2000
City of Brisbane Act 1924
Disaster Management Act 2003
Electricity Act 1994
Family Services Act 1987
Fire and Rescue Service Act 1990
Fisheries Act 1994
Forestry Act 1959
Health Act 1937
Integrated Resort Development Act 1987
Land Act 1994
Land Protection (Pest and Stock Route Management) Act 2002Liquor Act 1992
Local Government Act 1993
Mineral Resources Act 1989
Petroleum Act 1923
Plant Protection Act 1989
Queensland Museum Act 1970
Radiation Safety Act 1999
Transport Infrastructure Act 1994
Transport Operations (Marine Pollution) Act 1995
Transport Operations (Road Use Management) Act 1995
Water Act 2000
Weapons Act 1990
Workplace Health and Safety Act 1995

Commonwealth Acts

Australian Heritage Commission Act 1975
This establishes an Australian Heritage Commission which is required to maintain a Registrar of the National Estate - an inventory of places 'that have aesthetic, historic, scientific, or social significance or other special value for future generations as well as for the present community'. While listing imposes no direct legal constraints on owners of private property or on State or local government property, the list of the nation's heritage resources is available to all decision makers to assist them make better-informed decisions relating to the properties.

Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975
Historic Shipwrecks Act 1976

MARPOL (International convention for the prevention of pollution at sea)

Burra Charter (Australia ICOMOS (International Council on Monuments and Sites) principles for the conservation of places of cultural significance and definitions of terms used)

The Queensland Government will fulfil its obligations under Articles 7 and 8 of the Convention on Biological Diversity forms part of the Intergovernmental Agreement on the Environment between the Heads of Government of the Commonwealth, States and Territories. The Agreement was developed as a mechanism to facilitate a co-operative national approach to the environment and a better definition of the roles of the respective governments.

World Heritage Convention - Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage as adopted by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisation - World Heritage Properties Conservation Act 1983.

Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) - http://www.cites.org/. (View CITES Appendices I, II and III at http://www.cites.org/eng/append/appendices.shtml)

More information

Most Queensland legislation is available online. Electronic versions are not official versions. Authorised printed versions can be obtained from the Queensland Government Printer GOPRINT.

Last updated: 10 January 2007