Section 131 — Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Inviting comments from other Ministers before decision

(1) Before the Minister (the Environment Minister) decides whether or not to approve, for the purposes of a controlling provision, the taking of an action, and what conditions (if any) to attach to an approval, he or she must: (a) inform any other Minister whom the Environment Minister believes has administrative responsibilities relating to the action of the decision the Environment Minister proposes to make; and (b) invite the other Minister to give the Environment Minister comments on the proposed decision within 10 business days. (2) A Minister invited to comment may make comments that: (a) relate to economic and social matters relating to the action; and (b) may be considered by the Environment Minister consistently with the principles of ecologically sustainable development. This does not limit the comments such a Minister may give.