Section 316 — Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Making plans

Minister must make plan (1) The Minister must make a written plan for managing a property that is included in the World Heritage List and is entirely within one or more Commonwealth areas. The Minister must do so as soon as practicable after the property: (a) is included in the World Heritage List; or (b) becomes entirely within one or more Commonwealth areas. Amending and replacing plan (2) The Minister may make a written plan amending, or revoking and replacing, a plan made under subsection (1) or this subsection. Requirements for plan (3) A plan must not be inconsistent with: (a) Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention; or (b) the Australian World Heritage management principles. Note: Section 323 explains what Australian World Heritage management principles are. Ensuring plans reflect current management principles (4) If the Australian World Heritage management principles change so that a plan (the earlier plan) is inconsistent with them, the Minister must make another plan: (a) amending the earlier plan so it is not inconsistent with them; or (b) revoking and replacing the earlier plan. Plan may be in same document as another plan (5) To avoid doubt, a plan under this section for a property may be in the same document as: (a) a plan under this section for another property; or (b) a plan that this Act or another law of the Commonwealth requires or permits to be prepared. Commonwealth reserves (6) Despite subsections (1) and (2), the Minister may not make a plan for so much of a property as is in a Commonwealth reserve. Note: A management plan must be prepared under Division 4 for a Commonwealth reserve, taking account of Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention.