Section 49A — Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999: Consultation on draft agreement

The Minister may enter into a bilateral agreement only if he or she: (a) has published in accordance with the regulations: (i) a draft of the agreement; and (ii) an invitation for any person to give the Minister comments on the draft within a specified period of at least 28 days after the latest day on which the draft or invitation was published; and (b) has taken into account the comments (if any) received in response to the invitation; and (c) has considered the role and interests of indigenous peoples in promoting the conservation and ecologically sustainable use of natural resources in the context of the proposed agreement, taking into account Australia’s relevant obligations under the Biodiversity Convention.