Endangered Species Protection Regulations

Legislation au C2004L00093 Regulations Not in force Legislative Instrument

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Endangered Species Protection Regulations

SR 1993 No. 84 as amended

made under the

Endangered Species Protection Act 1992

Consolidated as in force on 17 June 1998

(includes amendments up to SR 1997 No. 134)

Prepared by the Office of Legislative Drafting,
Attorney-General’s Department, Canberra

Endangered Species Protection Regulations

SR 1993 No. 84 as amended

made under the

Endangered Species Protection Act 1992

Contents

Part 1 Preliminary

 1 Citation [see Note 1]   2

 2 Interpretation   2

Part 2 Nominations under section 25 of the Act

 3 Information to be included in all nominations   3

 4 Nominations of native species   3

 5 Nominations of ecological communities   4

 6 Nominations of threatening processes   5

 7 Declarations to accompany nominations   5

Part 3 Applications for permits

 8 Form of applications   7

 9 Fee to accompany applications   8

 10 Declarations to accompany applications   8

 

Part 1 Preliminary

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1 Citation [see Note 1]

  These Regulations may be cited as the Endangered Species Protection Regulations.

2 Interpretation

 (1) In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears:

Act means the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992.

nomination means a nomination under subsection 25 (1) of the Act of an item to be listed in Schedule 1, 2 or 3 to the Act.

Part 2 Nominations under section 25 of the Act

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3 Information to be included in all nominations

 (1) A nomination of an item for listing in Schedule 1, 2 or 3 to the Act must be in writing and include the full name, signature, address and telephone number of each person making the nomination.

 (2) If a person who nominates an item is acting on behalf of an unincorporated body, the nomination must include the name and address of the body.

4 Nominations of native species

 (1) The nomination of a native species for listing in Schedule 1 to the Act must include the following information:

 (a) the scientific name (if any) of the species; and

 (b) any common name, or names, by which the species is known to the person or persons making the nomination; and

 (c) in the case of a plant species—whether the species is a vascular or a non-vascular plant; and

 (d) in the case of an animal species—whether the species is a vertebrate or a non-vertebrate animal; and

 (e) if the species is not conventionally accepted:

 (i) a taxonomic description of the species in a form suitable for publication in conventional scientific literature or, if there is no such description of the species, a statement in writing, made and signed by a person who is a taxonomist and has relevant expertise, that in the opinion of that person the species is a new species; and

 (ii) evidence that a specimen of the species is lodged with a scientific institution; and

 (f) the Part in the Schedule for which listing of the species is nominated; and

 (g) the reasons why the species is considered to be endangered, vulnerable or presumed extinct within the meaning of section 6, 7 or 8 of the Act by the person or persons making the nomination; and

 (h) the best estimation that is available to the person or persons making the nomination of:

 (i) the distribution of the species in 1788; and

 (ii) the current distribution of the species; and

 (iii) the current population of the species; and

 (i) references to any scientific literature that supports the other information given in the nomination; and

 (j) in the case of a species determined to be a species for the purposes of paragraph (d) of the definition of species in subsection 4 (1) of the Act—the details of the determination.

5 Nominations of ecological communities

  A nomination of an ecological community for listing in Schedule 2 to the Act must include the following information:

 (a) the generally accepted name (if any) of the ecological community; and

 

 (b) a description of the ecological community that is sufficient to distinguish it from any other ecological community by reference to:

 (i) its biological and non-biological components; and

 (ii) if the processes by which those components interact are known—those processes;

 (c) evidence that the classification of the ecological community is conventionally accepted; and

 (d) the reasons why the ecological community is considered by the person or persons making the nomination to meet the additional criteria (if any) specified for the purposes of the definition of ecological community in subsection 4 (1) of the Act; and

 (e) the reasons why the ecological community is considered by the person or persons making the nomination to be endangered within the meaning of section 6 of the Act; and

 (f) the known current distribution of the ecological community, and a known past distribution, or a reliably-based estimate of the past distribution, of that community;

 (g) references to any scientific literature that supports the other information given in the nomination.

6 Nominations of threatening processes

  A nomination of a threatening process for listing in Schedule 3 to the Act must include the following information:

 (a) a description of the threatening process that is sufficient to distinguish it from any other threatening process by reference to its biological components and its non-biological components, and the interactions of those components, that are known to the person or persons making the nomination; and

 (b) a name for the threatening process; and

 (c) any species listed in Schedule 1 to the Act and any ecological communities listed in Schedule 2 to the Act that are considered by the person or persons making the nomination to be adversely affected by the threatening process; and

 (d) any species or ecological communities, other than those referred to in paragraph (c), that could become endangered or vulnerable, as the case may be, because of the threatening process; and

 (e) the reasons why the preparation of a nationally co-ordinated threat abatement plan is considered to be an effective and efficient means of abating the threatening process by the person or persons making the nomination; and

 (f) references to any scientific literature that supports the other information given in the nomination.

7 Declarations to accompany nominations

  A person or persons making a nomination must include with that nomination a declaration in writing that the information included in the nomination is correct to the best of the knowledge of the person or persons.

Part 3 Applications for permits

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8 Form of applications

 (1) For the purposes of paragraph 88 (3) (a) of the Act, an application for a permit must be in writing and include:

 (a) the full name of:

 (i) the person or persons to whom; or

 (ii) the specified group of persons to which;

  the permit is to be issued; and

 (b) if the application is not made by that person or those persons, the name of the applicant or applicants; and

 (c) the business or residential address, and the postal address, of a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b); and

 (d) the telephone numbers (if any):

 (i) at which a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b) may be contacted personally; and

 (ii) to which a facsimile message for the person or persons may be transmitted; and

 (e) the telex number (if any) of a person referred to in paragraph (a) or (b); and

 (f) any common name and any scientific name of the listed native species for which the application is made and the Part in Schedule 1 to the Act in which that species is listed; and

 (g) the period during which the permit is to have effect; and

 (h) the area in which the permit is to have effect; and

 (i) the maximum number of specimens of the listed native species for which the permit is to have effect; and

 (j) a description of the method to be used in keeping, moving, taking or trading the specimen or specimens of the listed native species; and

 (k) a statement of the matters set out in subregulation (2); and

 (l) if the application is made for scientific purposes, a statement of the relevant qualifications and experience of the person or persons to whom the permit is to be issued; and

 (m) declarations in accordance with regulation 9.

 (2) The matters referred to in paragraph (1) (k) are:

 (a) the objectives of the action to be taken under the permit; and

 (b) whether that action:

 (i) would contribute significantly to the conservation of the listed native species or another listed native species; and

 (ii) would appreciably promote or impair the survival of the species concerned in the wild; and

 (iii) would be consistent or inconsistent with a recovery plan for the species that is in force; and

 (iv) is of particular significance in Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander tradition; and

 (v) is necessary to control a pathogen or pathogens and would be conducted in a manner that will minimise the impact of the action on the species concerned to the maximum practicable extent.

9 Fee to accompany applications

  For the purposes of paragraph 88 (3) (b) of the Act, a fee of $100 is prescribed.

10 Declarations to accompany applications

 (1) A person or persons making an application must include with the application a declaration that the information included in the application is correct to the best of the knowledge of the person or persons.

 (2) A person or persons making an application must include with the application a declaration whether the applicant or applicants, or the person or persons to whom the permit is to be issued, has or have been convicted of, or is or are subject to proceedings in relation to, an offence:

 (a) under any of the following laws:

 (i) the Act;

 (ii) the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Act 1975;

 (iii) the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975;

 (iv) the Whale Protection Act 1980;

 (v) the Wildlife Protection (Regulation of Exports and Imports) Act 1982; or

 (b) under a law of a State or Territory relating to the protection or conservation of native species or ecological communities; or

 (c) under a related law.

 (3) For the purposes of subregulation (2), a person is taken to have been convicted of an offence if:

 (a) the person has been convicted, whether summarily or on indictment, of the offence; or

 (b) the person has been charged with, and found guilty of, the offence but discharged without conviction; or

 (c) the person has not been found guilty of the offence, but a court has taken the offence into account in passing sentence on the person for another offence.

 (4) In paragraph (2) (c), related law:

 (a) in relation to an offence referred to in paragraph (2) (a), means:

 (i) section 6, 7, or 7A of the Crimes Act 1914; or

 (ii) paragraph 86 (1) (a) of that Act; and

 (b) in relation to an offence referred to in paragraph (2) (b), means the law of the State or Territory concerned that is equivalent to a law specified in paragraph (a).

Notes to the Endangered Species Protection Regulations

Note 1

The Endangered Species Protection Regulations (in force under the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992) as shown in this reprint comprise Statutory Rules 1993 No. 84 amended as indicated in the Tables below.

Table of Statutory Rules

 

Year and
number

Date of notification
in Gazette

Date of
commencement

Application, saving or
transitional provisions

1993 No. 84

17 May 1993

17 May 1993

 

1995 No. 70

11 Apr 1995

11 Apr 1995

1997 No. 134

23 June 1997

23 June 1997


Table of Amendments

 

ad. = added or inserted      am. = amended      rep. = repealed      rs. = repealed and substituted

Provision affected

How affected

R. 4.................

am. 1995 No. 70

R. 5.................

am. 1997 No. 134

 

 

 

 

 

Overview

The Endangered Species Protection Act 1992 was enacted to address the problem of declining native species and their habitats in Australia. The Act provides for the protection of endangered species, their habitats, and the ecological communities that depend on them. The policy objective of the Act is to ensure that Australia's native species and ecological communities are conserved and protected for the benefit of future generations. The Act was passed by the Commonwealth Parliament and is administered by the Department of Agriculture, Water and the Environment. The Endangered Species Protection Regulations 1993 were made under the Act and provide further detail on the process for nominating species and ecological communities for listing in the schedules of the Act, and the process for applying for permits to engage in activities that may affect listed species or ecological communities. The Regulations also include provisions for the fees that must accompany applications for permits. The Regulations were last amended in 1997.

Scope and Application

The Endangered Species Protection Regulations, made under the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992, apply to individuals, entities, and processes that may affect endangered species, ecological communities, and threatening processes in Australia. These regulations provide the framework for nominating species and processes for listing, and the application for permits relating to the keeping, moving, taking, or trading of endangered species. They apply across Australia, thus having a national reach. The regulations specify the information required in nominations for listing, including detailed scientific and distribution data, and require declarations to accompany nominations and applications to confirm the accuracy of the provided information. The regulations also mandate the payment of a $100 fee for permit applications and require applicants to disclose any relevant convictions or legal proceedings related to environmental laws. The scope of the Act can be extended or restricted through subordinate instruments, ensuring that the regulations remain adaptable to new scientific findings and changing conservation needs.

Key Provisions

The Endangered Species Protection Regulations (SR 1993 No. 84) as amended, made under the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992, provide a detailed framework for the nomination of native species, ecological communities, and threatening processes for listing in Schedules 1, 2, and 3 of the Act, respectively. These regulations also establish the requirements for applications for permits under the Act. Section 3 of the regulations outlines the information that must be included in all nominations, which generally require the full name, signature, address, and telephone number of each person making the nomination, as well as the name and address of any unincorporated body on whose behalf the nomination is made. For native species nominations, as detailed in section 4, specific information about the species must be provided, including its scientific and common names, whether it is a plant or animal, and details about its taxonomic classification, distribution, population, and reasons for its endangered status. Section 5 details the requirements for nominations of ecological communities, including the community's generally accepted name, a description that distinguishes it from other communities, evidence of its conventional classification, reasons for its endangered status, and its known current and past distributions. Section 6 sets out the information required for nominations of threatening processes, including a description of the process, its effects on listed species and communities, and the reasons for considering a nationally coordinated threat abatement plan. Additionally, section 7 mandates that all nominations be accompanied by a declaration affirming the accuracy of the information provided. The Endangered Species Protection Regulations impose specific obligations on the parties or entities they govern. For example, section 4 mandates that native species nominations must include comprehensive details about the species, such as its scientific name, common names, and taxonomic classification, which must be accurate to the best of the knowledge of the nominator. Similarly, section 5 requires ecological community nominations to provide sufficient descriptions and evidence to distinguish the community from others, along with reasons for its endangered status. Section 6 necessitates that nominations of threatening processes must detail the process's components, its impact on listed species and communities, and the rationale for a coordinated abatement plan. Moreover, section 7 requires all nominations to be accompanied by a written declaration that the information provided is correct. Breaches of the Endangered Species Protection Regulations can result in various consequences. While specific offences and penalties are not detailed in the provided text, it is reasonable to infer that violations could lead to civil or criminal penalties as outlined in the primary Act or related legislation. For instance, under the Endangered Species Protection Act 1992, penalties for offences can include fines and imprisonment, with the exact penalties depending on the nature and severity of the offence. Additionally, providing false information in nominations or applications, as required by sections 7 and 10, could lead to further legal consequences, including the revocation of permits or listings. The precise penalties would be determined in accordance with the relevant sections of the primary Act and any applicable state or territory laws.

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Environmental Law
Instrument
Regulation
Concepts
Definitions & Interpretation
Reporting & Disclosure Obligations
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