EXPLANATORY STATEMENT
Issued by Authority of the Minister for the Environment and Energy
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Commonwealth Marine Reserves Renaming) Proclamation 2017
Subsection 350(1) of the Act provides that the Governor-General may amend a Proclamation declaring a Commonwealth reserve by another Proclamation.
The purpose of the amendment Proclamation is to rename fifty-eight existing “Commonwealth marine reserves” to “marine parks” as per Annexure A to this statement. It does not amend any other aspects of these reserves.
The term “marine parks” is more easily understood than “Commonwealth marine reserves” and provides greater consistency for marine users. It aligns better with naming used by other jurisdictions and the Director of National Parks’ name. The term “marine parks” also more accurately conveys that these areas are special places, like national parks on land, that are for people to use and enjoy as well as for protecting important marine habitats and species.
Changing the names of the reserves from “Commonwealth marine reserves” to “marine parks” is therefore expected to make them more recognisable to marine users, better convey their purpose, and draw a clearer link between them and the Director of National Parks.
Subsection 351(1) of the Act provides that before the Governor‑General makes a Proclamation under this Subdivision, the Minister must consider a report prepared by the Director of National Parks on the matter to be dealt with by the Proclamation.
Consistent with subsections 351(2) and 351(3), the Director of National Parks invited the public to make comments on the proposal to rename the reserves during a 62 day period (21 July 2017 to 20 September 2017). People were asked to send comments by email, post or online form during this period. Only 16 submissions were received—some in support, some opposed and some neutral on the renaming proposal. The comments received and the Director of National Parks’ views on those comments were considered by the Minister for the Environment and Energy. The Minister subsequently decided to recommend this amendment Proclamation to the Governor General.
Advice received from the Office of Best Practice Regulation indicates that as there is no additional regulatory burden imposed by changing the names of the reserves, there is no requirement for a regulatory impact statement (OBPR reference number 22665).
The Proclamation is a legislative instrument for the purposes of the Legislation Act 2003.
The Proclamation commenced the day after registration on the Federal Register of Legislative Instruments.
Annexure A
Details of the proposed name changes resulting from the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation (Commonwealth Marine Reserves Renaming) Proclamation 2017
Current name | Proposed name |
South-west Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network | South-west network of Marine Parks |
Southern Kangaroo Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Southern Kangaroo Island Marine Park |
Western Kangaroo Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Western Kangaroo Island Marine Park |
Western Eyre Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Western Eyre Marine Park |
Murat Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Murat Marine Park |
Great Australian Bight Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Great Australian Bight Marine Park |
Twilight Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Twilight Marine Park |
Eastern Recherche Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Eastern Recherche Marine Park |
South-west Corner Commonwealth Marine Reserve | South-west Corner Marine Park |
Bremer Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Bremer Marine Park |
Geographe Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Geographe Marine Park |
Perth Canyon Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Perth Canyon Marine Park |
Two Rocks Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Two Rocks Marine Park |
Jurien Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Jurien Marine Park |
Abrolhos Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Abrolhos Marine Park |
North-west Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network | North-west network of Marine Parks |
Shark Bay Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Shark Bay Marine Park |
Carnarvon Canyon Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Carnarvon Canyon Marine Park |
Ningaloo Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Ningaloo Marine Park |
Gascoyne Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Gascoyne Marine Park |
Montebello Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Montebello Marine Park |
Dampier Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Dampier Marine Park |
Eighty Mile Beach Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Eighty Mile Beach Marine Park |
Roebuck Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Roebuck Marine Park |
Mermaid Reef Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Mermaid Reef Marine Park |
Argo-Rowley Terrace Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Argo-Rowley Terrace Marine Park |
Kimberley Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Kimberley Marine Park |
Ashmore Reef Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Ashmore Reef Marine Park |
Cartier Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Cartier Island Marine Park |
North Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network | North network of Marine Parks |
Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Joseph Bonaparte Gulf Marine Park |
Oceanic Shoals Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Oceanic Shoals Marine Park |
Arafura Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Arafura Marine Park |
Arnhem Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Arnhem Marine Park |
Wessel Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Wessel Marine Park |
Limmen Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Limmen Marine Park |
Gulf of Carpentaria Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Gulf of Carpentaria Marine Park |
West Cape York Commonwealth Marine Reserve | West Cape York Marine Park |
Coral Sea Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Coral Sea Marine Park |
Temperate East Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network | Temperate East network of Marine Parks |
Gifford Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Gifford Marine Park |
Norfolk Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Norfolk Marine Park |
Lord Howe Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Lord Howe Marine Park |
Central Eastern Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Central Eastern Marine Park |
Solitary Islands Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Solitary Islands Marine Park |
Cod Grounds Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Cod Grounds Marine Park |
Hunter Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Hunter Marine Park |
Jervis Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Jervis Marine Park |
South-east Commonwealth Marine Reserves Network | South-east network of Marine Parks |
East Gippsland Commonwealth Marine Reserve | East Gippsland Marine Park |
Beagle Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Beagle Marine Park |
Flinders Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Flinders Marine Park |
Freycinet Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Freycinet Marine Park |
Huon Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Huon Marine Park |
South Tasman Rise Commonwealth Marine Reserve | South Tasman Rise Marine Park |
Macquarie Island Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Macquarie Island Marine Park |
Tasman Fracture Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Tasman Fracture Marine Park |
Franklin Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Franklin Marine Park |
Boags Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Boags Marine Park |
Apollo Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Apollo Marine Park |
Zeehan Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Zeehan Marine Park |
Nelson Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Nelson Marine Park |
Murray Commonwealth Marine Reserve | Murray Marine Park |