Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01891:body:0:p68
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L01891
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Character Range: 196049–199295

Heritage Fund; and

. mobilisation of national and international support.

The Operational Guidelines are periodically revised to reflect the decisions of the World Heritage
Committee. The most recent revision was in 2013. In accordance with the Operational Guidelines, every
six years, States Parties to the Convention are expected to submit to the World Heritage Committee a
periodic report on the application of the World Heritage Convention, including the state of conservation of
the World Heritage properties in their territories.

In practice, these obligations and the specific technical requirements and processes set out in the
Operational Guidelines are addressed through the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation
Act 1999 (Cwlth) (see below) and an Australian Intergovernmental Agreement on World Heritage.° The
EPBC Act provides a range of measures, including prescriptive regulations for the content of management
plans. The Intergovernmental Agreement sets out a series of high-level principles and specifies the roles
and responsibilities of Commonwealth, State and Territory governments.

2 UNESCO Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage, 2013 Operational Guidelines for
Implementation of the World Heritage Convention.
3 Australian Government 2010. Australian World Heritage Intergovernmental Agreement. Department of Environment, Canberra.

Section 5: Management Context

Authorised Version F2016L01891 registered 09/12/2016

Jean Rice Architect | CONTEXT | GML Heritage

5.3 Commonwealth Legislation
5.3.1 Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Act 2015

The Norfolk Island Legislation Amendment Act 2015 (Cwlth) will give Norfolk Island residents access to
Medicare and social security payments from 1 July 2016, along with access to a range of other programs
including cultural programs and funding. Norfolk Island will also enter the Australian taxation system.
Further alignment of Australian Government laws, programs and services will be phased in from 1 July
2016, as will an applied law regime based on NSW. From 1 July 2016, responsibilities for customs,
quarantine and immigration will also revert to the Australian Government. The legislation provides for the
transition of the Norfolk Island Legislative Assembly to a regional council elected by residents. The
regional council will be responsible for local issues from July 2016.

An interim Advisory Council was established in June 2015 to represent community views, and provide
advice to the Administrator and Australian Government Minister during the transition period.

5.3.2 Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999

Australia's World Heritage properties are protected under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity
Conservation Act, 1999 (Cwlth) (EPBC Act). The EPBC Act is Australia's national environmental
legislation that protects and manages significant international, National and Commonwealth Heritage
listed places, ecological communities, flora and fauna.

World Heritage is identified in the EPBC Act as a matter of 'National Environmental Significance' (NES).
NES matters include (among other items):

° World Heritage properties;

° National Heritage places;