Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002:front:0:p20
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2016L00002
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 54128–57106

to Aboriginal Land Trusts for the benefit of relevant Aboriginals (the traditional Aboriginal owners and other Aboriginals with rights of use and occupation) and requires land granted in the Alligator Rivers Region to be leased to the Director of National Parks. The EPBC Act provides for the park to be managed by the Director in conjunction with Bininj/Mungguy through the Board of Management. The Director is assisted by Parks Australia, whose staff are employees of the Department of the Environment assigned to the Director (see also Section 9.10: Implementing and evaluating the plan).

     2                       Management plan framework

     2.1                 Management planning process
This is the sixth management plan for Kakadu National Park. The fifth plan came into operation on 1 January 2007 and ceased to have effect on 31 December 2013.

Section 366 of the EPBC Act requires that the Director of National Parks and the Board of Management for a Commonwealth reserve prepare management plans for the reserve. In addition to seeking comments from members of the public, the relevant land council and the relevant state or territory government, the Director and the Board of Management are required to take into account the interests of the traditional owners of land in the reserve and of any other Indigenous persons interested in the reserve.

Prior to preparing this plan an audit (DNP 2012) was conducted to review the implementation of the fifth plan and to provide recommendations to assist with the preparation of this plan. For that purpose, nine independent auditors were engaged based on their expertise relevant to different sections of the plan. The auditors were asked to investigate whether the actions and policies in the plan were implemented and whether they successfully met the aims of each section of the plan.

The audit's findings suggest that some aspects of park management could be improved, including:

    * monitoring and reporting to provide evidence-based measures of progress

    * monitoring and treatment of invasive plants and animals

    * addressing threatened species decline

    * supporting and improving consultation with Bininj/Mungguy

    * assisting with proposals for establishing new living areas within the park

    * improving opportunities for:

-        direct employment of Bininj/Mungguy
-        Bininj/Mungguy contracts for park maintenance activities.

The auditors also suggested that there should be a clearer link (or line of sight) between the park's management actions and the desired outcomes and objectives, and that the performance indicators should be able to clearly demonstrate if management of the park is achieving the desired outcomes and objectives.

In February 2012 a notice was published inviting the public and relevant stakeholders to have their say towards the development of this plan. Seven formal submissions were received and the views expressed in those submissions were