Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L00160:body:0:p18
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2015L00160
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 52953–55935

Conservation Act 1999
Mawson is listed on the Commonwealth Heritage List under the EPBC Act. This Act requires the responsible government agency to make a plan to protect and manage the Commonwealth Heritage values of places that it owns or controls. Plans are binding on the Commonwealth and Commonwealth agencies.
The EPBC Act requires an action on Commonwealth land which is likely to have a significant impact on the environment, or an action taken elsewhere that is likely to have a significant impact on the environment on Commonwealth land, to be 'referred' for approval under the Act. Mawson is on Commonwealth land, and 'Environment' is defined in the Act to include 'the heritage values of places'.
The Minister, or his delegate, is responsible for the provision of advice on and approval of on-site activities under the EPBC Act.

5.3 Antarctic Treaty (Environmental Protection) Act 1980
Australia, as a party to the Antarctic Treaty (1959) and the Protocol on Environmental Protection to the Antarctic Treaty (Madrid Protocol, 1991), is bound by these instruments' provisions on cultural and natural heritage. They are given effect, for Australia, by the ATEP Act.
The ATEP Act requires that Australian activities in the Antarctic undergo prior environmental impact assessment. If the Minister (or delegate) considers that the environmental impact is likely to be no more than minor or transitory, the Minister may grant the proponent a written authorisation to carry on the activity. The Minister may choose to impose conditions to protect the environment and take into account other relevant considerations. More detailed assessments (initial environmental evaluations or comprehensive environmental evaluations) are required for activities likely to involve higher levels of impact.
The Minister, or his delegate, is responsible for the provision of advice on and approval of on-site activities under the ATEP Act.

5.4 Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act 1986
The Protection of Movable Cultural Heritage Act regulates the export of Australia's significant cultural heritage objects. This Act therefore may cover artefacts that are at or are associated with the Mawson site.

6. Management goals and constraints

6.1 Goals
It is desirable that Mawson's early buildings play an important role in the operational life of the contemporary station; the AAD aims to ensure that on-site conservation, continued use, documentation and heritage interpretation programs are established. Management of Mawson's heritage values should also complement the operational objectives of the AAD in delivering the goals of the Australian Antarctic program.
The provisions in this management plan seek to provide for the protection of the station's Commonwealth and other heritage values while providing for the ongoing support of science in Antarctica – within the context of Mawson's remoteness, and the environmental, financial, operational and logistic constraints that