Stephen Conroy (Victoria, Australian Labor Party, Deputy Leader of the Government in the Senate) Share this | Hansard source

I thank Senator Boswell for his question. The Minister for Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities has received two requests for emergency National Heritage listing of Cape York Peninsula, and the minister has asked the Department of Sustainability, Environment, Water, Population and Communities to examine these applications.

The minister has not yet received advice from the department on these applications. I am advised that before the minister can include a place in the National Heritage list under the emergency listing provisions under the EPBC Act, he must believe that:

(a) a place has or may have one or more National Heritage values; and

(b) any of those values is under threat of a significant adverse impact; and

(c) that threat is both likely and imminent;

I am also advised that emergency heritage listing of a place is rare in Australia. The minister has made it clear that traditional owner consent is critical for any Heritage listing of Cape York.