{"id":"F2019L01658","name":"Conservation theme for prioritising nominations of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under Section 194D of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (217)","slug":"conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"in_force","isInForce":true,"actNumber":null,"makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":100484,"registerId":"commonwealth-F2019L01658-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-02","status":"InForce","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"Conservation theme for prioritising nominations of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under Section 194D of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (217)","content":"---\nmeta-content-style-type: text/css\nmeta-content-type: application/xhtml+xml; charset=utf-8\nmeta-generator: Aspose.Words for .NET 20.2\n---\n\n?xml version=\"1.0\" encoding=\"utf-8\" standalone=\"no\"?>\n\n![](image.001.png)\n\n \n\nCommonwealth of Australia\n\n \n\n \n\nConservation theme for prioritising nominations of threatened species, threatened ecological communities and key threatening processes under Section 194D of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth) (217)\n\n \n\n \n\nI, SUSSAN LEY, Minister for the Environment under section 194D of the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Cth), determine that the following conservation theme should be given priority in relation to the assessment period commencing 1 October 2020:\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n‘Listed threatened species which require reassessment to harmonise their listing status across range states and territories’\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nSussan Ley\n\n \n\nMinister for the Environment\n\n \n\n \n\n \n\n \n\nDated 28 November 2019\n","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":2,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The instrument does not change the statutory scope of what may be nominated or the substance of listing criteria. It sets a temporary priority (for the assessment period commencing 1 October 2020) to give precedence to nominations matching the stated theme. The determination therefore adjusts assessment ordering rather than expanding or contracting the legal categories subject to nomination (authority: determination under section 194D and the quoted priority theme)."},"complexity_factors":["Single short determination consisting of one clear operative statement (low textual complexity).","Narrow, temporally bounded scope (priority applies to a named assessment period).","Relies on existing EPBC Act assessment processes (section 194D) for operational detail rather than providing procedural rules, concentrating implementation detail in administrative practice.","Exerts ministerial discretion to set priority theme, which creates administrative judgment in execution though the instrument itself is simple.","No new definitions, criteria or compliance obligations are created in the text, lowering statutory complexity but shifting complexity to downstream administration."],"plain_english_summary":"The Minister used s.194D of the EPBC Act to designate a single assessment priority beginning 1 Oct 2020: \"Listed threatened species which require reassessment to harmonise their listing status across range states and territories.\" This directs assessment capacity to matching nominations (threatened species, ecological communities and key threatening processes), speeding those assessments without changing legal tests or duties. Other nominations face reduced immediate priority; practical implementation and resourcing are left to the administering agency."},"kimi_summary":{"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":1,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"This instrument operates exactly within its intended scope under section 194D of the EPBC Act, which specifically authorises the Minister to determine conservation themes for prioritising nominations. The narrow, single-purpose nature of the determination matches the statutory power precisely."},"complexity_factors":["Extremely short instrument (under 150 words total)","No defined terms section","No cross-references to other legislation beyond the enabling section (s 194D)","Single, clear operative clause with no conditions or exceptions","No procedural requirements or administrative steps specified","Straightforward declaratory format: 'I determine that...'"],"plain_english_summary":"This is a short official decision by the federal Environment Minister about which threatened wildlife and habitats should get priority attention. Under Australia's main environmental law (the EPBC Act), the Minister can set a 'conservation theme' to guide which species and ecological communities should be assessed first when people nominate them for protection.\n\n**What this does:**\n- Sets the priority focus for October 2020 onwards: **threatened species that need their protection status reviewed to make it consistent across all Australian states and territories**\n\n**Why this matters:**\n- Australia has a messy patchwork where a species might be 'critically endangered' in one state but only 'vulnerable' federally, or vice versa\n- These mismatches create confusion for land managers, developers, and conservationists\n- By prioritising these 'harmonisation' cases, the government aims to fix inconsistent listings so everyone knows exactly how threatened a species really is\n\n**Who it affects:**\n- Scientists and conservation groups nominating species for protection\n- The independent scientific committee that assesses these nominations\n- Anyone dealing with threatened species permits or development approvals (since listing status affects legal protections)"}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit","history":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit/history","analysis":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/conservation-theme-for-prioritising-nominations-of-threatened-species-threatened-ecological-communit/documents"}}