{"id":"C2004L06414","name":"World Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) Regulations","slug":"world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations","collection":"legislative_instrument","jurisdiction":"commonwealth","status":"repealed","isInForce":false,"actNumber":"31 of 1983","makingDate":null,"administeringDepartment":null,"currentVersion":{"id":28179,"registerId":"commonwealth-C2004L06414-current","compilationNumber":null,"startDate":"2026-04-01","status":"Repealed","reasons":null,"registeredAt":null},"sections":[{"sectionNumber":"1","sectionType":"section","heading":"World Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) Regulations","content":"![](image.001.png)\n\nStatutory Rules 1983 No. 311\n\n—————\n\nWorld Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) Regulations\n\nWHEREAS—\n\n(a) on 16 November 1972 the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (‘the Organization’) adopted a multilateral Convention entitled ‘Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage’ (‘the Convention’), a copy of the English text of which is set out in Schedule 1 to the following Regulations;\n\n(b) one of the main purposes of the Convention, as shown by the preamble thereto, is to provide an effective system of collective protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value;\n\n(c) on 22 August 1974 Australia deposited its instrument of ratification of the Convention with the Secretary-General of the Organization;\n\n(d) on 17 December 1975 the Convention entered into force;\n\n(e) at 16 March 1983, 72 countries from all regions of the world had become parties to the Convention;\n\n(f) on 22 September 1981, by letter to the Prime Minister (a copy of which is set out in Schedule 2 to the following Regulations), the Premier of Tasmania requested that the nomination of an area described as the Western Tasmania Wilderness National Parks (‘the property’) for inclusion in the World Heritage List referred to in Article 11 of the Convention be submitted by Australia to the World Heritage Committee established under the Convention;\n\n(g) on 13 November 1981 the Australian Government submitted the nomination of the property in the terms requested by the Premier of Tasmania to the Secretariat of the World Heritage Committee in accordance with Article 11.1 of the Convention;\n\n(h) Australia has, by the nomination of the property, identified it, or evidenced its prior identification of it, as property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage in Australia for the purposes of the\n\n  \nConvention, in respect of which Australia bears obligations under the Convention;\n\n(i) Australia has obligations under Article 4 of the Convention, as the country in which the property is situated, to do all it can to the utmost of its own resources and, where appropriate, with any international assistance and co-operation Australia may be able to obtain, inter alia, to protect and conserve the property and transmit it to future generations;\n\n(j) Australia has an obligation, under and in fulfilment of the purpose of Article 5 of the Convention, to endeavour, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for Australia, inter alia, to take the appropriate legal measures necessary for the protection of the property;\n\n(k) at its meeting in Paris between 13 December 1982 and 17 December 1982 the World Heritage Committee included the property in the World Heritage List and, in relation to that inclusion, made the statement set forth in Schedule 3 to the following Regulations;\n\n(l) works within those parts of the area of the property described in regulation 2 of the following Regulations are proposed to be carried out, and are being carried out, that are damaging and destroying, and unless prevented will further damage and destroy, the property in its character as an item of the world cultural and natural heritage;\n\n(m) these works endanger particular features of the property which themselves have outstanding value as part of the world cultural and natural heritage and which were expressly identified in the nomination of the property by Australia as among the significant features justifying inclusion of the property in the World Heritage List; and\n\n(n) the damage and destruction would be a matter of international concern, and failure by Australia to prevent it would prejudice Australia’s relations with other parties to the Convention:\n\nNOW THEREFORE I, the Governor-General of the Commonwealth of Australia, acting with the advice of the Federal Executive Council, hereby make the following Regulations under section 69 of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.\n\nDated 30 March 1983.\n\nN. M. STEPHEN\n\nGovernor-General\n\nBy His Excellency’s Command,\n\nBARRY COHEN\n\nMinister of State for Home Affairs and Environment\n\n——————\n\n  \nCitation\n\n1\\. These Regulations may be cited as the World Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) Regulations.\n\nApplication\n\n2\\. (1) In this regulation, “the plan” means the plan—\n\n(a) that is marked with the words “World Heritage (Western Tasmania Wilderness) Regulations—area to which regulations apply”;\n\n(b) that bears the signature of the Minister; and\n\n(c) that is numbered S181/001 and deposited with the Commonwealth Surveyor-General and available for inspection at the Australian Survey Office at 188 Collins Street, Hobart in the State of Tasmania.\n\n(2) These Regulations apply to the following areas, namely—\n\n(a) all those areas of land containing in the aggregate 4585 hectares or thereabouts shown coloured red on the plan and surrounded by black lines as shown by co-ordinates, bearings, and other marked references;\n\n(b) all that area of land containing 9540 hectares or thereabouts shown coloured blue on the plan, being the part coloured blue of the area on the plan surrounded by black lines as shown by co-ordinates, bearings and other marked references and the contour line S.L. 80 metres shown on the plan and marked “S.L. 80 m” or “S.L. 80 metres”.\n\nInterpretation\n\n3\\. In these Regulations, unless the contrary intention appears—\n\n“cultural heritage” has the same meaning as in the Convention;\n\n“natural heritage” has the same meaning as in the Convention;\n\n“person” includes a body politic or corporate as well as an individual and, in particular, includes the State of Tasmania;\n\n“the Convention” means the Convention for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage referred to in the preamble to these Regulations.\n\nRegulations to bind Crown\n\n4\\. (1) These Regulations bind the Crown in right of the Commonwealth or of the State of Tasmania.\n\n(2) Nothing in these Regulations renders the Commonwealth or the State of Tasmania liable to be prosecuted for an offence.\n\n(3) Sub-regulation (2) does not affect any liability of any servant or agent of the Commonwealth or of the State of Tasmania to be prosecuted for an offence.\n\n  \nProtection of cultural and natural heritage\n\n5. (1) Except with the consent of the Minister, a person shall not, within an area to which these Regulations apply, whether by himself or by his servant or agent—\n\n(a) construct a dam or associated works or do any act in the course of, or for the purpose of, the construction of a dam or associated works;\n\n(b) carry out any excavation works;\n\n(c) erect a building or other substantial structure or do any act in the course of, or for the purpose of, the erection of a building or other substantial structure;\n\n(d) kill, cut down, damage or remove any tree;\n\n(e) construct or establish any road or vehicular track;\n\n(f) use explosives; or\n\n(g) carry out any other works.\n\nPenalty: $5,000.\n\n(2) Except with the consent of the Minister, a person shall not, within an area to which these Regulations apply, whether by himself or by his servant or agent, do any act, not being an act referred to in sub-regulation (1), that is likely adversely to affect the conservation or preservation of that area as part of the world cultural heritage or natural heritage.\n\nPenalty: $5,000.\n\n(3) Where, within an area to which these Regulations apply, a person does an act referred to in sub-regulation (1) without the consent of the Minister—\n\n(a) the person in whom the area in which the act is done or the relevant part of that area is vested; or\n\n(b) if that person is not the occupier of that area or of the relevant part of that area—the person who is the occupier of that area or the relevant part of that area, as the case may be, is guilty of an offence and is punishable upon conviction by a fine not exceeding $5,000 unless he proves that he took reasonable steps to prevent the doing of the act.\n\nJurisdiction to grant injunction not affected\n\n6. The provision for penalties in regulation 5 is not intended to preclude any court from granting an injunction (including an interim injunction), declaration or other relief.\n\nCompensation for acquisition of property\n\n7. (1) Where, but for this regulation, the operation of a provision of these Regulations would result in the acquisition of property from a person otherwise than on just terms, there is payable to the person by the Commonwealth such reasonable amount of compensation as is agreed upon between the person and the Commonwealth or, failing agreement, as is determined by a court of competent jurisdiction.\n\n  \n\n(2) In sub-regulation (1), “acquisition of property” and “just terms” have the same respective meanings as in paragraph 51 (xxxi) of the Constitution.\n\nEvidentiary provision\n\n8. A document that bears a certificate purporting to be signed by an officer of the Department of Administrative Services and stating that the document is a true copy of the plan referred to in regulation 2 is evidence of that plan.\n\n—————\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1\n\nCONVENTION FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE\n\nThe General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization meeting in Paris from 17 October to 21 November 1972, at its seventeenth session,\n\nNoting that the cultural heritage and the natural heritage are increasingly threatened with destruction not only by the traditional causes of decay, but also by changing social and economic conditions which aggravate the situation with even more formidable phenomena of damage or destruction,\n\nConsidering that deterioration or disappearance of any item of the cultural or natural heritage constitutes a harmful impoverishment of the heritage of all the nations of the world,\n\nConsidering that protection of this heritage at the national level often remains incomplete because of the scale of the resources which it requires and of the insufficient economic, scientific and technical resources of the country where the property to be protected is situated,\n\nRecalling that the Constitution of the Organization provides that it will maintain, increase and diffuse knowledge, by assuring the conservation and protection of the world’s heritage, and recommending to the nations concerned the necessary international conventions,\n\nConsidering that the existing international conventions, recommendations and resolutions concerning cultural and natural property demonstrate the importance, for all the peoples of the world, of safeguarding this unique and irreplaceable property, to whatever people it may belong,\n\nConsidering that parts of the cultural or natural heritage are of outstanding interest and therefore need to be preserved as part of the world heritage of mankind as a whole,\n\nConsidering that, in view of the magnitude and gravity of the new dangers threatening them, it is incumbent on the international community as a whole to participate in the protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value, by the granting of collective assistance which, although not taking the place of action by the State concerned, will serve as an effective complement thereto,\n\nConsidering that it is essential for this purpose to adopt new provisions in the form of a convention establishing an effective system of collective protection of the cultural and natural heritage of outstanding universal value, organized on a permanent basis and in accordance with modern scientific methods,\n\nHaving decided, at its sixteenth session, that this question should be made the subject of an international convention,\n\nAdopts this sixteenth day of November 1972 this Convention.\n\n1\\. DEFINITIONS OF THE CULTURAL AND THE NATURAL HERITAGE\n\nArticle 1\n\nFor the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as “cultural heritage”:\n\nmonuments: architectural works, works of monumental sculpture and painting, elements or structures of an archaeological nature, inscriptions, cave dwellings and combinations of features, which are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science;\n\ngroups of buildings: groups of separate or connected buildings which, because of their architecture, their homogeneity or their place in the landscape, are of outstanding universal value from the point of view of history, art or science;\n\nsites: works of man or the combined works of nature and of man, and areas including archaeological sites which are of outstanding universal value from the historical, aesthetic, ethnological or anthropological points of view.\n\nArticle 2\n\nFor the purposes of this Convention, the following shall be considered as “natural heritage”;\n\nnatural features consisting of physical and biological formations or groups of such formations, which are of outstanding universal value from the aesthetic or scientific point of view;\n\ngeological and physiographical formations and precisely delineated areas which constitute the habitat of threatened species of animals and plants of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science or conservation;\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\nnatural sites or precisely delineated natural areas of outstanding universal value from the point of view of science, conservation or natural beauty.\n\nArticle 3\n\nIt is for each State Party to this Convention to identify and delineate the different properties situated on its territory mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 above.\n\nII. NATIONAL PROTECTION AND INTERNATIONAL PROTECTION OF THE CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE\n\nArticle 4\n\nEach State Party to this Convention recognizes that the duty of ensuring the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and transmission to future generations of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 and situated on its territory, belongs primarily to that State. It will do all it can to this end, to the utmost of its own resources and, where appropriate, with any international assistance and co-operation, in particular, financial, artistic, scientific and technical, which it may be able to obtain.\n\nArticle 5\n\nTo ensure that effective and active measures are taken for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage situated on its territory, each State Party to this Convention shall endeavour, in so far as possible, and as appropriate for each country:\n\n(a) to adopt a general policy which aims to give the cultural and natural heritage a function in the life of the community and to integrate the protection of that heritage into comprehensive planning programmes;\n\n(b) to set up within its territories, where such services do not exist, one or more services for the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage with an appropriate staff and possessing the means to discharge their functions;\n\n(c) to develop scientific and technical studies and research and to work out such operating methods as will make the State capable of counteracting the dangers that threaten its cultural or natural heritage;\n\n(d) to take the appropriate legal, scientific, technical, administrative and financial measures necessary for the identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of this heritage; and\n\n(e) to foster the establishment or development of national or regional centres for training in the protection, conservation and presentation of the cultural and natural heritage and to encourage scientific research in this field.\n\nArticle 6\n\n1\\. Whilst fully respecting the sovereignty of the States on whose territory the cultural and natural heritage mentioned in Articles 1 and 2 is situated, and without prejudice to property rights provided by national legislation, the States Parties to this Convention recognize that such heritage constitutes a world heritage for whose protection it is the duty of the international community as a whole to co-operate.\n\n2\\. The States Parties undertake, in accordance with the provisions of this Convention, to give their help in the identification, protection, conservation and preservation of the cultural and natural heritage referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 if the States on whose territory it is situated so request.\n\n3\\. Each State Party to this Convention undertakes not to take any deliberate measures which might damage directly or indirectly the cultural and natural heritage referred to in Articles 1 and 2 situated on the territory of other States Parties to this Convention.\n\nArticle 7\n\nFor the purpose of this Convention, international protection of the world cultural and natural heritage shall be understood to mean the establishment of a system of international co-operation and assistance designed to support States Parties to the Convention in their efforts to conserve and identify that heritage.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\nIII. INTERGOVERNMENTAL COMMITTEE FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE\n\nArticle 8\n\n1\\. An Intergovernmental Committee for the Protection of the Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, called “the World Heritage Committee”, is hereby established within the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. It shall be composed of 15 States Parties to the Convention, elected by States Parties to the Convention meeting in general assembly during the ordinary session of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. The number of States members of the Committee shall be increased to 21 as from the date of the ordinary session of the General Conference following the entry into force of this convention for at least 40 States.\n\n2\\. Election of members of the Committee shall ensure an equitable representation of the different regions and cultures of the world.\n\n3\\. A representative of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of cultural Property (Rome Centre), a representative of the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and a representative of the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), to whom may be added, at the request of States Parties to the Convention meeting in general assembly during the ordinary sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, representatives of other intergovernmental or non-governmental organizations, with similar objectives, may attend the meetings of the Committee in an advisory capacity.\n\nArticle 9\n\n1\\. The term of office of States members of the World Heritage Committee shall extend from the end of the ordinary session of the General Conference during which they are elected until the end of its third subsequent ordinary session.\n\n2\\. The term of office of one-third of the members designated at the time of the first election shall, however, cease at the end of the first ordinary session of the General Conference following that at which they were elected; and the term of office of a further third of the members designated at the same time shall cease at the end of the second ordinary session of the General Conference following that at which they were elected. The names of these members shall be chosen by lot by the President of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization after the first election.\n\n3\\. States members of the Committee shall choose as their representatives persons qualified in the field of the cultural or natural heritage.\n\nArticle 10\n\n1\\. The World Heritage Committee shall adopt its Rules of Procedure.\n\n2\\. The Committee may at any time invite public or private organizations or individuals to participate in its meetings for consultation on particular problems.\n\n3\\. The Committee may create such consultative bodies as it deems necessary for the performance of its functions.\n\nArticle 11\n\n1\\. Every State Party to this Convention shall, in so far as possible, submit to the World Heritage Committee an inventory of property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage, situated in its territory and suitable for inclusion in the list provided for in paragraph 2 of this Article. This inventory, which shall not be considered exhaustive, shall include documentation about the location of the property in question and its significance.\n\n2\\. On the basis of the inventories submitted by States in accordance with paragraph 1, the Committee shall establish, keep up to date and publish, under the title of “World Heritage List”, a list of properties forming part of the cultural heritage and natural heritage, as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this Convention, which it considers as having outstanding universal value in terms of such criteria as it shall have established. An updated list shall be distributed at least every two years.\n\n3\\. The inclusion of a property in the World Heritage List requires the consent of the State concerned. The inclusion of a property situated in a territory, sovereignty or jurisdiction over which is claimed by more than one State shall in no way prejudice the rights of the parties to the dispute.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\n4\\. The Committee shall establish, keep up to date and publish, whenever circumstances shall so require, under the title of “List of World Heritage in Danger”, a list of the property appearing in the World Heritage list for the conservation of which major operations are necessary and for which assistance has been requested under this Convention. This list shall contain an estimate of the cost of such operations. The list may include only such property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage as is threatened by serious and specific dangers, such as the threat of disappearance caused by accelerated deterioration, large-scale public or private projects or rapid urban or tourist development projects; destruction caused by changes in the use or ownership of the land; major alterations due to unknown causes; abandonment for any reason whatsoever; the outbreak or the threat of an armed conflict; calamities and cataclysms; serious fires, earthquakes, landslides; volcanic eruptions; changes in water level, floods, and tidal waves. The Committee may at any time, in case of urgent need, make a new entry in the List of World Heritage in Danger and publicize such entry immediately.\n\n5\\. The Committee shall define the criteria on the basis of which a property belonging to the cultural or natural heritage may be included in either of the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of this article.\n\n6\\. Before refusing a request for inclusion in one of the two lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of this article, the Committee shall consult the State Party in whose territory the cultural or natural property in question is situated.\n\n7\\. The Committee shall, with the agreement of the States concerned, co-ordinate and encourage the studies and research needed for the drawing up of the lists referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 of this article.\n\nArticle 12\n\nThe fact that a property belonging to the cultural or natural heritage has not been included in either of the two lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 shall in no way be construed to mean that it does not have an outstanding universal value for purposes other than those resulting from inclusion in these lists.\n\nArticle 13\n\n1\\. The World Heritage Committee shall receive and study requests for international assistance formulated by States Parties to this Convention with respect to property forming part of the cultural or natural heritage, situated in their territories, and included or potentially suitable for inclusion in the lists referred to in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 The purpose of such requests may be to secure the protection, conservation, presentation or rehabilitation of such property.\n\n2\\. Requests for international assistance under paragraph 1 of this article may also be concerned with identification of cultural or natural property defined in Articles 1 and 2, when preliminary investigations have shown that further inquiries would be justified.\n\n3\\. The Committee shall decide on the action to be taken with regard to these requests, determine where appropriate, the nature and extent of its assistance, and authorize the conclusion, on its behalf, of the necessary arrangements with the government concerned.\n\n4\\. The Committee shall determine an order of priorities for its operations. It shall in so doing bear in mind the respective importance for the world cultural and natural heritage of the property requiring protection, the need to give international assistance to the property most representative of a natural environment or of the genius and the history of the peoples of the world, the urgency of the work to be done, the resources available to the States on whose territory the threatened property is situated and in particular the extent to which they are able to safeguard such property by their own means,\n\n5\\. The Committee shall draw up, keep up to date and publicize a list of property for which international assistance has been granted.\n\n6\\. The Committee shall decide on the use of the resources of the Fund established under Article 15 of this Convention. It shall seek ways of increasing these resources and shall take all useful steps to this end.\n\n7\\. The Committee shall co-operate with international and national governmental and non-governmental organizations having objectives similar to those of this Convention. For the implementation of its programmes and projects, the Committee may call on such organizations, particularly the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and Restoration of Cultural Property (the Rome Centre), the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN), as well as on public and private bodies and individuals.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\n8\\. Decisions of the Committee shall be taken by a majority of two-thirds of its members present and voting. A majority of the members of the Committee shall constitute a quorum.\n\nArticle 14\n\n1\\. The World Heritage Committee shall be assisted by a Secretariat appointed by the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\n2\\. The Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, utilizing to the fullest extent possible the services of the International Centre for the Study of the Preservation and the Restoration of Cultural Property (the Rome Centre), the International Council of Monuments and Sites (ICOMOS) and the International Union for Conservation of Nature and Natural Resources (IUCN) in their respective areas of competence and capability, shall prepare the Committee’s documentation and the agenda of its meetings and shall have the responsibility for the implementation of its decisions.\n\nIV. FUND FOR THE PROTECTION OF THE WORLD CULTURAL AND NATURAL HERITAGE\n\nArticle 15\n\n1\\. A Fund for the Protection of the World Cultural and Natural Heritage of Outstanding Universal Value, called “the World Heritage Fund”, is hereby established.\n\n2\\. The Fund shall constitute a trust fund, in conformity with the provisions of the Financial Regulations of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\n3\\. The resources of the Fund shall consist of:\n\n(a) compulsory and voluntary contributions made by the States Parties to this Convention,\n\n(b) contributions, gifts or bequests which may be made by:\n\n(i) other States;\n\n(ii) the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, other organizations of the United Nations system, particularly the United Nations Development Programme or other intergovernmental organizations;\n\n(iii) public or private bodies or individuals;\n\n(c) any interest due on the resources of the Fund;\n\n(d) funds raised by collections and receipts from events organized for the benefit of the Fund; and\n\n(e) all other resources authorized by the Fund’s regulations, as drawn up by the World Heritage Committee.\n\n4\\. Contributions to the Fund and other forms of assistance made available to the Committee may be used only for such purposes as the Committee shall define. The Committee may accept contributions to be used only for a certain programme or project, provided that the Committee shall have decided on the implementation of such programme or project. No political conditions may be attached to contributions made to the Fund.\n\nArticle 16\n\n1\\. Without prejudice to any supplementary voluntary contribution, the States Parties to this Convention undertake to pay regularly, every two years, to the World Heritage Fund, contributions, the amount of which, in the form of a uniform percentage applicable to all States, shall be determined by the General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention, meeting during the sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. This decision of the General Assembly requires the majority of the States Parties present and voting, which have not made the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article. In no case shall the compulsory contribution of States Parties to the Convention exceed 1% of the contribution to the Regular Budget of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\n2\\. However, each State referred to in Article 31 or in Article 32 of this Convention may declare, at the time of the deposit of its instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession, that it shall not be bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article.\n\n3\\. A State Party to the Convention which has made the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article may at any time withdraw the said declaration by notifying the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. However, the withdrawal of the declaration shall not take effect in regard to the compulsory contribution due by the State until the date of the subsequent General Assembly of States Parties to the Convention.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\n4\\. In order that the Committee may be able to plan its operations effectively, the contributions of States Parties to this Convention which have made the declaration referred to in paragraph 2 of this Article, shall be paid on a regular basis, at least every two years, and should not be less than the contributions which they should have paid if they had been bound by the provisions of paragraph 1 of this Article.\n\n5\\. Any State Party to the Convention which is in arrears with the payment of its compulsory or voluntary contribution for the current year and the calendar year immediately preceding it shall not be eligible as a Member of the World Heritage Committee, although this provision shall not apply to the first election.\n\nThe terms of office of any such State which is already a member of the Committee shall terminate at the time of the elections provided for in Article 8, paragraph 1 of this Convention.\n\nArticle 17\n\nThe States Parties to this Convention shall consider or encourage the establishment of national, public and private foundations or associations whose purpose is to invite donations for the protection of the cultural and natural heritage as defined in Articles 1 and 2 of this Convention.\n\nArticle 18\n\nThe States Parties to this Convention shall give their assistance to international fund-raising campaigns organized for the World Heritage Fund under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. They shall facilitate collections made by the bodies mentioned in paragraph 3 of Article 15 for this purpose.\n\nV. CONDITIONS AND ARRANGEMENTS FOR INTERNATIONAL ASSISTANCE\n\nArticle 19\n\nAny State Party to this Convention may request international assistance for property forming part of the cultural or natural heritage of outstanding universal value situated within its territory. It shall submit with its request such information and documentation provided for in Article 21 as it has in its possession and as will enable the Committee to come to a decision.\n\nArticle 20\n\nSubject to the provisions of paragraph 2 of Article 13, sub-paragraph (c) of Article 22 and Article 23, international assistance provided for by this Convention may be granted only to property forming part of the cultural and natural heritage which the World Heritage Committee has decided, or may decide, to enter in one of the lists mentioned in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11.\n\nArticle 21\n\n1\\. The World Heritage Committee shall define the procedure by which requests to it for international assistance shall be considered and shall specify the content of the request, which should define the operation contemplated, the work that is necessary, the expected cost thereof, the degree of urgency and the reasons why the resources of the State requesting assistance do not allow it to meet all the expenses. Such requests must be supported by experts’ reports whenever possible,\n\n2\\. Requests based upon disasters or natural calamities should, by reasons of the urgent work which they may involve, be given immediate, priority consideration by the Committee, which should have a reserve fund at its disposal against such contingencies.\n\n3\\. Before coming to a decision, the Committee shall carry out such studies and consultations as it deems necessary.\n\nArticle 22\n\nAssistance granted by the World Heritage Committee may take the following forms:\n\n(a) studies concerning the artistic, scientific and technical problems raised by the protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage, as defined in paragraphs 2 and 4 of Article 11 of this Convention;\n\n(b) provision of experts, technicians and skilled labour to ensure that the approved work is correctly carried out;\n\n(c) training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage;\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\n(d) supply of equipment which the State concerned does not possess or is not in a position to acquire;\n\n(e) low-interest or interest-free loans which might be repayable on a long-term basis;\n\n(f) the granting, in exceptional cases and for special reasons, of non-repayable subsidies.\n\nArticle 23\n\nThe World Heritage Committee may also provide international assistance to national or regional centres for the training of staff and specialists at all levels in the field of identification, protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the cultural and natural heritage.\n\nArticle 24\n\nInternational assistance on a large scale shall be preceded by detailed scientific, economic and technical studies. These studies shall draw upon the most advanced techniques for the protection, conservation, presentation and rehabilitation of the natural and cultural heritage and shall be consistent with the objectives of this Convention. The studies shall also seek means of making rational use of the resources available in the State concerned.\n\nArticle 25\n\nAs a general rule, only part of the cost of work necessary shall be borne by the international community. The contribution of the State benefiting from international assistance shall constitute a substantial share of the resources devoted to each programme or project, unless its resources do not permit this.\n\nArticle 26\n\nThe World Heritage Committee and the recipient State shall define in the agreement they conclude the conditions in which a programme or project for which international assistance under the terms of this Convention is provided, shall be carried out. It shall be the responsibility of the State receiving such international assistance to continue to protect, conserve and present the property so safeguarded, in observance of the conditions laid down by the agreement.\n\nVI. EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMMES\n\nArticle 27\n\n1\\. The States Parties to this Convention shall endeavour by all appropriate means, and in particular by educational and information programmes, to strengthen appreciation and respect by their peoples of the cultural and natural heritage defined in Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention.\n\n2\\. They shall undertake to keep the public broadly informed of the dangers threatening this heritage and of activities carried on in pursuance of this Convention.\n\nArticle 28\n\nStates Parties to this Convention which receive international assistance under the Convention shall take appropriate measures to make known the importance of the property for which assistance has been received and the role played by such assistance.\n\nVII. REPORTS\n\nArticle 29\n\n1\\. The States Parties to this Convention shall, in the reports which they submit to the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization on dates and in a manner to be determined by it, give information on the legislative and administrative provisions which they have adopted and other action which they have taken for the application of this Convention, together with details of the experience acquired in this field.\n\n2\\. These reports shall be brought to the attention of the World Heritage Committee.\n\n3\\. The Committee shall submit a report on its activities at each of the ordinary sessions of the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\nVIII. FINAL CLAUSES\n\nArticle 30\n\nThis Convention is drawn up in Arabic, English, French, Russian and Spanish, the five texts being equally authoritative.\n\nArticle 31\n\n1\\. This Convention shall be subject to ratification or acceptance by States members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization in accordance with their respective constitutional procedures.\n\n2\\. The instruments of ratification or acceptance shall be deposited with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\nArticle 32\n\n1\\. This Convention shall be open to accession by all States not members of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization which are invited by the General Conference of the Organization to accede to it.\n\n2\\. Accession shall be effected by the deposit of an instrument of accession with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\nArticle 33\n\nThis Convention shall enter into force three months after the date of the deposit of the twentieth instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession, but only with respect to those States which have deposited their respective instruments of ratification, acceptance or accession on or before that date. It shall enter into force with respect to any other State three months after the deposit of its instrument of ratification, acceptance or accession.\n\nArticle 34\n\nThe following provisions shall apply to those States Parties to this Convention which have a federal or non-unitary constitutional system:\n\n(a) with regard to the provisions of this Convention, the implementation of which comes under the legal jurisdiction of the federal or central legislative power, the obligations of the federal or central government shall be the same as for those States Parties which are not federal States;\n\n(b) with regard to the provisions of this convention, the implementation of which comes under the legal jurisdiction of individual constituent States, countries, provinces or cantons that are not obliged by the constitutional system of the federation to take legislative measures, the federal government shall inform the competent authorities of such States, countries, provinces or cantons of the said provisions, with its recommendation for their adoption.\n\nArticle 35\n\n1\\. Each State Party to this Convention may denounce the Convention.\n\n2\\. The denunciation shall be notified by an instrument in writing, deposited with the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\n3\\. The denunciation shall take effect twelve months after the receipt of the instrument of denunciation. It shall not affect the financial obligations of the denouncing State until the date on which the withdrawal takes effect.\n\nArticle 36\n\nThe Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization shall inform the States members of the Organization, the States not members of the Organization which are referred to in Article 32, as well as the United Nations, of the deposit of all the instruments of ratification, acceptance, or accession provided for in Articles 31 and 32, and of the denunciations provided for in Article 35.\n\nArticle 37\n\n1\\. This Convention may be revised by the General Conference of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization. Any such revision shall, however, bind only the States which shall become Parties to the revising convention.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 1—continued\n\n2\\. If the General Conference should adopt a new convention revising this Convention in whole or in part, then, unless the new convention otherwise provides, this Convention shall cease to be open to ratification, acceptance or accession, as from the date on which the new revising convention enters into force.\n\nArticle 38\n\nIn conformity with Article 102 of the Charter of the United Nations, this Convention shall be registered with the Secretariat of the United Nations at the request of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.\n\nDone in Paris, this twenty-third day of November 1972, in two authentic copies bearing the signature of the President of the seventeenth session of the General Conference and of the Director-General of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, which shall be deposited in the archives of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization, and certified true copies of which shall be delivered to all the States referred to in Articles 31 and 32 as well as to the United Nations.\n\nSCHEDULE 2\n\nLETTER FROM PREMIER OF TASMANIA\n\nPREMIER OF TASMANIA HOBART\n\n22 September 1981.\n\nDear Mr. Fraser,\n\nI refer to my previous letter of 30 April 1981 and enclose a nomination for World Heritage Commission listing of the Western Tasmania Wilderness National Parks. This nomination is a more detailed and expanded nomination than that previously submitted to you in December last year, which included only the Southwest National Park.\n\nThe nomination now includes the Southwest National Park, the recently-proclaimed Franklin-Lower Gordon Wild Rivers National Park and Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair National Park.\n\nI would be pleased if this nomination could be submitted to the World Heritage Commission so that it may be considered when next the Commission meets.\n\nYours sincerely,\n\n(D. A. Lowe)\n\nPREMIER.\n\nRt. Hon. J. M. Fraser, C.H., M.P.\n\nPrime Minister of the Commonwealth,\n\nParliament House,\n\nCANBERRA,\n\nA.C.T. 2600.\n\n—————\n\nSCHEDULE 3\n\nSTATEMENT BY WORLD HERITAGE COMMITTEE\n\nThe Committee is seriously concerned at the likely effect of dam construction in the area on those natural and cultural characteristics which make the property of outstanding universal value.\n\nIn particular it considers that flooding of parts of the river valleys would destroy a number of cultural and natural features of great significance, as identified in the ICOMOS and IUCNl Reports.\n\nThe Committee therefore recommends that the Australian Authorities take all possible measures to protect the integrity of the property.\n\n  \nSCHEDULE 3—continued\n\nThe Committee suggests that the Australian authorities should ask the Committee to place the property on the list of World Heritage in danger until the question of dam construction is resolved.\n\nNOTE\n\n1\\. Notified in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette on 31 March 1983.","sortOrder":0}],"analysis":{"kimi_summary":{"_metrics":{"model":"kimi-k2.5","source":"moonshot-realtime","completionTokens":1831},"content_quality":"ok","complexity_score":4,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The regulations remain focused on their original 1983 purpose: protecting the specific Western Tasmania Wilderness World Heritage area from dam construction and other damaging works. The scope has not expanded beyond this original intent."},"complexity_factors":["Geographic application depends on interpretation of deposited survey plan S181/001 with coordinate references not included in the text","Full incorporation of the 37-article UNESCO World Heritage Convention as Schedule 1 creates extensive cross-referencing for definitions","Crown binding provisions create a nuanced liability structure (Crown not liable to prosecution, but servants/agents are)","Regulation 5(3) creates an extended liability offence for owners/occupiers with a 'reasonable steps' defence","Regulation 7 includes a constitutional safeguard mirroring section 51(xxxi) just terms requirements for acquisition of property"],"plain_english_summary":"**What this does:** These regulations were made in 1983 to stop the controversial Franklin Dam from being built and to protect Tasmania's Western Wilderness—which includes the Franklin River, Southwest National Park, and Cradle Mountain-Lake St. Clair—after it was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage site.\n\n**Key prohibitions:** Without approval from the federal Minister, nobody (including the Tasmanian Government) can:\n*   Build dams or associated works\n*   Carry out excavations or use explosives  \n*   Construct buildings, roads, or tracks\n*   Cut down or damage trees\n*   Do anything else likely to harm the area's World Heritage values\n\n**Who it covers:** The rules bind everyone, including the Commonwealth and Tasmanian Governments. While the governments themselves can't be prosecuted, their employees and agents can be. Land owners or occupiers can also be fined if they don't take reasonable steps to stop prohibited activities on their land.\n\n**Important features:**\n*   **Compensation:** If the rules effectively take private property without \"just terms\" (fair compensation), the Commonwealth must pay.\n*   **Map-based:** The exact protected areas are defined by a deposited survey plan (S181/001) available in Hobart, showing specific hectares marked in red and blue.\n*   **International law:** The full text of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention is included, along with the World Heritage Committee's warning that dam construction would destroy the area's universal value.\n\n**Why it matters:** This was the emergency legal mechanism that allowed the federal government to override Tasmania's dam project to meet Australia's international treaty obligations, setting a major precedent for federal environmental power."},"flash_summary":{"complexity_score":5,"scope_assessment":{"changed":false,"description":"The Regulations implement targeted protective measures for the Western Tasmania Wilderness parcels identified on the deposited plan by restricting specified works and requiring Ministerial consent (regulation 2; regulation 5). The stated purpose in the preamble and schedules is to fulfil Australia’s obligations under the World Heritage Convention and to prevent damage identified by the World Heritage Committee (preamble; Schedule 3). The instrument does not broaden its reach beyond those specified areas or add additional classes of property; it operationalises protection by prohibiting certain acts, establishing penalties, and providing a compensation mechanism where the restrictions effect an acquisition otherwise than on just terms (regulation 7)."},"complexity_factors":["Ministerial consent required for a wide and partly open‑ended list of works (regulation 5) creates administrative discretion without statutory criteria.","Overlap of criminal penalties, occupier/vestee liability and the availability of injunctions (regulations 5 and 6) introduces mixed enforcement paths.","Crown is bound but protected from prosecution while servants/agents remain prosecutable (regulation 4(1)–(3)), producing asymmetric enforcement and liability.","Compensation rule tied to constitutional just‑terms protection requires valuation/agreement or court determination (regulation 7), introducing fiscal and litigation processes.","Geographic application depends on an external, deposited plan (regulation 2) and an evidentiary certificate (regulation 8), requiring administrative records and proof procedures.","Incorporation of the UNESCO Convention and Committee materials (Schedules 1–3) brings international obligations and political context into domestic administrative action.","Broad catch‑all offence for acts likely to adversely affect conservation (regulation 5(2)) is open to interpretation and may generate legal uncertainty."],"plain_english_summary":"What these Regulations do (mechanics first)\n\n- They create a legal restriction on a defined set of land parcels in western Tasmania (the areas shown on a plan numbered S181/001, deposited in Hobart) and make it an offence to do a list of works in those areas unless the federal Minister gives consent (regulation 2; regulation 5).\n- The prohibited activities include building dams or associated works, excavations, erecting substantial buildings or structures, killing/cutting/removing or damaging trees, creating roads or vehicle tracks, using explosives, and broadly any other works (regulation 5(1)).\n- A separate, catch‑all prohibition makes it an offence to do other acts likely to adversely affect the area’s conservation as world cultural or natural heritage (regulation 5(2)). Each offence carries a maximum fine of $5,000 (regulation 5(1)–(2)).\n- If an unlawful act listed in regulation 5(1) occurs, the person in whom the area or relevant part is vested, or the occupier if different, is criminally liable unless they can prove they took reasonable steps to prevent the act (regulation 5(3)).\n- Courts remain able to grant injunctions, declarations or other relief in addition to the penalties (regulation 6).\n- The Regulations bind the Crown (the Commonwealth and the State of Tasmania) but they state that neither the Commonwealth nor the State is liable to be prosecuted under the Regulations themselves; however servants or agents may be prosecuted (regulation 4(1)–(3)).\n- Where the operation of the Regulations would otherwise amount to an acquisition of property other than on just terms, the Commonwealth must pay reasonable compensation (agreed amount or court-determined), with the Constitution’s just‑terms test referenced (regulation 7).\n- The Regulations incorporate the text of the UNESCO World Heritage Convention and set out the supporting correspondence and the World Heritage Committee’s statement about dam construction (Schedules 1–3).\n- Administrative details: the exact regulated area is identified by a plan available for inspection, and a certified copy of that plan is admissible as evidence (regulations 2 and 8).\n\nWhy these measures were put in place (as stated in the text)\n\n- The preamble records that Australia nominated the Western Tasmania Wilderness for the World Heritage List and that the World Heritage Committee included it in the List (preamble and Schedule 1). The preamble and Schedule 3 state that certain works, and in particular dam construction, were proposed or being carried out that would damage and destroy features of the property and that this damage would be a matter of international concern absent prevention. The Regulations are made under the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975 to address those concerns.\n\nClaims of purpose (explicitly attributed)\n\n- The Regulations present themselves as measures taken by Australia to meet obligations under the World Heritage Convention to protect and conserve identified cultural and natural heritage (preamble; Schedule 1, Articles 4–5).\n\nHow the Regulations affect people, incentives and costs (source‑grounded)\n\n- Who pays or bears legal risk: individuals or entities who carry out the listed works within the specified areas face criminal fines (regulation 5(1)–(2)). Occupiers or the legal vestee of the land can be prosecuted for an unlawful act occurring on the land unless they show they took reasonable steps to prevent it (regulation 5(3)). The Commonwealth must pay compensation if the Regulations operate as an uncompensated acquisition (regulation 7).\n\n- Who decides: the federal Minister has gatekeeping power — consent from the Minister is required to carry out the prohibited works (regulation 5). The Regulations do not set out statutory criteria or a procedure for how the Minister must exercise that consent power (regulation 5), which places a degree of administrative discretion in the Minister’s office.\n\n- Compliance burden and enforcement: affected landholders, occupiers and project proponents must obtain ministerial consent for a wide range of activities or risk prosecution and fines (regulation 5). Courts may also be asked to grant injunctions (regulation 6), so compliance can involve criminal, administrative and civil processes.\n\n- Effect on private choices and commercial activity: by prohibiting construction of dams, excavation, major building works, road or track construction, tree removal and use of explosives without Ministerial consent (regulation 5), the Regulations constrain the ability of private parties or developers to proceed with infrastructure or resource‑related projects inside the designated parcels. The Schedule 3 statement by the World Heritage Committee specifically identifies dam construction and flooding of river valleys as threats the Committee is concerned about, which the Regulations aim to address.\n\n- Redistribution of risk and costs: the Regulations place immediate legal and compliance costs on persons proposing or permitting works in the areas. The Commonwealth shoulders the potential fiscal cost of compensation where the operation of the Regulations effects an acquisition otherwise than on just terms (regulation 7). The Crown is bound by the Regulations (regulation 4(1)) but is protected from prosecution under them (regulation 4(2)); servants or agents remain prosecutable (regulation 4(3)).\n\n- Administrative discretion and legal uncertainty: because the text requires Ministerial consent but does not set statutory standards or processes for granting or refusing consent, discretion is concentrated in the Minister’s hands (regulation 5). That creates an administrative decision point that affected parties must navigate; the Regulations leave open the possibility of judicial review or injunctions (regulation 6) but provide no prescriptive consent rules.\n\nTrade‑offs, opportunity costs and implementation risks (linked to the instrument)\n\n- Trade‑offs: the Regulations prioritise conservation of the designated parcels (preamble; regulation 5) at the cost of restricting certain land uses and projects within those parcels. The Commonwealth may incur compensation costs if the restrictions amount to acquisition other than on just terms (regulation 7).\n\n- Opportunity cost for project proponents: activities that would otherwise proceed in those areas (including the dam works referred to by the World Heritage Committee) are either stopped or made subject to Ministerial approval; proponents may need to alter plans, seek approvals, or abandon proposals.\n\n- Implementation risks: enforcing the prohibitions requires monitoring and prosecution capability; vesting/occupier liability (regulation 5(3)) can create disputes about who had the opportunity and obligation to prevent offending acts. The Crown’s immunity from prosecution (regulation 4(2)) but exposure to compensation claims (regulation 7) creates a split in enforcement and fiscal responsibility.\n\nOther notable legal features\n\n- The Regulations are geographically limited to the parcels shown on the deposited plan (regulation 2). The text incorporates the World Heritage Convention and related materials as contextual schedules (Schedules 1–3), which record the international obligations and the World Heritage Committee’s concerns.\n\nIn short: the Regulations impose a ministerial consent regime and criminal penalties to prevent specified works in designated parts of the Western Tasmania Wilderness nominated and listed under the World Heritage Convention, bind the Crown while preserving Crown immunity from prosecution, provide for compensation where the effect is an acquisition other than on just terms, and leave discretion over consent in the hands of the Minister (regulations 2–8; Schedules 1–3)."}},"importantCases":[],"_links":{"self":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations","history":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations/history","analysis":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations/analysis","conflicts":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations/conflicts","importantCases":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations/important-cases","documents":"/api/acts/world-heritage-western-tasmania-wilderness-regulations/documents"}}