30Duties of Ministers and authorities

##### 30 Duties of Ministers and authorities (1) Each Minister shall give all such directions and do all such things as, consistently with any relevant laws, can be given or done by him or her for ensuring that the Department administered by him or her or any authority of the Commonwealth in respect of which he or she has ministerial responsibilities does not take any action that adversely affects, as part of the national estate, a place that is in the Register unless he or she is satisfied that there is no feasible and prudent alternative to the taking of that action and that all measures that can reasonably be taken to minimise the adverse effect will be taken and shall not himself or herself take any such action unless he or she is so satisfied. (2) Without prejudice to the application of subsection (1) in relation to action to be taken by an authority of the Commonwealth, an authority of the Commonwealth shall not take any action that adversely affects, as part of the national estate, a place that is in the Register unless the authority is satisfied that there is no feasible and prudent alternative, consistent with any relevant laws, to the taking of that action and that all measures that can reasonably be taken to minimise the adverse effect will be taken. (3) Before a Minister, a Department or an authority of the Commonwealth takes any action that might affect to a significant extent, as part of the national estate, a place that is in the Register, the Minister, Department or authority, as the case may be, shall inform the Commission of the proposed action and give the Commission a reasonable opportunity to consider and comment on it. (3A) Where the Commission is informed of a proposed action by a Minister, Department or authority, the Commission shall, as soon as practicable, provide its comments on the proposed action to the Minister, Department or authority (as the case may be). (4) For the purposes of this section, the making of a decision or recommendation (including a recommendation in relation to direct financial assistance granted, or proposed to be granted to a State) the approval of a program, the issue of a licence or the granting of a permission shall be deemed to be the taking of action and, in the case of a recommendation, if the adoption of the recommendation would adversely affect a place, the making of the recommendation shall be deemed to affect the place adversely.