36Reports

36 Reports

(1) The Supervising Scientist shall, as soon as practicable after 30 June in each year, prepare and furnish to the Minister a report on the operation of this Act, being a report that refers in particular to the operation of this Act during the year that ended on that date. (2) A report under subsection (1): (a) shall set out all directions given under section 7 by the Minister to the Supervising Scientist during the year to which the report relates; (b) shall include information concerning: (i) the collection and assessment during that year of information relating to the effects on the environment in the Alligator Rivers Region of mining operations in the Region; (ii) standards, practices and procedures in relation to mining operations in the Region adopted during that year, and changes made during that year to such standards, practices and procedures previously adopted, and the effect on the environment in the Region of those standards, practices and procedures and those changes; (iii) measures taken during that year for the protection and restoration of the environment in the Region from the effects of mining operations in the Region; (iv) requirements of and having effect under prescribed instruments enacted, made, adopted or issued during that year in relation to mining operations in the Region in so far as those requirements relate to any matter affecting the environment in the Region; and (v) the implementation during that year of requirements referred to in subparagraph (iv); and (c) shall include a statement setting out the cost of his or her operations during the year to which the report relates. (3) The Supervising Scientist shall furnish to the Minister such additional reports as the Minister from time to time requires and may from time to time furnish such other reports as the Supervising Scientist thinks fit. (4) A report under subsection (3) may set out such directions given by the Minister under section 7 to the Supervising Scientist as the Supervising Scientist considers to be relevant to the report. (5) Subject to subsection (5A), the Minister shall: (a) cause a copy of any report furnished to him or her under subsection (1) or (3) to be laid before each House of the Parliament within 15 sitting days of that House after the report is received by him or her; and (b) cause a copy of every such report furnished to him or her on or after 1 July 1978 to be furnished to the Minister of the Northern Territory who is responsible, or principally responsible, for the administration of matters relating to parks and reserves in the Territory as soon as practicable after the report is laid before a House of the Parliament. (5A) Subsection (5) does not apply to a report furnished to the Minister in connection with the performance by the Supervising Scientist of the function under section 5B. (6) For the purposes of this section, the period commencing on the day on which this Act receives the Royal Assent and ending on 30 June 1978 shall be regarded as a year.