CTHIn ForceAct
Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999
17BOffences relating to declared Ramsar wetlands
Start here
Get a plain-English read of 17B
Turn the raw legal text into a practical explanation grounded in Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.
17B Offences relating to declared Ramsar wetlands
(b) the action results or will result in a significant impact on the ecological character of a wetland; and
(c) the wetland is a declared Ramsar wetland.
(b) the action is likely to have a significant impact on the ecological character of a wetland; and
(c) the wetland is a declared Ramsar wetland.
(3) An offence against subsection (1) or (2) is punishable on conviction by imprisonment for a term not more than 7 years, a fine not more than 420 penalty units, or both.
Note 1: Subsection 4B(3) of the Crimes Act 1914 lets a court fine a body corporate up to 5 times the maximum amount the court could fine a person under this subsection.
Note 2: An executive officer of a body corporate convicted of an offence against this section may also commit an offence against section 495.
Note 3: If a person takes an action on land that contravenes this section, a landholder may commit an offence against section 496C.
(a) an approval of the taking of the action by the person is in operation under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or
(ba) there is in force a determination under section 79E that the action may continue to be taken and the action is taken in accordance with the conditions (if any) specified in the determination; or
(c) there is in force a decision of the Minister under Division 2 of Part 7 that this section is not a controlling provision for the action and, if the decision was made because the Minister believed the action would be taken in a manner specified in the notice of the decision under section 77, the action is taken in that manner; or
(d) the action is an action described in subsection 160(2) (which describes actions whose authorisation is subject to a special environmental assessment process).
Note: The defendant bears an evidential burden in relation to the matters in this subsection. See subsection 13.3(3) of the Criminal Code.
Subdivision C—Listed threatened species and communities