18Public consultation

18 Public consultation

(1)  Before making a national environment protection measure, the Council must publish a notice –

(a) stating how the draft of the proposed measure and the impact statement may be obtained; and

(b) inviting submissions to the Council on the proposed measure, or on the impact statement, within a specified period.

(2)  A notice must –

(a) be published in the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette; and

(b) so far as each participating State or Territory is concerned – also be published, on at least 2 days during the month when the Commonwealth of Australia Gazette notice is published, in a newspaper circulating in that State or Territory.

(3)  The period specified in each notice under subsection (1) must end not less than 2 months after the day on which subsection (2) (b) has been fully complied with in all participating jurisdictions.