(a) the area shown on the map set out in the Schedule, being a copy of the map appearing on page 14 of the Ranger Inquiry report, that is described as the “Area generally referred to in the report as the Region”;

so much of the area described as Gimbat on that map (being an area of land that is or was the subject of a pastoral lease) as is outside the area referred to in paragraph (a);

so much of the area described as Goodparla on that map (being an area of land that is or was the subject of a pastoral lease) as is outside the area referred to in paragraph (a);

the area bounded on the south by the parallel of latitude 13 30 south and on all other sides by part of the boundary of the area referred to in paragraph (a);

the area bounded on the east by the meridian of longitude 133 east, on the south by the parallel of latitude 13 30 south and on all other sides by part of the boundary of the area referred to in paragraph (a);

the territorial sea adjacent to the area referred to in paragraph (a); and

the sea (if any) on the landward side of the territorial sea referred to in paragraph (b).

appointed member means a member of the Advisory Committee other than the Supervising Scientist or the Director of National Parks.

appropriate Council means such Aboriginal Land Council established under the Rights () Act 1976 as the Minister declares by instrument under his or her hand to be the Aboriginal Land Council responsible for the Alligator Rivers Region for the purposes of this Act.

Chairperson means the Chairperson of the Advisory Committee, or the Chairperson of the Technical Committee, as the context requires.

Committee means the Advisory Committee or the Technical Committee, as the context requires.

conservation zone means an area that was a conservation zone declared under section 8A of the National Parks and Wildlife Conservation Act 1975.

Director of Conservation of the Northern Territory means the person holding office as Director of Conservation under the Conservation Commission Act 1980 of the Northern Territory or, if a person is acting as the Director, the person so acting.

Director of National Parks means the person holding the appointment as the Director of National Parks under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999.

ecosystem means a dynamic complex of plant, animal and micro-organism communities and their non-living environment interacting as a functional unit.

environment includes:

ecosystems and their constituent parts, including people and communities; and

natural and physical resources; and

the qualities and characteristics of locations, places and areas; and

the social, economic and cultural aspects of a thing mentioned in paragraph (a), (b) or (c).

general mining operations means mining operations other than uranium mining operations.

Institute means the Alligator Rivers Region Research Institute.

member means a member of the Advisory Committee, or a member of the Technical Committee, as the context requires.

mineral means a naturally occurring substance or mixture of substances.

mining operations means any operations or activities for or in connection with, or incidental to, the mining (whether by underground or surface working) or recovery of minerals or the production of material from minerals and, in particular, without limiting the generality of the foregoing, includes: exploring and prospecting for minerals; milling, refining, treating and processing minerals; and handling, transporting, storing and disposing of minerals and material produced from minerals; but does not include the construction or use of: towns or camps, or structures connected with the construction or use of towns or camps; or facilities for, or connected with, the supply of water, electricity or gas to towns or camps or to structures connected with the construction or use of towns or camps.

exploring and prospecting for minerals;

milling, refining, treating and processing minerals; and

handling, transporting, storing and disposing of minerals and material produced from minerals;

but does not include the construction or use of:

towns or camps, or structures connected with the construction or use of towns or camps; or

facilities for, or connected with, the supply of water, electricity or gas to towns or camps or to structures connected with the construction or use of towns or camps.

prescribed instrument means any of the following, whether in force at the commencement of this Act or coming into force after that commencement: a law of the Commonwealth or of the ; or an instrument made, granted or issued under or for the purposes of any such law, including: a permit, licence or lease under any such law; and (ii) an authority under Atomic Energy Act 1953; andsection 41 of the (iii) an agreement under Rights () Act 1976.Part IV of the

a law of the Commonwealth or of the ; or

an instrument made, granted or issued under or for the purposes of any such law, including:

a permit, licence or lease under any such law; and

(ii) an authority under Atomic Energy Act 1953; andsection 41 of the

(iii) an agreement under Rights () Act 1976.Part IV of the

Ranger Inquiry report means the report known as the Ranger Uranium Environmental Inquiry Second Report that was presented to the Minister for Environment, Housing and Community Development and the Minister for Aboriginal Affairs on 17 May 1977.

requirement means an obligation, condition, restriction or prohibition.

sea includes any waters within the ebb and flow of the tide.

Supervising Scientist means the Supervising Scientist for the Alligator Rivers Region.

Technical Committee means the Technical Committee established under section 22A.

uranium mining operations has the meaning it would have if in the definition of mining operations the references to minerals were references to uranium-bearing ore.

to devise and develop programs for research into, and programs for the collection and assessment of information relating to, the effects on the environment in the zone of general mining operations in the zone;

to co-ordinate, and supervise, the carrying out of programs referred to in paragraph (a);

to devise and develop, and to promote and assist in the devising and development of:

standards, practices and procedures in relation to general mining operations in the zone for the protection of, or in so far as those standards, practices and procedures affect, the environment in the zone; and

measures for the protection and restoration of the environment in the zone from the effects of general mining operations in the zone;

to consider, and review, the implementation, in relation to general mining operations in the zone, of requirements of or having effect under prescribed instruments in so far as those requirements relate to any matter affecting the environment in the zone;

to advise the Minister, or a person designated by the Minister in writing, with respect to:

the effects on the environment of general mining operations in the zone;

standards, practices and procedures in relation to general mining operations in the zone for the protection of, or in so far as those standards, practices and procedures affect, the environment in the zone;

measures for the protection and restoration of the environment in the zone from the effects of general mining operations in the zone; and

requirements of or having effect under prescribed instruments in relation to general mining operations in the zone in so far as those requirements relate to any matter affecting the environment in the zone and the implementation of those requirements;

to perform such other functions, in relation to general mining operations in the zone, as are conferred on him or her by or under a prescribed instrument (including this Act); and

to do anything incidental or conducive to the performance of any of the foregoing functions.

in so far as it is appropriate for the function to be performed by the Supervising Scientist on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth as the national Government of Australia; or

for purposes for which it is appropriate for the Parliament as the national Parliament of Australia to authorise the Supervising Scientist to perform functions; or

by way of expenditure of money that is available for the purposes of the Supervising Scientist in accordance with an appropriation made by the Parliament; or

in the course of, or in relation to, trade and commerce with other countries, among the States, between Territories or between a Territory and a State; or

for purposes related to external affairs; or

for purposes in or in relation to a Territory.

to undertake, promote and assist in research into the effects on the environment in the zone of general mining operations in the zone;

to collect and assess, and to promote and assist in the collection and assessment of, information relating to the effects on the environment in the zone of general mining operations in the zone;

to perform such other functions, in relation to general mining operations in the zone, as are conferred on it by or under a prescribed instrument; and

to do anything incidental or conducive to the performance of any of the foregoing functions.

in so far as it is appropriate for the research to be performed by the Institute on behalf of the Government of the Commonwealth as the national Government of Australia; or

for purposes for which it is appropriate for the Parliament as the national Parliament of Australia to authorise the Institute to undertake the research; or

in the course of, or in relation to, trade and commerce with other countries, among the States, between Territories or between a Territory and a State; or

for purposes related to external affairs; or

for purposes in or in relation to a Territory.

to furnish to him or her, by writing signed by that person, or, in the case of a body corporate, by a competent officer of the body corporate, within the time and in the manner specified in the notice, such information in the possession of the person as is specified in the notice; or

to furnish to him or her, within the time and in the manner specified in the notice, such documents in the possession of the person as are specified in the notice;

being information that is or documents that are required for the performance of his or her functions or the performance of the functions of the Institute or the exercise of his or her powers (including his or her powers in relation to the management of the Institute).

is or are in the possession of, or available to, the person against whom the order is sought; and

is or are information or documents of a kind referred to in subsection 27(1);

the Court may make an order requiring the person against whom the order is sought to furnish to the Supervising Scientist, within the time and in the manner specified in the order, the information or documents as to which the Court is so satisfied.

to the Minister, to the Secretary of the Department that deals with matters arising under this Act or to an officer of, or an employee in, that Department approved by the Secretary of that Department; or

to a person to whom, in the opinion of the Minister, it is in the public interest that the information be communicated or the document produced.

shall set out all directions given under the Minister to the Supervising Scientist during the year to which the report relates;section 7 by

shall include information concerning:

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;

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;

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;

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

the implementation during that year of requirements referred to in subparagraph (iv); and

shall include a statement setting out the cost of his or her operations during the year to which the report relates.

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

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.

(b) The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 was amended by subsection 151(1) only of the Public Service Reform Act 1984, subsection 2(4) of which provides as follows:

(c) The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 was amended by section 3 only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1984, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

(d) The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 was amended by section 3 only of the Statute Law (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act (No. 1) 1985, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows:

(e) The Environment Protection (Alligator Rivers Region) Act 1978 was amended by Schedule 4 (items 41–54) and Schedule 7 (items 7 and 8) only of the Environmental Reform (Consequential Provisions) Act 1999, subsection 2(1) of which provides as follows: