(1) A constitutional corporation, the Commonwealth or a Commonwealth agency must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the National Heritage values of a National Heritage place.
Civil Penalty:
(a) for an individual--5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate--50,000 penalty units.
(2) A person must not, for the purposes of trade or commerce:
(a) between Australia and another country; or
(b) between 2 States; or
(c) between a State and Territory; or
(d) between 2 Territories;
take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the National Heritage values of a National Heritage place.
Civil Penalty:
(a) for an individual--5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate--50,000 penalty units.
(3) A person must not take an action in:
(a) a Commonwealth area; or
(b) a Territory;
that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the National Heritage values of a National Heritage place.
Civil Penalty:
(a) for an individual--5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate--50,000 penalty units.
(4) A person must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the National Heritage values, to the extent that they are indigenous heritage values, of a National Heritage place.
Civil Penalty:
(a) for an individual--5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate--50,000 penalty units.
Note: For indigenous heritage value , see section 528.
(5) A person must not take an action that has, will have or is likely to have a significant impact on the National Heritage values of a National Heritage place in an area in respect of which Australia has obligations under Article 8 of the Biodiversity Convention.
Civil Penalty:
(a) for an individual--5,000 penalty units;
(b) for a body corporate--50,000 penalty units.
(6) Subsection (5) only applies to actions whose prohibition is appropriate and adapted to give effect to Australia's obligations under Article 8 of the Biodiversity Convention. (However, that subsection may not apply to certain actions because of subsection (8).)
(8) Subsections (1) to (5) (inclusive) do not apply to an action if:
(a) an approval of the taking of the action by the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth agency, Commonwealth or person is in operation under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; or
(b) Part 4 lets the constitutional corporation, Commonwealth agency, Commonwealth or person take the action without an approval under Part 9 for the purposes of this section; 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).