South Australian Numbered Acts South Australian Numbered Acts (1) The following
objectives will apply in connection with the operation of this Act:
(a) the
protection of the dolphin population of the Port Adelaide River estuary and
Barker Inlet from direct physical harm is to be maintained and improved;
(b) the
key habitat features in the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet that
are necessary to sustain the dolphin population are to be maintained,
protected and restored;
(c)
water quality within the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet should
be improved to a level that sustains the ecological processes, environmental
values and productive capacity of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker
Inlet;
(d) the
interests of the community are to be taken into account by recognising
indigenous and other cultural, and historical, relationships with the Port
Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet and surrounding areas, and by ensuring
appropriate participation in processes associated with the management of the
Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet;
(e)
public awareness of the importance of a healthy Port Adelaide River estuary
and Barker Inlet to the economic, social and cultural prosperities of the
local communities, and the community more generally, is to be promoted;
(f) the
principles of ecological sustainable development in relation to the use and
management of the Port Adelaide River estuary and Barker Inlet are to be
promoted.
(2) For the purposes
of subsection (1)(f), the following are declared to be principles of
ecologically sustainable development:
(a) that
the use, development and protection of the environment should be managed in a
way, and at a rate, that will enable people and communities to provide for
their economic, social and physical well-being and for their health and safety
while—
(i)
sustaining the potential of natural and physical
resources to meet the reasonably foreseeable needs of future generations; and
(ii)
safeguarding the life-supporting capacity of air, water,
land and ecosystems; and
(iii)
avoiding, remedying or mitigating any adverse effects of
activities on the environment;
(b) that
proper weight should be given to both long and short term economic,
environmental, social and equity considerations in deciding all matters
relating to environmental protection, restoration and enhancement;
(c)
that, if there are threats of serious or irreversible environmental harm, lack
of full scientific certainty should not be taken to justify the postponement
of decisions or measures to prevent the environmental harm.