Commonwealth Numbered Acts

RESOURCE ASSESSMENT COMMISSION ACT 1989 No. 94, 1989 - SECT 3

3. In this Act, unless the contrary intention appears:

"Chairperson" means the Chairperson of the Commission;

"Commission" means the Resource Assessment Commission established by section
5;

"Commissioner" means the Chairperson or a special Commissioner;

"Commonwealth authority" means:

   (a)  a body or an authority established for a public purpose by or under a
        law of the Commonwealth; or

   (b)  a body corporate:

        (i)    incorporated under a law of the Commonwealth or a State; and

        (ii)   in which the Commonwealth has a controlling interest;

"conservation" means the management of the human use of the biosphere so that
it may yield the greatest sustainable benefit to present generations while
maintaining its potential to meet the needs and aspirations of future
generations, and includes the preservation, maintenance, sustainable
utilisation, restoration and enhancement of the environment;

"development" means the modification of the biosphere to satisfy human needs
and improve the quality of life;

"Division", in relation to an inquiry, means the Chairperson and the special
Commissioners (if any) for the inquiry;

"environment" includes all aspects of the surroundings of human beings,
whether affecting human beings as individuals or in social groupings;

"evidence", in relation to an inquiry, includes a submission to an inquiry,
whether oral or written;

"inhabited external Territory" means:

   (a)  Norfolk Island;

   (b)  the Territory of Christmas Island; or

   (c)  the Territory of Cocos (Keeling) Islands;

"inquiry" means an inquiry held under paragraph 16 (3) (a);

"Judge" means:

   (a)  a Judge of a court created by the Parliament;

   (b)  a person who has the same designation and status as such a Judge; or

   (c)  a Judge of a court of a State;

"losses" includes costs;

"referral", in relation to a resource matter, means a notice under subsection
16 (1) requiring the Commission to conduct an inquiry into that matter;

"report", in relation to an inquiry, means the report of the inquiry required
by paragraph 16 (3) (b);

"resource" means a biological, mineral or other material component, whether
natural or not, of the environment (other than a human being), and includes a
permanent or temporary combination or association of such components;

"resource matter" means any matter relating to the use of a resource and
includes:

   (a)  a matter involving the question whether a use of a resource is
        compatible with another use of that resource or with a use of another
        resource and:

        (i)    where the uses are compatible-the question whether they should
               be allowed at the same time or sequentially and under what
               conditions; or

        (ii)   where the uses are not compatible-the question which of them
               should be allowed and under what conditions; and

   (b)  a matter involving the question of the nature or extent of the
        environmental, cultural, social, industry, economic or other effects
        of a use of a resource;

"special Commissioner" means a person referred to in paragraph 10 (b), and, in
relation to an inquiry, means a special Commissioner appointed for the
purposes of the inquiry;

"State" includes the Australian Capital Territory and the Northern Territory;

"use" includes proposed use, and, in relation to a resource, includes:

   (a)  use for, or by way of, conservation or development; and

   (b)  use of the resource before, during or after any processing.