Northern Territory Consolidated Acts Northern Territory Consolidated Acts(1) In this section, referral authority means:
(a) a statutory corporation;
(b) a body corporate;
(c) the holder of a statutory office under a law of the Territory or the Commonwealth;
(d) an Agency; or
(e) a local authority or a minister,
that or who is specified in a planning scheme for the purposes of this section.
(2) A planning scheme may specify that a consent authority must not consent to a development taking place unless it has consulted with, or obtained the agreement of, a referral authority.
(3) If a planning scheme specifies that the agreement of a referral authority must be obtained before the consent authority consents to a development taking place, the planning scheme must specify the matters that the referral authority must take into account in considering whether to agree.
(4) A referral authority may, by notice in writing to the consent authority, specify circumstances in which the consultation or agreement required by a planning scheme may be assumed to have taken place or been given.
(5) A consent authority must not consent to a development unless:
(a) if a planning scheme requires the consent authority to consult with a referral authority before consenting:
(i) the consent authority has consulted with the referral authority; or
(ii) the circumstances in which the consultation required by the planning scheme may be assumed to have taken place exist in relation to the development application; or
(b) if a planning scheme requires the consent authority to obtain the agreement of a referral authority before consenting:
(i) the consent authority has obtained the agreement; or
(ii) the circumstances in which the agreement may be assumed to have been given exist.