South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts13—Composition of NRM Council
(1) The NRM Council
consists of 9 members appointed by the Governor on the nomination of the
Minister, being persons who collectively have, in the opinion of the Minister,
the knowledge, skills and experience necessary to enable the NRM Council to
carry out its functions effectively.
(2) Of those members:
(a) 1
(who will be the presiding member) must be a person who has, in the opinion of
the Minister, extensive experience in the management of natural resources and
been actively involved in community affairs; and
(b) 1
must be nominated from a panel of 3 persons submitted by the LGA; and
(c) 1
must be nominated from a panel of 3 persons submitted by the Conservation
Council of South Australia; and
(d) 1
must be nominated from a panel of 3 persons submitted by the South Australian
Farmers Federation Incorporated; and
(e) 1
must be nominated after the Minister has consulted with bodies that, in the
opinion of the Minister, are suitable to represent the interests of Aboriginal
people for the purposes of this Act.
(3) If the Minister
does not receive a submission from a body under subsection (2)(b), (c),
or (d) within 2 months after requesting the submission of 3 names by that
body, the Minister may, by notice in writing, request the relevant body to
make a nomination within a time (being not less than 1 month) allowed in the
notice and if a nomination is not made within that time, then the Minister may
proceed to nominate a person determined by the Minister in lieu of a person
submitted by that body.
(4) Before nominating
the remaining members of the NRM Council, the Minister must place a notice in
a newspaper circulating generally throughout the State inviting expressions of
interest for appointment to the NRM Council within a period specified by the
Minister, and then take into account any expressions of interest received
within the relevant time.
(5) For the purposes
of subsections (1) and (2), the Minister should (as far as is reasonably
practicable in the circumstances)—
(a) give
consideration to nominating persons so as to provide a range of knowledge,
skills and practical experience across the following areas:
(i)
primary production or pastoral land management (on the
basis of practical experience in these areas);
(ii)
soil conservation and land management;
(iii)
conservation and biodiversity management;
(iv)
water resources management;
(v)
business administration;
(vi)
local government or local government administration;
(vii)
urban and regional planning;
(viii)
Aboriginal interests in the land and water, and
Aboriginal heritage;
(ix)
coast, estuarine and marine management;
(x)
fisheries or aquaculture;
(xi)
pest animal and plant control;
(xii)
natural and social science; and
(b)
endeavour to nominate persons who are able to demonstrate an interest in
ensuring the sustainable use and conservation of natural resources and in
participating in community affairs; and
(c)
endeavour to include a range of persons from across the State.
(6) In addition, the
Minister must, before finalising his or her nominations for the purposes of
this section, consult with the designated Ministers.
(7) At least 2 members
of the NRM Council must be women and at least 2 members must be men.
(8) The Governor may,
on the nomination of the Minister, appoint a suitable person to be the deputy
of a member of the NRM Council.
(9) A deputy may act
as a member of the NRM Council during any period of absence of the member in
relation to whom the deputy has been appointed.
(10) The Minister may,
by instrument in writing, authorise a person or persons to attend any meeting
of the NRM Council in order to represent the interests of the Commonwealth,
the State or local government.
(11) A person who
holds an authorisation under subsection (10) is entitled—
(a) to
receive notice of any meeting of the NRM Council; and
(b) to
have access to papers provided to members of the NRM Council for the purposes
of any meeting; and
(c) to
attend, and participate in, any meeting of the NRM Council (but has no
entitlement to vote).