South Australian Consolidated Acts South Australian Consolidated Acts17—Functions of NRM Council
(1) The functions of
the NRM Council are—
(a) to
provide advice to the Minister on the administration and operation of this
Act; and
(b) to
audit, monitor and evaluate the state and condition of natural resources
across the State, and to evaluate and report on—
(i)
the performance of the NRM authorities established under
this Act; and
(ii)
the integration of natural resources management practices
on account of this Act; and
(c) to
prepare, and to keep under review, the State NRM Plan, and to keep under
review the extent to which—
(i)
regional NRM plans; and
(ii)
policies and practices adopted or applied by NRM
authorities,
are consistent with the State NRM Plan; and
(d) to
monitor and evaluate the effectiveness of—
(i)
this Act; and
(ii)
the State NRM Plan; and
(iii)
other natural resources management policies initiated by
the Government,
and to provide reports to the Minister, and to other relevant persons and
bodies, in relation to these matters; and
(e) as
far as reasonably practicable and appropriate—
(i)
to promote the implementation of integrated
natural resources management practices and principles under other Acts; and
(ii)
to contribute to the adoption of sound natural resources
management policies under the Planning Strategy under the Development
Act 1993 ; and
(iii)
to ensure that natural resources management issues are
considered when reports on the state of the environment are being prepared at
State level; and
(f) to
assist in the coordination of natural resources management initiatives across
2 or more regions and to resolve any issues that may arise between
regional NRM boards; and
(g) to
convene forums on a State-wide basis to discuss natural resources management
issues, and to promote public awareness of sound natural resources management
practices; and
(h) at
the request of the Minister, or on its own initiative, to advise the Minister
on any matter relevant to the condition of natural resources within the State,
or on the management of those resources, to conduct any inquiry or audit, or
to provide any other advice or report that may be appropriate in the
circumstances; and
(i)
such other functions assigned to the Council by the
Minister or by or under this or any other Act.
(2) If the Minister
assigns a function to the NRM Council under subsection (1)(i) (other than
a function that is not, in the opinion of the NRM Council, a significant
extension to its current functions), the NRM Council must cause a statement of
the fact of the assignment to be published in its next annual report.
(3) In performing its
functions, the NRM Council should seek to work collaboratively with—
(a)
other State agencies, agencies of the Commonwealth, and agencies of the other
States and Territories, that have functions that are relevant to those of the
Council; and
(b)
local government; and
(c)
relevant industry, environment and community groups and organisations.