TERMS OF REFERENCE
On 26 June 1995, the Senate resolved:
That the following matters be referred to the Environment, Recreation,
Communications and the Arts References Committee for inquiry and report
by the last sitting day of the 1996 Winter sittings:
The management of water and biological nutrients in Australia, with
particular emphasis on their loss from the terrestrial environment and
the problems that this loss into the marine and coastal environment
within Australia's economic zone causes by way of pollution from land
run-off, stormwater and sewage outfalls including:
(a) the adequacy of existing Commonwealth, State and Territory legislation
to give effect to Australia's obligations under the United Nations
Convention on the Law of the Sea, and other international treaties,
to address land-based and ship-sourced marine pollution and its effects;
(b) administrative arrangements required to better conserve the marine
and coastal environment, including consideration of an oceans management
policy and its implementation and the scientific research needed to
achieve this;
(c) impact of pollution on water and sediment quality, marine biodiversity,
and commercial and recreational users; and
(d) ways of maximising local community involvement in all aspects
of the assessment and management of marine and coastal pollution.
On 23 May 1996 the Senate adopted the report of the Committee recommending
that the Committee undertake the inquiry after it had completed the
inquiry into the Telstra (Dilution of Public Ownership) Bill 1996.