Compliance and enforcement
The EPBC Act and EPBC Regulations, in conjunction with the Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park Plan of Management and commercial tour operator permit conditions, set out laws and conditions to ensure visitor enjoyment and proper management of the Park as a protected area. In addition, the EPBC Act and EPBC Regulations also set out civil and criminal penalties for breaches.
For commercial tour operators, compliance with the EPBC Act in accordance with permit conditions is the responsibility of the permittee, the permittee’s staff and the permittee’s tour guides.
To provide a structured approach to compliance in all of the areas managed by Parks Australia, a Compliance and Enforcement Strategy was developed. This strategy sets out a hierarchy of enforcement approaches to achieve compliance. These start with simple encouragement techniques and escalate in steps up to incapacitation (imprisonment).
As the vast majority of visitors to national parks voluntarily comply with the EPBC Act and will respond favourably to gentle persuasion. The Park, in turn, uses education and voluntary compliance measures as its primary enforcement strategy.
One example of these measures are the compliance checks carried out by Park staff to ensure that tour guides are operating in compliance with permits. These checks are a way to educate the industry and the public about the legislation that operates in the Park. Tour guides with a good understanding of compliance requirements are better able to assist staff in their management of the Park.
The previous topics in this section offered guides an understanding of the regulations and permit requirements when working at Uluru–Kata Tjuta National Park. The following readings provide an overview of the Park’s compliance procedures as well as compliance issues regularly identified by Park staff.
The further readings in the right-hand column are suggested for those who have the time and interest in pursuing added knowledge about this topic.
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