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Legislation & Annual Reports

The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005

The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005 came into operation on 4 June 2005 and establishes the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary. The Act is the legislative mechanism that integrates Government activities in this area to help protect the dolphins and their habitat.

The Report (Second Reading Speech) which explains the policy and legal effect of the Act is available on the Parliament website in Hansard, the Parliament's record of proceedings (http://www.parliament.sa.gov.au/Hansard/). Look at the record for the House of Assembly for 16 September 2004.

Seven Strategies of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act

The Act utilises seven key strategies to achieve its aims. These strategies are:

  1. Clear objects and objectives to facilitate understanding and achievement of the goals of the Sanctuary.
  2. Amendment of eleven existing Acts to help achieve integration of Government activities. This includes the addition of the Sanctuary objects and objectives to existing Acts where applicable, and also includes the requirement for appropriate consultation with the Sanctuary Minister when activities significantly affecting the Sanctuary are undertaken.
  3. The requirement to produce a Management Plan. This Plan is complemented by an annual Implementation Program which is part of the Minister's Annual Report to Parliament and provides timely accountability and transparency for Sanctuary operations.
  4. The establishment of an Advisory Board to provide advice to the Minister from community members outside of Government.
  5. The establishment of a fund to receive any monies from grants, gifts and bequests to help support Sanctuary operations.
  6. The establishment of a general duty of care to catch any activity not covered under existing legislation and not consistent with the objects and objectives.
  7. The requirement for the Minister for the Sanctuary to work with all members of the community to respect current use activities while undertaking education programs to promote the objects and objectives.

The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Annual Reports

The Minister for Environment and Conservation is required to prepare an annual report on the operation of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act to be presented to the South Australian Parliament each year. The Annual Report is to include information about:

  • the achievement of the objects and objectives of the Act;
  • the referral of matters under related operational Acts;
  • the enforcement of the general duty of care;
  • any actions taken by authorised officers; and
  • a program detailing proposals for the implementation of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Management Plan for the coming year.


See the 2007 - 2008 Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Annual Report (100Kb PDF), tabled on 25 November 2008.

The Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Advisory Board is also required to prepare an Annual Report on its operations. This report is included in the Minister's Annual Report on the administration of the Adelaide Dolphin Sanctuary Act 2005 (see Appendix 1).

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