The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill 2025 allows Boards of Management for jointly managed Commonwealth reserves on Indigenous land to continue making management decisions after a plan expires until a new management plan comes into effect, ensuring uninterrupted Indigenous participation in governance.

This applies to Kakadu National Park, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa National Park and Booderee National Park, which are managed jointly by the Director of National Parks and majority-Indigenous boards under lease arrangements with Traditional Owners.

The Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Amendment (Board of Management Functions) Bill 2025 amends the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 to fill governance gaps when management plans lapse. It makes three key changes:

• Director’s reporting obligation: Amends paragraph 364(1)(b) so that if a Board’s decision after plan expiry conflicts with the most recent plan, the Director of National Parks must inform the Minister.
• Board decision-making function: Inserts a new function after subsection 376(1)(a) allowing a Board to make management decisions consistent with the most recently expired plan during any interim period.
• Clarification note: Adds a note at the end of subsection 376(1) reminding that under subsection 366(3) Boards must prepare new management plans with the Director.

These amendments maintain continuous decision-making by majority-Indigenous Boards at Kakadu, Uluṟu-Kata Tjuṯa and Booderee National Parks, prevent gaps between ten-year plans, and uphold both conservation and cultural objectives.