Australia and the precautionary principle: Moving from international principles to domestic and local implementation

The precautionary principle has been widely accepted in policy directives and legislation at all levels of government in Australia. It has also been specifically recognized as policy guidance for Australian coastal and ocean planning and management. For example, the Commonwealth’s Guiding Principles for Management of Coastal Resources define the precautionary approach as:

1 If there is high risk of serious or irreversible adverse impacts from a use of a resource, that use should be permitted only if those impacts can be mitigated or there are overwhelming grounds for proceeding in the national interest.