Water Resources Act 2007

On application by a person for a waterway work licence, the authority must—

issue the licence; or

refuse to issue the licence.

The authority must not issue a waterway work licence unless satisfied it is appropriate to do so having regard to—

whether issuing the licence would or may—

adversely affect the environmental flows for a particular waterway or aquifer that are required under the environmental flow guidelines; or

adversely affect the environment in any other way; or

adversely affect the interests of other water users; and

whether the work would be in the interests of the public; and

for work that involves the construction or alteration of a water structure—

whether the structure is designed to allow water to pass over, under or through it; and

the need for the structure and whether another more appropriate approach is available; and

anything else the authority considers relevant.