An Act to provide for the protection of rural lands; to provide for the constitution and functions of rural lands protection boards and a State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards; to repeal the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989; to amend the Impounding Act 1993 to provide for the boards to exercise functions as impounding authorities under that Act; to make consequential amendments to various other Acts; and for other purposes.
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Name of Act
This Act is the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
2 Commencement
This Act commences on a day or days to be appointed by proclamation.
3 Definitions
Expressions used in this Act that are defined in the Dictionary have the meanings set out in the Dictionary.Note—Expressions used in this Act (or in a particular provision of this Act) that are defined in the Interpretation Act 1987 have the meanings set out in that Act.
4 Notes
Notes included in this Act do not form part of this Act.
Part 2 Rural lands protection districts and regions
5 Rural lands protection districts
(1) The Governor may, by proclamation, constitute rural lands protection districts having boundaries and names determined by the Governor.(2) The Governor may, by proclamation:(a) alter the boundaries of any district, or(b) dissolve the whole or any part of a district, or(c) amalgamate part or all of one district with part or all of one or more other districts to constitute a single district having the boundaries and name determined by the Governor, or(d) alter the name of any district.(3) The Governor may, by proclamation, vest any property, and assign any rights and obligations, of a board for a district referred to in subsection (2) (a), (b) or (c) in another board or boards.(4) A proclamation under this section takes effect on the day it is published in the Gazette or on a later day specified in the proclamation.
6 Division of districts
(1) The Minister must, by order published in the Gazette, divide each district that is not exempt from this section into as many divisions (and having such boundaries) as the Minister considers appropriate.(2) An order under this section takes effect on the day it is published in the Gazette or on a later day specified in the order.Note—The Minister may amend or repeal an order made under this section. See section 43 of the Interpretation Act 1987.
7 Exemptions from division of districts
The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, exempt a district in the Western Division from the operation of section 6 if requested to do so by the board for the district.
8 When is a holding within a district?
(1) For the purposes of this Act:(a) a holding located partly in 2 or more districts is to be regarded as being wholly within the district in which the greater part lies, and(b) a holding located partly in 2 or more divisions is to be regarded as being wholly within the division in which the greater part lies.(2) For the purposes of this section, if the parts of a holding are equal in size, the part on which the principal residence (if any) is located is to be regarded as being the greater part. If there is no principal residence any dispute as to which part of such a holding is to be treated as the greater part is to be decided by the Minister.
9 Rural lands protection regions
The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, declare that land within 2 or more districts is a rural lands protection region.
Part 3 Functional responsibilities
10 State Council accountable to Minister
The State Council is, in the exercise of its functions, subject to the control and direction of the Minister.
11 State Council accountable to State Conferences for implementation of general policies
(1) The State Council is responsible for the implementation by the boards of the general policies for the protection of rural lands and the operation of boards that are determined from time to time at State Conferences.(2) A board must give the State Council any information about the operations of the board that the State Council requests.
12 Boards accountable to State Council
A board is responsible for the operation of the board in accordance with any guidelines, and specific requests under section 27, of the State Council.
13 Memorandum of understanding
(1) The State Council must enter into a memorandum of understanding with the Director-General regarding the exercise of any function relating to animal health, and may enter into such a memorandum of understanding relating to any other function, conferred or imposed by or under this Act or by the memorandum of understanding on the Director-General, the State Council and the boards, respectively.(2) Without limiting the matters for which the memorandum of understanding may make provision, it is to make provision with respect to indemnification by the State of the State Council and boards and their members, directors and employees against costs incurred in respect of such legal proceedings relating to their functions as may be agreed between the State Council and the Director-General.(3) The memorandum of understanding must be entered into within a reasonable period after the commencement of this section.(4) The memorandum of understanding may be amended or replaced from time to time.(5) The functions of the Director-General, of the State Council, and of each board, must as far as practicable be exercised in conformity with the memorandum of understanding. However, a failure to comply with this subsection does not itself invalidate anything done or omitted to be done by the Director-General, the State Council or a board.
Part 4 Annual State Conference of boards
14 Annual State Conference of boards
(1) A State Conference of boards is to be convened each year.(2) The Minister is to convene the first State Conference after the commencement of this section in such manner as the Minister thinks fit.(3) The State Council is to convene a State Conference in each subsequent year.(4) The State Council is to give each board at least 42 days’ notice in writing of the time and place at which the State Conference is to take place.
15 Who is to represent boards at State Conference?
(1) The Minister is to determine the persons who are to represent the boards at the first State Conference in such manner as the Minister thinks fit.(2) The persons to represent the boards at subsequent State Conferences are to be determined, subject to the regulations, in the manner decided by resolution from time to time at State Conferences.
16 What constitutes a resolution of State Conference?
A decision supported by a majority of votes at a State Conference is a resolution of the State Conference.
17 Business of State Conference
The matters to be determined by resolution at a State Conference are:(a) the general policies to be implemented by boards for the protection of rural lands on a State and national basis,(b) the primary policies to guide the State Council in carrying out its functions,(c) the budget for the State Council for the following financial year,(d) any specified matter relating to the operation of boards that is placed on the agenda for the State Conference at the request of the Minister, the State Council or a board,(e) such other matters as may be prescribed by the regulations.
18 Procedure for conduct of business
The procedure for the conduct of business at a State Conference is, subject to this Act and the regulations, to be determined by resolution at the State Conference.
Part 5 State Council
Division 1 Constitution of State Council
19 Constitution of State Council
(1) There is constituted by this Act a corporation under the corporate name of State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards.(2) The State Council does not, for any purpose, represent the Crown.
20 Members of State Council
The members of the State Council are the persons who represent each region.
21 Who represents a region?
A person represents the districts comprising a region if he or she has been elected, in accordance with the regulations, to represent the region.
22 Provisions relating to constitution and procedure of State Council
(1) The constitution and procedure of the State Council are, subject to this Act and the regulations, to be determined by the State Council.(2) Schedule 1 has effect with respect to the constitution and procedure of the State Council.
23 Staff of State Council
(1) The State Council may employ such staff (including a Chief Executive Officer) as it considers necessary for the exercise of its functions.(2) The Public Sector Management Act 1988 does not apply to the members of staff of the State Council.
Division 2 Functions of State Council
24 Functions of State Council
(1) The State Council has such functions as are conferred or imposed on it by or under this or any other Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the State Council has the following functions:(a) in consultation with the boards, the formulation and co-ordination of the implementation by boards of general policies for the protection of rural lands on a State and national basis having regard to any resolutions at State Conferences,(b) the co-ordination and supervision of the implementation by boards of those policies in districts,(c) the provision of advice and assistance about, and the monitoring of the implementation by boards of, function management plans,(d) consultation with boards about, and entering into arrangements on behalf of boards for or with respect to, services provided by boards on behalf of other public authorities,(e) engagement in negotiations with public authorities in relation to the exercise of functions of the boards that affect those authorities,(f) ensuring, as far as practicable, that boards carry out the accounting obligations imposed on them by or under this or any other Act,(g) determination (except in so far as provision is otherwise made by law) of the conditions of employment (including wages, salary or remuneration) of employees of boards,(h) the exclusive responsibility for entry into industrial agreements on behalf of boards,(i) production and dissemination of information on the functions, policies and procedures of boards,(j) provision of training for staff and directors of boards concerning the administration and operation of boards and functions carried out by the staff and directors,(k) carrying out such other functions as may be imposed on it by the Minister.
25 Guidelines
(1) The State Council may issue to a board guidelines that are not inconsistent with this Act or any other law in respect of the exercise of any function of the board.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), the State Council may issue guidelines in respect of the preparation, contents, submission and adoption of function management plans.
26 Delegation
The State Council may delegate any of its functions (other than this power of delegation) to a board or any other person.
Division 3 Boards to comply with State Council’s requests
27 State Council may request a board to take specified action
(1) The State Council may, by notice in writing, request a board to take action specified in the notice with respect to the carrying out of any function of the board.(2) The State Council may make such a request if:(a) a board fails to comply with any obligation imposed on it in respect of the function by or under this or any other Act or the memorandum of understanding, or(b) a board fails to exercise a function in conformity with any relevant guideline or general policy determination made at a State Conference, or(c) a board fails to exercise a function in conformity with any relevant function management plan, or(d) the State Council considers it necessary to make such a request to ensure that the board complies with such an obligation or acts in conformity with the guideline, determination or plan in the future.(3) The notice may require the board to comply with the request within such reasonable period as is specified in the notice.
28 Notice to warn board of consequence of failure to comply with request
A notice under section 27 is to warn the board that a failure to comply with the request (or to comply with it within the period, if any, specified in the notice) may result in action being taken by the State Council under section 29 or appointment of an administrator under Part 14, or both.
29 Action that may be taken for failure to comply with request
(1) The State Council may itself take the action necessary to carry out a function in accordance with a request it has made to a board if:(a) the board fails to comply with the request within the period for compliance (if any) specified in the notice, or(b) no period for compliance is specified in the notice—the board fails to comply with the request within a reasonable period after the request is made.(2) The State Council may take any action necessary to give effect to a request.(3) Any action taken by the State Council to give effect to a request made to a board is to have effect as if it were taken by the board.(4) The State Council may, by notice given to a board, require the board to pay to it an amount to reimburse the State Council within a period specified in the notice for any costs incurred by the State Council in taking action under this section.(5) Any amount that remains unpaid at the end of the period specified may be recovered by the State Council from the board concerned as a debt in a court of competent jurisdiction.Note—The State Council may also request the Minister to appoint an administrator if a board fails to comply with a request. See Division 2 of Part 14.
Division 4 Finance
30 State Council’s fund
(1) The State Council is to establish and maintain a fund into which is to be paid all money received by the State Council by or under this or any other Act.(2) Money may, subject to this Act, be paid from the State Council’s fund for any purpose allowed under this or any other Act.
31 Boards to contribute to State Council’s fund
(1) Each board must, within such period and in such manner as is determined by the State Council, pay a contribution each year to the State Council for the purpose of paying the salaries of the staff and other costs and expenses of the State Council.(2) The contribution to be made by each board is to be calculated in the manner determined from time to time by resolution at State Conferences or, if regulations are made for the purposes of this subsection, as prescribed by the regulations.
32 Investment
The State Council may invest money in its fund:(a) in such manner as may be authorised by the Public Authorities (Financial Arrangements) Act 1987, or(b) if that Act does not confer power on the State Council to invest the money—in accordance with the Trustee Act 1925 or in any other manner approved by the Minister with the concurrence of the Treasurer.
33 Financial year of State Council
The financial year of the State Council is the year commencing on 1 January.Note—A different financial year may be determined by the Treasurer under section 4 (1A) of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983.
34 Audit of financial statements
The State Council must submit the financial statements relating to its accounts for a financial year and the opinion furnished by the Auditor-General under section 41C of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 to the Minister within 6 weeks after the Auditor-General submits them to the State Council.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
35 Performance audit of State Council’s activities
(1) The Minister may request the Auditor-General to conduct a performance audit of all or any particular activities of the State Council under Division 2A of Part 3 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983.(2) The Auditor-General must conduct such a performance audit of all or any particular activities of the State Council if requested to do so by the Minister.(3) The cost of conducting a performance audit is payable by the State Council.Note—The Auditor-General may surcharge members and employees of the State Council for improper expenditure. See Part 15.s 35: Am 2001 No 90, Sch 2.3 [1] [3].
Division 5 Miscellaneous
36 Annual reports
(1) A board must prepare a report in accordance with the guidelines in each year concerning its activities during the previous year and submit it to the State Council.(2) A board that complies with subsection (1) is not required to make any separate report for the year under the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984.(3) A report for a year under the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984 in respect of the State Council is to include details of any report for a board submitted to it for the year under this section.
Part 6 Rural lands protection boards
Division 1 Constitution of rural lands protection boards
37 Board to be constituted for each district
(1) A rural lands protection board is constituted by this Act for each district.(2) A board does not, for any purpose, represent the Crown.(3) Schedule 1 has effect with respect to the constitution and procedure of a board.
38 Board is body corporate
A board is a body corporate.Note—Part 8 of the Interpretation Act 1987 applies to statutory bodies. It contains provisions stating the general attributes of statutory incorporation (for example, perpetual succession, the requirement for a seal, the tabling of proceedings), it provides for judicial notice to be taken of a statutory corporation’s seal, it creates a presumption of regularity for acts and proceedings of a statutory corporation and contains other provisions.
39 What is a board’s corporate name?
(1) The corporate name of a board is the name of the district for which the board is constituted, but with the word “board” substituted for the word “district”.(2) A board for a district is to publish notice of any alteration of its corporate name in a newspaper circulating generally in the district.Note—The name of a district, and therefore the corporate name of a board, can be altered under section 5 (2).
40 Directors of boards
(1) A board is to consist of 8 directors or, if in relation to a particular board the Minister specifies a different number of directors under subsection (2)—the number specified.(2) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, direct that a particular board is to consist of the number of directors specified in the order.(3) If a district is divided into divisions, such number of directors as is specified by the Minister by order published in the Gazette must be elected or appointed for each division.(4) The directors are to be elected or appointed in accordance with Schedule 2.
41 Dissolution of boards
A board is dissolved if:(a) the district for which it is constituted becomes wholly comprised within another district, or(b) all parts of the district for which it is constituted are wholly distributed among other districts, or(c) the district for which it is constituted is amalgamated into one or more other districts, or(d) the district for which it is constituted is divided into 2 or more other districts.
Division 2 Functions of boards
42 Functions generally
(1) A board has the functions conferred or imposed on it by or under this or any other Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), a board has the following functions:(a) any function with respect to animal health or the protection of rural lands referred to in this Act or the regulations that is not specifically conferred or imposed on another person or body,(b) the administration within its district of drought or other disaster relief schemes,(c) the provision of any service on behalf of or to a public authority by arrangement with the public authority,(d) the doing of anything necessary, or supplemental or incidental to, the exercise of its functions.(3) The Minister may (with the concurrence of the State Council) delegate to a board any functions of the Minister under the Stock Diseases Act 1923, the Stock (Chemical Residues) Act 1975 or any other Act prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.
43 Staff of boards
(1) A board may employ such staff as it considers necessary for the exercise of its functions.(2) However, each board (other than a board established for a district located in the Western Division) must employ a full-time district veterinarian.(3) A person must not be employed as the district veterinarian for a board’s district unless the person is registered as a veterinary surgeon under the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1986.(4) The Public Sector Management Act 1988 does not apply to the staff of a board.
Division 3 Function management plans
44 Boards to prepare draft function management plans
(1) A board must prepare a draft function management plan for its functions in respect of all travelling stock reserves under its care, control and management within such period as is specified by the State Council.(2) A board must prepare a draft function management plan for any of its other functions if it is requested to do so by the State Council.
45 Contents of draft plans in respect of travelling stock reserves
(1) A draft function management plan for a board’s functions with respect to travelling stock reserves is to contain a scheme of management practices to be followed with respect to the reserves.(2) Without limiting any other matters to which regard may be had in preparing the draft, regard is to be had to the following objectives:(a) the management of travelling stock reserves for the benefit of travelling stock,(b) the adoption of appropriate stocking practices,(c) the conservation of wildlife (including the conservation of critical habitat and threatened species, populations and ecological communities and their habitat),(d) the protection of the reserves against soil erosion and diminution of water quality.
46 Public exhibition and consultation requirements for draft plans in respect of travelling stock reserves
(1) A board is to give public notice of a draft function management plan for functions with respect to travelling stock reserves prepared by it in a newspaper circulating generally in its district and is to place the draft on public exhibition for a period of not less than 28 days.(2) The public notice must also specify a period of not less than 42 days after the date on which the draft is placed on public exhibition during which submissions on the draft may be made to the board.(3) The board may (but is not required to) permit a submission to be made after the day specified for the close of submissions.(4) Any person may request the board to supply the person with a copy of the draft and may make a submission on the draft to the board.(5) The board may provide a copy of a draft for taking away (either free of charge or on payment of reasonable charges, as the board chooses).
47 Submission and adoption of draft plans
(1) A board is to submit each draft function management plan that it prepares to the State Council.(2) A draft function management plan for functions with respect to travelling stock reserves may be submitted only after the board has considered all submissions concerning the draft received before the day specified for the close of submissions and has made any alterations to the draft it considers appropriate.(3) The State Council is to consult with the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife, the Director-General of Land and Water Conservation, the Director of NSW Fisheries and any other person or body prescribed by the regulations with respect to any draft function management plan for functions with respect to travelling stock reserves submitted to it.(4) The State Council may either agree to the implementation of a draft plan submitted to it without alteration or refer it back to the board for further consideration.(5) If the State Council agrees to the implementation of a draft function management plan for a function of a board, the draft is the function management plan for the board for the function concerned.
48 Alteration or revocation of function management plans
(1) The State Council may request a board to amend any of its function management plans or to revoke any such plan and substitute a new plan.(2) Except as provided by subsection (3), this Division applies to the amendment of a function management plan in the same way as it applies to the preparation and adoption of a draft function management plan.(3) If the State Council is of the opinion that a proposed amendment to a function management plan is minor in nature, the State Council may authorise the board not to comply with sections 46 and 47 in respect of the amendment.
49 Function to be exercised in accordance with relevant function management plan
(1) Any function of the board for which there is a function management plan must as far as practicable be exercised in accordance with the function management plan.(2) The exercise of that function is not invalid because of a contravention of any such plan. However, this subsection does not prevent the State Council from exercising its powers under section 27 in respect of the function.
Division 4 Financial provisions
50 Board’s fund
(1) A board is to establish and maintain a fund into which is to be paid all money received by the board by or under this or any other Act.(2) Money may be paid from the board’s fund for any purpose allowed by or under this or any other Act.(3) However:(a) money that has been received by imposition of a special purpose rate may not be used otherwise than for the purpose for which the rate was levied, and(b) money that is subject to the provisions of this or any other Act (being provisions that state that the money may be used only for a specific purpose) may be used only for that purpose, and(c) money that has been received from a Government or a public authority by way of a specific purpose advance or grant may not (except with the consent of the Government or public authority) be used otherwise than for that specific purpose, and(d) money that is held on trust must be applied for the purposes of or in accordance with the trusts relating to it.(4) A board is to keep a separate record of money of the kind referred to in subsection (3).(5) Money in the board’s fund may not be held otherwise than in an account with a bank, building society or credit union or in an investment in which such money is, by or under this or any other Act, authorised to be invested.
51 Alternative use of money raised by special purpose rates
Despite section 50 (3), money received by a board by imposition of a special purpose rate that is surplus to the purpose for which the rate was imposed may be used by the board for any other purpose approved by the Minister.
52 Investment
A board may invest money in its fund:(a) in such manner as may be authorised by the Public Authorities (Financial Arrangements) Act 1987, or(b) if that Act does not confer power on the board to invest the money—in accordance with the Trustee Act 1925 or in any other manner approved by the Minister with the concurrence of the Treasurer.
53 Financial year of board
The financial year of a board is the year commencing on 1 January.Note—A different financial year may be determined by the Treasurer under section 4 (1A) of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983.
54 Audit of financial statements
A board must submit the financial statements relating to its accounts for a financial year and the opinion furnished by the Auditor-General under section 41C of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983 to the Minister within 6 weeks after the Auditor-General submits them to the board.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
55 Performance audit of board’s activities
(1) The Minister may request the Auditor-General to conduct a performance audit of all or any particular activities of a board under Division 2A of Part 3 of the Public Finance and Audit Act 1983.(2) The request may be made on the Minister’s own initiative or at the request of the State Council.(3) The Auditor-General must conduct such a performance audit of all or any particular activities of a board if requested to do so by the Minister.(4) The Minister is to advise the board and the State Council of the outcome of the performance audit as soon as practicable after receiving the Auditor-General’s report on it and is to forward a copy of the report to the board and the State Council.(5) The State Council is to advise the board and the Minister in writing of the things done or proposed to be done by the State Council in response to the report as soon as practicable (or within such period as the Minister directs) after it receives the copy of the report.(6) The cost of conducting a performance audit is payable by the board concerned.Note—The Auditor-General may surcharge directors and employees of a board for improper expenditure. See Part 15.s 55: Am 2001 No 90, Sch 2.3 [2] [3].
Division 5 Miscellaneous
56 What information is publicly available?
(1) In this section:publicly available document means any of the following documents:(a) any annual report prepared by the board (or by the State Council in respect of the board) under this Act or the Annual Reports (Statutory Bodies) Act 1984,(b) the financial statements and opinion referred to in section 54,(c) any report on a performance audit under section 55,(d) minutes of board meetings (other than minutes for any meeting or part of a meeting that is closed to the public) and any other matters that the board resolves should be made public,(e) the board’s function management plans.(2) Any person is entitled to inspect the current version of a publicly available document free of charge.(3) Any person is entitled to inspect free of charge:(a) a document that was replaced by a current publicly available document, and(b) if a publicly available document is produced annually—the corresponding document produced for the previous year.(4) The documents may be inspected at the principal office of the board during ordinary office hours.(5) The board may provide a copy of any document for taking away (either free of charge or on payment of reasonable charges, as the board chooses).(6) The board may allow inspection of versions of the documents other than the current and immediately preceding versions if those other versions are reasonably accessible.(7) This section does not prevent the board from allowing inspection free of charge of any other of its documents.(8) This section does not apply to a document that is made or produced before the commencement of this section.s 56: Am 2001 No 90, Sch 2.3 [3].
57 Fees for services
A board may charge and recover a reasonable fee for any service it provides under this or any other Act or the regulations.
Part 7 Rates
Division 1 Preliminary
58 Definitions
In this Part:notional carrying capacity, in relation to land within a district, means the number of stock that the board for the district has assessed in accordance with Division 4 could be maintained on the land.occupier of land means the person entitled to immediate possession of the land but, if the person so entitled does not reside on the land, does not include the resident manager or other person in charge of the land.
59 Treatment of certain holdings as single holdings
A board must, if requested to do so by a person who is the occupier of 2 or more holdings within its district that are not contiguous, treat the holdings as a single holding for the purposes of determining liability to pay a rate under this Part.
Division 2 Rates
60 What is rateable land?
For the purposes of this Act, land within a district is rateable land if it is the whole or any part of a holding that is within the district and either:(a) the land has an area that is not less than the area prescribed by the regulations in relation to the district for the purposes of this paragraph, or(b) if the regulations provide for land to be rateable land in any other specified circumstances—those circumstances exist in respect of the land.Note—See section 8 for when a holding is within a district.s 60: Subst 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [1].
61 What are the types of rate?
(1) The following types of rate can be made by a board:(a) a general rate,(b) an animal health rate,(c) special purpose rates.(2) An animal health rate may be levied in respect of rateable land comprising a holding for which an annual return has not been lodged in accordance with section 76.
62 When are rates to be made and levied?
(1) A board must make and levy a general rate for each year on all rateable land in its district.(2) A board must make and levy an animal health rate for each year.(3) A board may make and levy one or more special purpose rates for any year on any land in its district when the board considers it necessary to do so.(4) A rate is to be made in accordance with the regulations.(5) The regulations may:(a) specify a minimum amount of any rate that may be levied in respect of land in a district,(b) specify a minimum or maximum amount of any rate that may be levied in respect of any land in a district having a notional carrying capacity specified by the regulations,(c) specify the purposes for which any special purpose rate or animal health rate may be levied,(d) exempt rateable land on which less than a specified number of stock are kept from liability for any animal health rate.
63 How is a rate levied?
(1) A rate is levied on the land specified in a rate notice by giving the notice to any occupier of the land liable to pay the rate.Note—Section 240 (Service and giving of notice and other documents) sets out the ways in which notice may be given.(2) A rate notice is to be in the approved form and is to specify the amount of each rate levied.(3) A rate is due and payable on the day (being a day not less than 28 days and not more than 42 days after notice of the rate is given) specified in the notice.(4) A board may accept payment of a rate by instalments or in accordance with an agreement made with the person liable to pay the rate.(5) For the purposes of subsection (1), if there are 2 or more occupiers of land, a rate notice duly given to any one of the occupiers is taken to have been given to the other occupiers of the land.(6) An occupier (other than the owner) of land who is given a rate notice must give any owner (other than the Crown) of the land oral or written advice of the rate levied within 14 days after being given the rate notice.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
Division 3 Liability for rates
64 Occupiers are liable to pay rates
(1) The occupier of land on which a rate is levied by a board is liable to pay the rate to the board, except as provided by this Part.(2) If there are 2 or more occupiers of the land, they are jointly and severally liable to pay the rate. However, as between themselves they are liable only for that part of the rate that is proportionate to the occupier’s interest in the land.(3) An occupier who pays to the board more than the occupier’s proportionate part of the rate may recover the excess by way of contribution from the other occupier or occupiers.
65 Liability of owner (other than Crown) to pay rates not paid by occupier
(1) An owner (other than the Crown) of the land in respect of which any rate is levied by the board is liable for payment to the board of the whole or any part of the rate that is unpaid 12 months after the day on which it became due and payable and any interest or any other charges payable in respect of the rate.(2) A board cannot recover any unpaid rate, interest or charges from an owner under subsection (1) unless it gives the owner 28 days’ notice of the amount of the rate that is unpaid and of any interest or charges payable in respect of the rate.(3) An owner who pays the whole or part of an unpaid rate or any interest or charges payable in respect of the rate may recover the amount paid from the occupier who was given the rate notice.(4) Nothing in subsection (2) affects any occupier’s liability for payment of a rate.(5) If there are 2 or more owners of land, they are jointly and severally liable to pay the unpaid rate. However, as between themselves they are liable only for that part of the rate that is proportionate to the owner’s interest in the land.(6) An owner who pays to the board more than the owner’s proportionate part of the unpaid rate may recover the excess by way of contribution from the other owner or owners.
66 Liability when occupier or owner of land changes
(1) The liability of a person to pay a rate in respect of land that is unpaid on the day the person ceases to be the occupier or owner of the land continues until the day on which notice of the change in occupancy or ownership is given by the person in accordance with section 81.(2) A person who pays any rate levied in respect of land after the person ceases to occupy or own the land and before the person gives notice of the change in occupancy or ownership of the land may recover the amount from any successive occupier or owner of the land who is liable to pay that rate.(3) A person who becomes the occupier of land that is the subject of a lease, licence or purchase from the Crown is not liable for any rate levied in respect of the land that is unpaid on the day the person becomes the occupier of the land.
67 Apportionment of rates
(1) This section applies to a rate levied in respect of land for a year if the occupancy or ownership of the land (whether in whole or in part) is subsequently changed during that year to a different occupier or owner.(2) The rate is payable as between the former and subsequent occupier or owner of land proportionately to the part of the year during which the occupier or owner occupied the land and to the part of the land occupied or owned.
68 Recovery of rates paid when not occupier or owner
An occupier or owner of land who pays to a board any rate that accrued during the occupancy or ownership of the land by some other person is entitled to recover from that other person such proportion of the rate as accrued while that other person was the occupier or owner of the land.
Division 4 Assessment of notional carrying capacity of land
69 Assessment of notional carrying capacity
(1) A board must assess the notional carrying capacity of each holding in its district in accordance with the regulations.(2) The board may assess the notional carrying capacity of a holding at any time but must assess it within 5 years (or such other period as may be prescribed by the regulations) of its last assessment.(3) The board is to give any occupier of the holding notice of its assessment as soon as practicable after it is made (but not later than on the first occasion following the assessment on which a rate notice with respect to the land is given).(4) For the purposes of subsection (3), if there are 2 or more occupiers of a holding, a notice of assessment duly given to any one of the occupiers is taken to have been given to the other occupiers of the holding.(5) An occupier (other than the owner) of a holding who is given a notice of assessment must give each other occupier and each owner oral or written advice of the assessment within 14 days after being given the notice of assessment.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
70 Application for review of assessment
(1) An owner or occupier of a holding who is dissatisfied with a board’s assessment of the notional carrying capacity of the holding may apply in writing to the board for a review of the assessment.(2) An application for review of an assessment must be made not later than 28 days after notice of the assessment is given to the occupier.(3) The board may, within 28 days of receipt of an application for review of an assessment, require the applicant to provide the board with such additional information as the board may reasonably require to review the assessment.(4) The board is not required to deal with an application for review of an assessment if the applicant fails to provide additional information to the board when required to do so.
71 Review of assessment
(1) The board is to review the assessment within the period of 40 days after:(a) it receives the application, or(b) if it has required the applicant to provide additional information, receipt of the information.(2) On reviewing an assessment, the board concerned may:(a) confirm the assessment, or(b) vary the assessment.(3) The board is to give the applicant for review of the assessment notice of its decision on review of the assessment as soon as practicable after the review.(4) An applicant who is given notice of the board’s decision on review of an assessment must give each other occupier or owner of the land oral or written advice of the decision within 14 days after being given notice of it.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(5) The board is taken (for the purposes only of an appeal) to have decided to confirm the assessment if the board has not reviewed the assessment within the period of 40 days after:(a) the making of the application for review, or(b) if it has required the applicant to provide additional information, receipt of the information.
Division 5 Appeals against assessment of notional carrying capacity and rates
72 Appeals against assessment
(1) If an occupier or owner of a holding is dissatisfied with the decision of a board on review of an assessment of the notional carrying capacity of a holding, the occupier or owner may, not later than 30 days after being given notice of the decision, appeal against the board’s assessment to the appropriate local land board.(2) An appeal is to be determined on the information provided or available to the board in making the assessment and any additional information provided under section 70. However, the local land board may also take into account any relevant information contained in an annual return under section 76 that has been duly lodged by the applicant.
73 Appeals against rates
(1) An occupier or owner of land may appeal against the validity of any rate levied on land to the appropriate local land board.(2) An appeal may be made on the ground that the land or part of it is not rateable or is not subject to a particular rate.(3) An appeal is to be lodged within 30 days after the occupier of the land is given the rate notice.(4) The local land board is not to hear an appeal under this section in respect of a rate levied in respect of a year unless the appellant has produced to the local land board a certificate issued by the board (or such other evidence as is acceptable to the local land board) confirming that all rates due and payable in any preceding year in relation to the land have been paid.Note—Section 240 (Service and giving of notices and other documents) sets out various ways in which a rate notice may be given.
74 Hearing of appeals
(1) After hearing the appeal against an assessment of the notional carrying capacity of a holding, the local land board must decide the appeal by:(a) confirming the assessment, or(b) varying the assessment by altering the assessment.(2) After hearing the appeal against a rate levied on land, the local land board must decide the appeal either:(a) by confirming the rate as levied, or(b) by varying the rate.(3) The decision of a local land board on the hearing of the appeal is final.
Division 6 Recovery of rates
75 Measures to facilitate the recovery of rates
(1) The lodgment of an appeal against the validity of the rate under section 73 does not prevent proceedings being taken for the recovery of the rate.(2) The fact that an appeal has been lodged against the validity of a rate under section 73 does not prevent the State Council from exercising a power conferred by section 79.Note—A board may sell land in respect of which the payment of rates is overdue—see Schedule 5.
Division 7 Annual returns
76 Annual returns of land and stock
(1) An annual return for a holding in a district must be lodged in accordance with the regulations by any person prescribed by the regulations as the person responsible for the lodgment of such a return.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(2) The annual return is to give details of the matters prescribed by the regulations.
77 Change of occupier after lodgment of return
An annual return for a holding that is lodged in accordance with section 76 remains the annual return for that holding for the year it concerns irrespective of any changes occurring in that year in respect of the ownership or occupation of the land or the stock kept on the holding.
78 Duty to supply information in respect of land or stock
A board may, subject to the regulations, require any person who lodges an annual return or any owner or occupier of the holding to which an annual return relates to provide any specified information relating to matters covered by the return for the purpose of:(a) verifying or updating the board’s records, or(b) inquiring into the accuracy of information contained in the return.Note—It is an offence in some circumstances to fail to provide information when required to do so under this Act see section 210 (Offences relating to the provision of information in relation to certain matters).
Division 8 Miscellaneous
79 Irregularities concerning rates
(1) The State Council may, with the approval of the Minister, extend the period for a rate to be fixed or rate notice to be given if for any reason the rate is not fixed, or rate notice is not given, within the period prescribed by or under this Act.(2) The State Council may, with the approval of the Minister, authorise a board to do any things that are necessary to cure an irregularity and to validate a rate if any irregularity in fixing or levying a rate affects, or may be considered to affect, the validity of any rate.
80 Rebates, waiver, refund or writing off of rates
(1) A board may, with the approval of the State Council, do any one or more of the following:(a) grant a rebate of a rate,(b) waive payment of a rate or part of a rate,(c) refund to an occupier or owner a rate or part of a rate,(d) write off any amount of rates waived or refunded under this section.(2) Action under this section may be taken in a particular case or class of cases.
81 Notice to be given of changes in occupancy or ownership of rateable land
(1) A person must, within one month after ceasing to be or becoming the occupier or owner of rateable land within a district, give notice in the approved form to the board for the district.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(2) A person is taken to have satisfied the requirements of this section in relation to a change of ownership if notice of the change is lodged with the Registrar-General in accordance with section 39 of the Real Property Act 1900 or section 184E of the Conveyancing Act 1919 within one month after the change of ownership.
82 Notification of change of address
(1) The occupier of rateable land within a district must notify the board for the district of any change in the occupier’s postal address within one month after the change occurs.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(2) The owner of stock kept on rateable land within a district must notify the board for the district of any change in the owner’s postal address within one month after the change occurs.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(3) A person who becomes the occupier of rateable land within a district must notify the board for the district of the occupier’s postal address within one month after becoming the occupier of the land.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
83 Tenure bond to be paid by certain holders of Crown land
(1) The government agency or other public authority that grants a person short tenure of Crown land in a district is to notify the board for the district as soon as practicable after the grant.(2) A person who takes Crown land in a district on a short tenure must provide to the board for the district a tenure bond within 14 days of taking the land on short tenure.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(3) The tenure bond is to be in the form approved, and for such reasonable amount as is determined, by the board.(4) At the end of the short tenure of land, an amount equal to any unpaid rates, charges, interest or any other amount owed to the board in respect of the land by the holder of the short tenure is forfeited to the board from any tenure bond provided under this section.(5) The board must refund the balance (if any) of the tenure bond to the person who provided it.(6) Except as provided by subsection (4), nothing in this section:(a) affects the liability of any person to pay rates under this Act, or(b) affects a board’s right to recover rates under this Act.(7) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the forfeiture to a board of any tenure bond provided to the board under this section.(8) In this section:short tenure, in relation to land, means a lease of the land from the Crown for a term not exceeding 3 years or a licence of the land from the Crown.tenure bond means a bond deposited or paid in such a way as to secure a board against any failure of the person depositing or paying the bond to pay rates, charges or any other amount in respect of the land payable by the person to the board under this Act.
Part 8 Travelling stock reserves and public roads
Note—
This Part provides:
(a) for the management, and regulation of the use by travelling stock and persons, of travelling stock reserves that are fully controlled by boards, and
(b) for regulation of the use by travelling stock and persons of travelling stock reserves that are not fully controlled but are managed by boards and of public roads.
Division 1 Preliminary
84 Definitions
(1) In this Part:appropriate permit means a stock permit or reserve use permit that authorises the holder to engage in the activity or conduct concerned.closure order means an order under section 93.controlled travelling stock reserve means:(a) a travelling stock reserve the care, control and management of which is vested in a board under this Part, or(b) a travelling stock reserve that is a stock watering place for which a board is the controlling authority under Part 9.managed travelling stock reserve means a travelling stock reserve other than a controlled travelling stock reserve or any travelling stock reserve (or travelling stock reserves of a class) prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this definition.permit means a stock permit or reserve use permit.responsible board means:(a) in relation to a controlled travelling stock reserve—the board vested with the care, control and management of the reserve under this Part or that is the controlling authority under Part 9, or(b) in relation to a public road (or part of a public road)—the board for the district in which the public road (or part of a public road) concerned is located, or(c) in relation to a managed travelling stock reserve—the board for the district in which the reserve is situated.timber has the same meaning as it has in the Forestry Act 1916.travelling stock means stock that are being moved by being walked, and includes travelling stock that are grazing.travelling stock reserve means:(a) any route or camping place reserved for travelling stock route or camping place under the Crown Lands Act 1989, or(b) any reserve for travelling stock, water reserve, reserve for access or crossing (where the reserve is for the purpose of providing travelling stock with access to or a crossing of water, whether expressly notified for that purpose or not), or(c) any stock watering place.(2) If the boundaries of a district within which a controlled travelling stock reserve is situated change so that the whole or part of the reserve is situated in another district, the responsible board for that reserve (or part of the reserve) is taken to be the board for the other district.
Division 2 Controlled travelling stock reserves
85 Vesting care, control and management of certain travelling stock reserves in boards
(1) The Minister for Land and Water Conservation may, by order published in the Gazette, vest in a board the care, control and management of any travelling stock reserve to which this section applies.(2) This section applies to a travelling stock reserve other than a stock watering place or one that comprises land within:(a) a State forest, or(b) the Western Division that is subject to a lease from the Crown.Note—Section 18 and paragraph (l) of Schedule A to the Western Lands Act 1901 provide for such leases to contain covenants giving unrestricted rights to proclaim travelling stock reserves and to withdraw land from such reserves.(3) An order under this section relating to that part of a travelling stock reserve that is subject to a lease or a licence granted under the Crown Lands Acts does not have effect until the lease or licence is terminated.
86 Withdrawal of care, control and management from board
(1) The Minister for Land and Water Conservation may, by order published in the Gazette, withdraw the care, control and management of a travelling stock reserve from a board.(2) An order may be made only on the recommendation of the Minister administering this section.(3) The Minister administering this section is to take into consideration any views of the board concerned and the State Council in deciding whether or not to recommend that an order be made.(4) Before recommending that an order be made, the Minister administering this section may refer the matter to the appropriate local land board.(5) As soon as practicable after the matter is referred to it, the local land board must inquire into the matter and submit a report of its findings in writing to the Minister administering this section.(6) The Minister administering this section is not bound to accept the report and no person is entitled to appeal against such a report or have it referred to the Land and Environment Court.
87 Withdrawal of land required for public purpose from travelling stock reserve
(1) The Minister for Land and Water Conservation may, by order published in the Gazette, withdraw from a travelling stock reserve under the care, control and management of a board any land that is required as a site for a town or village or for any public purpose, other than the purpose of settlement under the Crown Lands Acts.(2) An order may be made only on the recommendation of the Minister administering this section.(3) The Minister administering this section is to take into consideration any views of the State Council in deciding whether or not to recommend that an order be made.
88 Compensation for improvements made before withdrawal
(1) The Minister for Land and Water Conservation is liable to pay compensation to a responsible board for any improvements made to land comprising any part of a travelling stock reserve that is withdrawn from the care, control and management of the board.(2) The compensation must not exceed the current value of the improvements.(3) If the Minister for Land and Water Conservation and the responsible board are unable to agree on the amount of compensation, either of them may refer the matter to the appropriate local land board for determination.(4) The local land board to which the matter is referred must determine the amount of compensation payable.(5) The local land board’s determination is binding on the Minister and the responsible board.
Division 3 Timber on controlled travelling stock reserves
89 Removal or destruction of timber
(1) A responsible board must not remove, fell or destroy timber from an area of more than one hectare of land within a controlled travelling stock reserve unless it has given the Forestry Commission at least 3 months’ notice in writing of its intention to do so.Note—For the effect of compliance with this section, see section 27 (3) (a) (vi) of the Forestry Act 1916.(2) A responsible board must consult the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife before it decides whether or not to fell timber on or remove timber felled on a controlled travelling stock reserve that adjoins a national park or a nature reserve.(3) The responsible board may remove timber only after giving due consideration to any representations made by the Director-General of National Parks and Wildlife.
90 Use of felled timber
(1) A responsible board may sell timber felled on a controlled travelling stock reserve or may use the timber for the purpose of improving any travelling stock reserve within its district or carrying out any work in the district necessary for the exercise of its functions but must not use the timber for any other purpose.(2) The responsible board may sell timber felled in a controlled travelling stock reserve with the consent of the Forestry Commission, despite anything in the Forestry Act 1916 to the contrary.
91 Licences to remove timber
(1) The Forestry Commission must obtain the consent of the responsible board before it issues any licence under the Forestry Act 1916 to any person other than the board to cut or remove timber that is located in a controlled travelling stock reserve.(2) A licence may include such conditions or restrictions as the Forestry Commission and the responsible board agree on.(3) If the Forestry Commission and the responsible board are in dispute as to the conditions or restrictions to be included in a licence, either of them may refer the dispute to the Minister administering the Forestry Act 1916 for determination.(4) The Minister’s determination of the dispute is binding on the Forestry Commission and the responsible board.
92 Relationship to other Acts
Nothing in this Part authorises or permits a responsible board to take any action in respect of a controlled travelling stock reserve that is contrary to the Native Vegetation Conservation Act 1997.
Division 4 Closure of controlled travelling stock reserves
93 Closure orders
(1) A responsible board may make an order (a closure order):(a) closing a controlled travelling stock reserve (or specified part of a reserve), or(b) suspending an entitlement or authority conferred by or under section 97 to use a controlled travelling stock reserve (or specified part of a reserve) for any recreational activity, or(c) suspending the operation of any stock permit or permit issued under the Stock Diseases Act 1923 or reserve use permit in relation to the reserve (or part of any such reserve) except to the extent specified in the order.(2) A responsible board may make an order under subsection (1) (a):(a) for the purpose of taking appropriate measures for the following:(i) the conservation of the soil or vegetation,(ii) the prevention or mitigation of soil erosion,(iii) the regeneration or planting of trees or pasture, or(b) to enable the board to exercise any of its other functions in relation to the reserve.(3) A responsible board may make an order under subsection (1) (b) or (c) if use of the reserve for the purposes of the activity concerned or as authorised by the permit could result in:(a) damage to the reserve or part of the reserve or to any structure or other thing located on the reserve or part of the reserve, or(b) nuisance or annoyance to any members of the public.
94 Notice of closure
(1) A board that makes a closure order must publish or notify the order in a newspaper circulating generally in the board’s district.(2) A closure order takes effect on the day on which it is so published or notified or, if a later day is specified in the order, on that later day.(3) A closure order (unless sooner repealed or amended) remains in force for the period specified in the order.
Division 5 Use of travelling stock reserves and public roads
95 Unauthorised uses of travelling stock reserves
A person must not, without lawful authority:(a) enter or remain on a travelling stock reserve, or(b) occupy or make use of any travelling stock reserve for any purpose, or(c) engage in any activity that damages, or is likely to damage, a travelling stock reserve.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
96 Unauthorised use of public roads
(1) A person who owns or has charge of stock must ensure that the stock do not walk or graze on a public road.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) A person is not guilty of an offence under this section if the stock are being walked or grazed under the authority of a stock permit or an order made or permit issued under the Stock Diseases Act 1923 or in any other circumstances prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this subsection.
97 Authorised use of travelling stock reserves for recreational activities
(1) A person is authorised to use a travelling stock reserve (whether controlled or managed) or part of any such reserve on any day between sunrise and sunset for any recreational activity prescribed by the regulations, subject to this Act and any conditions prescribed by the regulations.(2) The Crown is to indemnify a responsible board in respect of:(a) the death of or injury to any person, orarising out of the use of a travelling stock reserve for the purpose of a recreational activity in accordance with this section.(b) damage to, or the destruction of, property other than that of the board,(3) Subsection (2) does not apply to the death of or personal injury to a director or employee of a board if the death or injury arises in connection with the exercise by the board of its functions.
98 Certain occupiers of land to have a right of access over travelling stock reserves
(1) An occupier of land is entitled to a right of way over a travelling stock reserve (whether controlled or managed) to and from the road nearest to the land if no other access to and from the land by means of an established road or track is available.(2) A right of way is subject to such conditions as to its exercise (including any conditions as to its position, construction or improvement) as may be imposed by the responsible board in a particular case.(3) The responsible board is to give notice to the occupier of land of any condition imposed by it on a right of way of the occupier.(4) The occupier may, with the approval of the responsible board, and must if directed to do so by the responsible board by notice in writing, construct or make improvements to the occupier’s right of way over the reserve.(5) Any construction or improvements are to be made at the expense of the occupier.
99 Appeal about right of way conditions
(1) An occupier of land may appeal to the appropriate local land board against a decision of a responsible board to impose a condition or direct the making of any improvement under section 98.(2) The appeal must be made within 28 days of receipt of notice of the decision or direction.(3) On hearing the appeal, the local land board may:(a) revoke the decision or direction, or(b) confirm the decision or direction.(4) A decision of the local land board on appeal is final and is to be given effect as if it were a decision of the responsible board concerned.
100 Reserve use permit
(1) A responsible board may issue a permit (a reserve use permit) authorising a person or group of persons to engage in any activity in, or to occupy or make use on any day at any time of, a travelling stock reserve for the purpose of establishing and maintaining an apiary or for any other purpose.(2) Despite subsection (1), a reserve use permit cannot be issued to authorise engagement in any activity prohibited by this Act or to authorise occupation or use of a travelling stock reserve:(a) by travelling stock or for any stock for grazing purposes, or(b) for any recreational activity prescribed by the regulations under section 97, or(c) for any purpose prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.(3) A reserve use permit is to be in the approved form.
101 Stock permits authorising certain uses of controlled and managed travelling stock reserves and public roads
(1) An authorised officer of a responsible board may issue a permit (a stock permit) to any person authorising the person to do anything (or omit to do anything) on or in relation to any public road or travelling stock reserve (whether controlled or managed) specified in the permit in respect of stock owned or in the charge of the person and that would otherwise contravene a provision of this Division.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), an authorised officer may issue a stock permit authorising a person to do any one or more of the following:(a) enter a controlled travelling stock reserve with stock,(b) remain on a controlled travelling stock reserve with stock,(c) walk stock on a public road or travelling stock reserve,(d) graze stock on a public road or controlled travelling stock reserve.(3) A stock permit cannot be issued authorising a person to graze stock (other than travelling stock) on a public road without the concurrence of:(a) in the case of a public road that is not a Crown road—the local authority in which the road is vested, or(b) in the case of a Crown road—the Minister for Land and Water Conservation.Note—Under section 40 of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974 the concurrence of the Minister is required before the issue of a permit to graze over a travelling stock reserve within the boundaries of a national park or historic site.(4) A stock permit is to be in the approved form.(5) Nothing in this section authorises or permits an authorised officer to issue a stock permit authorising a person to do (or omit to do) anything on or in relation to a freeway or tollway within the meaning of the Roads Act 1993.
102 Applications for stock permits and reserve use permits
(1) An application for a permit is to be made to the responsible board in the manner prescribed by the regulations.(2) A stock permit is not to be issued unless the fee (if any) prescribed by the regulations in respect of the permit has been paid or arrangements have been made for payment of the fee after issue of the permit.(3) An application under this section is taken (for the purposes only of any appeal) to have been refused if it has not been determined within the period of 14 days after the making of the application.
103 Duration of stock permits and reserve use permits
A permit, unless sooner cancelled or suspended, remains in force for the period specified in the permit.
104 Cancellation or suspension of stock permits and reserve use permits
(1) A permit may be cancelled or suspended by a responsible board at any time by notice in writing given to the permit holder.(2) The notice is to state the ground for cancellation or suspension of the permit.(3) Without limiting the grounds on which the responsible board may cancel or suspend a permit, the board may suspend or cancel a permit on any of the following grounds:(a) the holder of the permit has been convicted of an offence against this Act or the regulations,(b) the holder of the permit has contravened a condition to which the permit is subject,(c) cancellation or suspension is necessary for the protection of any stock or of a public road or travelling stock reserve.
105 Classes of stock permits and reserve use permits
(1) The regulations may prescribe different classes of permits and describe the authority conferred on a person by issue of a particular class of permit.(2) The regulations may prescribe the conditions to which a class of permit is subject.
106 Conditions of stock permits and reserve use permits
(1) A permit is subject to such conditions as are prescribed by the regulations or specified in the permit.(2) The responsible board may by notice in writing to the holder of a permit:(a) revoke or vary any conditions attached to the permit that it has specified, or(b) attach new conditions to the permit.(3) A holder of a permit who contravenes any condition of the permit is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.
107 Movement and grazing of stock authorised by stock permits must comply with Act and regulations
The holder of a stock permit must ensure that stock that the holder owns or of which the holder has charge are not moved over, or grazed on, a public road or travelling stock reserve in contravention of any provision of this Act or the regulations.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.Note—See also section 208 (Court may order payment of additional penalty in certain cases).
108 Stock permits controlled for adjoining districts
If a boundary of 2 districts is a public road or a travelling stock reserve, and the walking or grazing of stock on the road or reserve is authorised for one of the districts, the walking or grazing of stock is taken to be authorised for so much of the other district as comprises the road or reserve.
109 Appeals concerning the issue, cancellation or suspension of permits
(1) An applicant for a permit may appeal to the local land board against a decision of a responsible board to refuse to issue a permit.(2) The holder of a permit may appeal to the local land board against a decision of a responsible board to cancel or suspend the permit.(3) The appeal must be made within 28 days of the refusal or receipt of the notice of cancellation or suspension.(4) A decision of a responsible board to refuse to issue a permit or to cancel or suspend a permit is effective and operates (subject to any final determination on appeal) from the date of the decision.(5) On hearing the appeal, the local land board may:(a) revoke the decision to refuse to issue the permit and issue the permit (whether or not subject to conditions), or(b) confirm the decision to refuse to issue, or(c) revoke the decision to cancel or suspend the permit, or(d) confirm the decision to cancel or suspend the permit.(6) A decision of the local land board on appeal is final and is to be given effect as if it were a decision of the board concerned.
110 Compensation
A local land board that revokes the decision of a responsible board to cancel or suspend a permit may, on application of the holder of the permit, order the responsible board to pay compensation to the holder for any loss arising out of the cancellation or suspension.Note—A party to proceedings before a local land board under this section may appeal to the Land and Environment Court against its decision. See section 26 of the Crown Lands Act 1989.
Division 6 Fencing of boundaries of controlled travelling stock reserves
111 Definitions
In this Division:fencing notice means a notice given under section 114.fencing work means the erection, replacement, repair, alteration or maintenance of a fence.
112 Application of Division
This Division does not apply to the following:(a) the holder of a yearly lease,(b) a lessee under a lease from the Crown (other than a yearly lease) if the lease has at the relevant date less than 5 years to run,(c) a licensee under a licence from the Crown.
113 Exclusion of Dividing Fences Act 1991
The Dividing Fences Act 1991 does not apply to or in respect of so much of any controlled travelling stock reserve that adjoins land owned by a person other than a board or that is separated from a controlled travelling stock reserve only by a road or watercourse.
114 Owner of land adjoining travelling stock reserve may be required to carry out fencing work
(1) A board may, by notice in writing given to the owner of any land adjoining a controlled travelling stock reserve in its district, or separated from such a reserve only by a road or watercourse, require the owner to carry out fencing work on the common boundary of the land and the reserve or of the land and the road or watercourse by the date specified in the notice.Note—Section 240 (Service and giving of notices and other documents) sets out various ways in which a fencing notice may be given.(2) A fencing notice may be given only if the board considers it is necessary for the fencing work to be carried out for the proper protection or improvement of the controlled travelling stock reserve.(3) The fencing notice may specify the standard that the fencing work is required to meet.(4) The owner to whom a fencing notice is given must comply with the notice.(5) The board that gave the fencing notice may carry out the fencing work required by the notice if the owner fails to comply with the notice.
115 Fencing notice to specify contributions payable
(1) A fencing notice is to specify whether the owner of the land is to bear the whole or a specified portion of the cost of the fencing work required by the notice and the contribution payable by the board.(2) An owner must not be required to bear more than half the cost of the fencing work except with the concurrence of the State Council.
116 Costs of fencing work
An owner of land who carries out fencing work required by a fencing notice is entitled to recover from the board that gave the notice the board’s contribution to the cost of the fencing work.
117 Compliance notice—fencing
(1) A board that carries out fencing work required by a fencing notice because the owner to whom it was given fails to comply with the notice may, by notice in writing given to the owner, require the owner to pay to the board:(a) a contribution not exceeding half the cost of the fencing work carried out by the board, or(b) if the fencing notice specifies that the owner is liable for a greater portion of the cost of the fencing work, a contribution equivalent to that portion of the cost.(2) The notice under subsection (1) is to specify the period within which the contribution or amount is payable.(3) Schedule 4 has effect.Note—See Division 1 of Part 13 and Schedule 5 on recovery of unpaid contributions.
118 Application to local land board
(1) If the owner of land to whom a fencing notice has been given and a board are in dispute with respect to fencing work required by the notice, either of them may apply to the appropriate local land board to determine the matter.(2) On receiving an application under this section, the local land board must hear and determine the application.
119 Jurisdiction of land board not to be ousted in certain cases
(1) The jurisdiction of the local land board before which proceedings are brought under section 118 cannot be ousted on the ground that the defendant or respondent in the proceedings does not reside within the land district for which the local land board is constituted.(2) However, the local land board before which the proceedings are brought may transfer the application to a local land board that may more appropriately hear the application.(3) On receiving an application transferred to it under this section, a local land board must hear and determine the application.
120 Local land board may allow time for payment
(1) In proceedings under this Division before a local land board for the determination of any contribution, or amount of money, the local land board may allow time for payment of the money concerned.(2) The local land board may:(a) determine that the money be paid in instalments, and(b) fix the amounts of the instalments and the dates by which they are payable, and(c) order interest at a rate not exceeding that prescribed by the regulations to be paid on that money.(3) If a local land board exercises the power conferred by subsection (2), the money concerned becomes payable by instalments, on the dates together with interest as fixed under that subsection.
121 Right to refer matters to Land and Environment Court
A local land board and the Minister administering this section have the same rights and powers to refer matters to the Land and Environment Court as the local land board and the Minister administering the Crown Lands Act 1989 have under sections 27 and 28 of that Act.
122 Powers of State Council with respect to fences
(1) The State Council may refer to the appropriate local land board any question as to:(a) any matter requiring the State Council’s approval or concurrence under this Division, or(b) any other matter that the State Council considers necessary or appropriate to be inquired into for the purposes of this Division.(2) On receiving a reference, the local land board concerned must:(a) inquire into the question referred, and(b) as soon as practicable after the inquiry is completed—report its findings to the State Council in writing.
Division 7 Miscellaneous
123 Responsible board not liable for use of pesticides or chemicals on reserves
(1) A responsible board is not liable to pay damages in respect of any pesticide or chemical related injury attributable to the application by the board of a pesticide or chemical to a controlled travelling stock reserve if the board has given notice in accordance with the regulations that the pesticide or chemical was about to be applied or had been applied to the reserve.(2) This section has effect in relation to a controlled travelling stock reserve (or part of such a reserve) to which a pesticide or chemical has been applied whether or not an appropriate permit is in force that authorises its holder to use the reserve (or part of the reserve) for a particular purpose.(3) In this section:means death of, or injury or illness suffered by, a person, or deaths of, or injuries or diseases suffered by, stock or bees, that are attributable to the application of a pesticide or chemical.
124 Responsible board not liable for injury attributable to diseased travelling stock
(1) A responsible board is not liable to pay damages in respect of any disease related injury that is attributable to diseased travelling stock that have been walked or grazed on a travelling stock reserve or public road if the board has given notice in accordance with the regulations that the stock have been walked over or grazed on the reserve.(2) This section has effect in relation to a travelling stock reserve (or part of such a reserve) or public road on which diseased stock have been walked or grazed whether or not an appropriate permit is in force that authorises the holder to use the reserve (or part of the reserve) or public road for the purpose of walking or grazing stock.(3) In this section:means death of, or injury or illness suffered by, a person, or deaths of, or injuries or diseases suffered by, stock or bees, that are attributable to diseased stock.
125 When may a responsible board impound bees or beehives placed or kept on a controlled travelling stock reserve?
(1) A responsible board may impound any bees or beehives placed, or being kept, on a controlled travelling stock reserve if the bees or beehives have been placed, or are being kept, otherwise than in accordance with a reserve use permit issued by the board.(2) The bees or beehives are to be impounded in such manner as may be prescribed by the regulations.(3) The responsible board may decline to release any bees or beehives impounded by it to a person who claims to own them unless the person pays to the board the impounding fee prescribed by the regulations.(4) Nothing in this section limits or affects any power with respect to bees or beehives conferred on an inspector under section 17 or 24 of the Apiaries Act 1985.
126 Orders for mustering of stock
(1) The person in charge of any stock that are on any part of a public road or a travelling stock reserve must, if requested to do so by a prescribed officer:(a) muster the stock at a specified place in the vicinity of that part of the road or reserve, and(b) allow the prescribed officer to inspect the stock, and(c) assist in counting the stock, and(d) provide the prescribed officer with such other assistance as the prescribed officer may reasonably require, and(e) except as provided by subsection (2), produce for inspection by the prescribed officer an appropriate permit in respect of the stock.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(2) The person in charge of stock is not required to produce an appropriate permit for inspection if the person claims that the stock are being conveyed under the authority of an order made or a permit issued under the Stock Diseases Act 1923.(3) A person in charge of stock who claims that stock are being conveyed as referred to in subsection (2) must, if requested to do so by the prescribed officer, produce that order or permit for inspection by the officer within 48 hours after the request is made.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(4) In this section, prescribed officer means any of the following:(a) an authorised officer,(b) a police officer,(c) an inspector appointed under the Stock Diseases Act 1923,(d) any other person prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
127 Power of responsible board to recover compensation in respect of damage caused to or on controlled travelling stock reserve
(1) A responsible board may recover from a person who:(a) damages a controlled travelling stock reserve, oran amount equal to its expenses in rectifying the damage or replacing the destroyed structure or work.(b) damages or destroys any structure or work located on a controlled travelling stock reserve,(2) This section has effect irrespective of whether the damage or destruction was perpetrated without intention, recklessness or negligence.(3) The recovery from a person of an amount under this section does not affect the liability of the person to be dealt with for an offence by or under this Act or under any other law arising out of the same matter.
128 Exemption power—boards
(1) A board may, in accordance with any guidelines given by the State Council, exempt a person or a class of persons in writing from the operation of this Part or a specified provision of this Part.(2) The exemption may be limited in duration or may be subject to such factors or circumstances as may be specified in the exemption.(3) The board may cancel the exemption in writing at any time.(4) A board is to give notice in accordance with the regulations of any exemption given (or of any cancellation of an exemption made) by the board under this section.
Part 9 Stock watering places
129 Declaration of stock watering places
The Minister for Land and Water Conservation may, by order published in the Gazette, declare any of the following to be a stock watering place:(a) any Crown land, or land acquired under section 135 of the Crown Lands Act 1989 for a stock watering place,(b) any land acquired for the purpose by a local authority.
130 Declaration of stock watering place as town water supply
The Minister administering this section may, by order published in the Gazette, declare a stock watering place to be a town water supply.
131 Which bodies are to be controlling authorities of stock watering places?
(1) The controlling authority of a stock watering place that has been declared to be a town water supply under section 130 is:(a) if the stock watering place is located within a local government area—the local authority, or(b) if the stock watering place is not located within a local government area—a person or body nominated by the Minister.(2) The controlling authority of a stock watering place that has not been declared to be a town water supply is:(a) the body specified by the regulations as the controlling authority of the stock watering place, or(b) if no body is so specified—the board for the district within which the stock watering place is located.
132 Controlling authority may construct water storage works
(1) The controlling authority of a stock watering place may:(a) construct water storage works at the watering place, and(b) carry out improvements to any water storage works.(2) The controlling authority of a stock watering place is responsible, subject to any provision to the contrary of a lease granted under section 134, for maintaining and, where necessary, repairing any water storage works constructed by it.(3) The cost of:(a) constructing a water storage work at a stock watering place that is not under the control of a local authority, oris, subject to any provision to the contrary of a lease granted under section 134, payable by the relevant controlling authority.(b) carrying out improvements, maintenance or repairs to any water storage work,(4) The controlling authority of a stock watering place must obtain the approval of the Minister before constructing a water storage work or carrying out any improvements, maintenance or repairs to a water storage work the cost of which exceeds $20,000 (or such other amount as may be prescribed by the regulations).(5) In this section:water storage works means tanks, dams, reservoirs, pumps (including windmills) and other works for storing water or for providing water.
133 Compensation for improvements on former stock watering place
(1) The Minister for Land and Water Conservation is liable to pay compensation for improvements made by a local authority or board, as the controlling authority of a stock watering place, if the land on which the improvements are made is Crown land, or land acquired under section 135 of the Crown Lands Act 1989 for a stock watering place, that ceases to be, or to form part of, the stock watering place as a consequence of the revocation or variation of the order declaring the stock watering place.(2) The compensation must not exceed the current value of the improvements.(3) If the Minister for Land and Water Conservation and the local authority or board concerned are unable to reach an agreement as to the amount of compensation payable under this section, either of them may apply to the appropriate local land board to determine the matter.(4) The local land board to which application is made under this section must determine the amount of compensation payable.
134 Leases of stock watering places
(1) The controlling authority of a stock watering place may, following auction, public tender or other means approved by the State Council, grant a lease of the watering place.(2) The controlling authority must not grant a lease of a stock watering place for a period (including any period for which the lease could be extended or renewed by the exercise of an option) exceeding the period prescribed by the regulations.
135 Controlling authority and lessee to supply water to certain persons and stock
The controlling authority, or lessee, of a stock watering place must:(a) supply water (if available) to any person or stock of a class prescribed by the regulations, or(b) allow stock to depasture at the stock watering place in the circumstances, and in accordance with any conditions, prescribed by the regulations.
136 Offence to damage stock watering place
(1) A person must not intentionally or recklessly pollute or, without lawful authority, interfere with any water that flows into, or that is used as, the source of supply for any stock watering place.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units.(2) If any person pollutes or, without lawful authority, interferes with any water that flows into, or that is used as, the source of supply for a stock watering place, the relevant controlling authority may recover from the person an amount equal to the cost of cleaning up or removing the pollution or interference as a debt due in a court of competent jurisdiction.(3) Proceedings may be brought under subsection (2) irrespective of whether proceedings could be or have been brought for an offence under subsection (1) arising out of the same matter.
Part 10 Impounding of unattended and trespassing stock and abandoned articles
Note—
The Impounding Act 1993 empowers persons appointed by boards (which are impounding authorities for the purposes of that Act) to impound and deal with animals (including pigs and deer) and articles in public places and places owned or under the control of boards within the districts of the boards if, in the case of animals, they are unattended or trespassing or, in the case of articles, they have been abandoned or left unattended. It also enables occupiers of private land to impound and deal with animals trespassing on their land, provides for the release of impounded animals and articles that are claimed by their owners and, if they are disposed of by sale, provides for the disposal of the proceeds for sale.
This Part includes some provisions that complement or supplement the provisions of the Impounding Act 1993.
137 Definitions
(1) In this Part:stock includes pig and deer.(2) If an expression is defined in the Impounding Act 1993 and is also used in this Part, the expression as used in this Part has, unless the contrary intention appears, the same meaning as in that Act.Note—Expressions used include:, which is defined to include a board.unattended which is defined, in relation to an animal, to include abandoned or straying.
138 Unattended stock
Stock are not unattended for the purposes of sections 9 (2) (d) and 32 (3) (d) of the Impounding Act 1993 if the stock are unattended on a road or travelling stock reserve:(a) in accordance with the authority conferred by (and any conditions of) a stock permit, or(b) in any other circumstances prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
139 Offence of causing or permitting stock to be on a public road, travelling stock reserve or public land without authority
(1) If stock (whether attended or unattended) are on a public road, travelling stock reserve or other public land except in accordance with the authority conferred by (and in accordance with any conditions of) a stock permit or by or under any law the owner of the stock, and the person in charge of the stock (if not the owner), are each guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) It is a defence to a prosecution for an offence against this section, if the defendant proves that the defendant had taken all reasonable steps to prevent the contravention.(3) An impounding officer may impound any stock the impounding officer suspects to be on a public road, travelling stock reserve or other public land in contravention of this section in the same way that the impounding officer may impound an animal under section 9 of the Impounding Act 1993.
140 Release of impounded stock
A person must not, without the authority of an impounding authority:(a) release, orany animal impounded, or seized or detained in a district for the purpose of being impounded.(b) incite or assist any person to release,Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
Part 11 Pests
Note—
This Part provides for the control on public and private land in the State of animals, birds, insects and other members of the animal kingdom that are pests.
Division 1 Preliminary
141 Definitions
In this Part:control of a pest includes the eradication of the pest.controlled land, in relation to a pest control order, means the land to which the order applies.eradicate means fully and continuously suppress and destroy.eradication order means an individual eradication order or general eradication order made under Division 3.general destruction obligation means an obligation referred to in section 143 (2) (a).limited destruction obligation means an obligation referred to in section 143 (2) (b).notification obligation means an obligation referred to in section 143 (2) (c).pest means any member of the animal kingdom declared by a pest control order to be a pest.pest control order means an order made under section 143.
142 Part binds Crown
This Part binds the Crown, not only in right of New South Wales but also, so far as the legislative power of Parliament permits, the Crown in all its capacities.
Division 2 Pest control orders
143 Minister may make pest control orders
(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette:(a) describe any land to which the order applies (the controlled land), and(b) declare any non-human mammal or any bird, insect, amphibian, fish, reptile, arthropod, insect, mollusc, crustacean or other member of the animal kingdom to be a pest on the controlled land, and(c) impose or confer any one or more of the obligations or powers described in subsection (2) in relation to that pest on the controlled land.(2) A pest control order may:(a) impose a general destruction obligation requiring the occupier of the controlled land to eradicate the pest by any lawful method or by a method specified in the order, or(b) impose a limited destruction obligation requiring the occupier of the controlled land to eradicate the pest by any lawful method or by a method specified in the order during specified stages of its development or life cycle, or(c) impose a notification obligation requiring the occupier of land to give the board for the district in which the controlled land is situated notice of the presence of the pest on the land as soon as practicable after becoming aware of its presence, or(d) empower a board to serve an order in accordance with this Part on any occupier or owner (other than a public authority) of the controlled land in its district requiring the occupier or owner to eradicate the pest by use of a method specified by the board in the order (an individual eradication order), or(e) empower a board to publish an order in accordance with this Part requiring all occupiers of land within its district (or a specified part of its district) to eradicate the pest by use of any method specified by the board in the order (a general eradication order), or(f) confer power on any authorised officer or class of authorised officers to take measures to carry out work on the controlled land to eradicate the pest, or(g) confer on a board the power to give approval (whether or not subject to any condition) for any person or class of persons to keep the pest in captivity on the controlled land, or(h) confer on a board a power to approve or order the use (whether or not subject to any condition) of a method of eradication of a pest other than a method (if any) that is specified in the pest control order, or(i) prohibit the administration of any substance specified in the pest control order to the pest, or(j) require a board to supply materials that have been provided to it for the eradication of the pest on controlled land within its district free of charge to the occupier or owner of the land.(3) An order may specify a method of eradication to be used in relation to a pest on controlled land that involves application of a substance or thing from the air.(4) An order must not specify any method of eradication in relation to a pest that would constitute an act of cruelty committed upon an animal within the meaning of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979.(5) The Minister may not make an order declaring any member of the animal kingdom that is protected fauna or a threatened species to be a pest.(6) The land to which an order applies may be private land or public land, or both.(7) An order may be made so as:(a) to apply generally or be limited in its application by reference to specified exceptions or factors, or(b) to apply differently according to different factors of a specified kind.(8) In this section:means a public authority other than a local authority.
144 When can a pest control order be made?
(1) A pest control order may be made by the Minister on the Minister’s own initiative after consultation with the State Council or at the request of a board.(2) The Minister must consult with the Minister for the Environment before making a pest control order declaring any member of the animal kingdom that is a native species to be a pest.
145 Requests by boards for making of pest control orders
(1) A board may request the Minister to make a pest control order that is to apply to land in its district.(2) The request is to be made in the form approved by the Director-General and is to be accompanied by such supporting information as is determined by the Director-General.
146 Public notice of proposal to make order
(1) The Minister is to cause notice of a proposal to make a pest control order applying to land to be published in a newspaper circulating generally in the district in which the land is situated or, if the Minister considers it to be appropriate, throughout the whole State.(2) The Minister’s notice is to indicate when and where a copy of the proposed pest control order is to be placed on public exhibition and that submissions may be made on it.(3) The Minister is to cause a copy of the proposed pest control order (and such other information as the Minister considers appropriate) to be placed on public exhibition for a period of not less than 21 days after notice of the proposal is given so that interested persons may make submissions on the proposal.(4) The Minister is to take into consideration any submissions received on the proposed pest control order before the Minister makes the pest control order.(5) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the notification and exhibition of proposed pest control orders.
147 Consultation
The Minister must not make a pest control order that applies to land occupied by a public authority unless the Minister has consulted the public authority about the making of the proposed order.
148 Minister may waive notice and consultation requirements
(1) It is not necessary to comply with the requirements of sections 146 and 147 to the extent that the Minister certifies in writing that, in the Minister’s opinion, in the special circumstances of the case the public interest requires that the order be made without complying with those requirements.(2) The Minister is to give reasons for so certifying in the notice given under section 150.
149 Making of order
The Minister may make a pest control order in the same terms, or in substantially the same terms, as the proposed pest control order exhibited in accordance with section 146 or, in the case of an order in respect of which a certificate has been given under section 148 in whatever terms the Minister considers appropriate.
150 Notice of making of order
The Minister is to cause a notice of the making of a pest control order to be published in a newspaper circulating generally in the district in which the controlled land is situated or, if the Minister considers it to be appropriate, throughout the State.
151 When does a pest control order take effect?
A pest control order takes effect on the day of its publication in the Gazette or on a later day specified in the order.
152 Duration of pest control order
(1) A pest control order has effect (unless sooner revoked) for such period (not exceeding 5 years) as is specified in the order.(2) A pest control order made in the circumstances mentioned in section 148 has effect (unless sooner revoked) for 3 months, or such lesser period as is specified in the order.
153 Amendment and revocation of pest control orders
(1) The Minister may amend a pest control order by making another pest control order prepared in accordance with this Division.(2) The Minister may at any time revoke a pest control order by notice published in the Gazette.
154 Compliance with Division
(1) Failure to comply with section 146 or 147 does not affect the validity of a pest control order.(2) The Minister is taken to have observed the rules of procedural fairness if a pest control order is made in accordance with this Division.
155 Obligations of owners and occupiers of private land
(1) An occupier of any private land on whom a general destruction obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must eradicate any pest on the land by any lawful method (or, if the order specifies a method to be used, by the method specified).Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) An occupier of any private land on whom a limited destruction obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must eradicate any pest on the land during the stages of its development or life cycle specified in the order by any lawful method (or, if the order specifies a method to be used, by the method specified).Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(3) An occupier of any private land on whom a notification obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must give oral or written notice to the board for the district in which the land is situated of the presence of the pest on the land as soon as practicable after becoming aware of its presence.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(4) An occupier of land within a district is not guilty of an offence under subsection (1) or (2) if the occupier uses a method to eradicate a pest other than that (if any) specified in the pest control order concerned and the method used has been approved by the board for the district in accordance with this Part.
156 Obligations of occupiers of public land
(1) An occupier of any public land on whom a general destruction obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must (to the extent necessary to minimise the risk of the pest causing damage on any land) eradicate any pest on the land by any lawful method (or, if the order specifies a method to be used, by the method specified).(2) An occupier of any public land on whom a limited destruction obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must (to the extent necessary to minimise the risk of the pests causing damage on any land) eradicate any pest on the land during the stages of its development or life cycle specified in the order by any lawful method (or, if the order specifies a method to be used, by the method specified).(3) An occupier of any public land on whom a notification obligation in relation to a pest is imposed by a pest control order must give oral or written notice to the board for the district in which the land is situated of the presence of the pest on the land as soon as practicable after becoming aware of its presence.(4) An occupier of public land fulfills any obligation referred to in subsection (1) or (2) if the occupier uses a method to eradicate a pest on the land other than that (if any) specified in a pest control order applying to the land and the method used has been approved by the board for the district in accordance with this Part.
Division 3 Eradication orders
157 When may eradication orders be given?
(1) A board that has been empowered to give an eradication order in relation to a pest on controlled land within its district may give the order only if the board considers that it is necessary to give it to ensure the effective eradication of the pest on the land.(2) An individual eradication order is to be served on the occupier or owner of the land concerned.(3) A general eradication order is to be published in a newspaper circulating generally in the district or part of the district concerned.
158 Period for compliance with eradication order
(1) An eradication order must specify a reasonable period within which the terms of the order are to be complied with, subject to this section.(2) An order may require compliance within a short period (not being less than 24 hours) in circumstances which the board believes constitute a serious risk of harm being caused by the pest to which the order relates.
159 Notice to be given of proposed individual eradication order
(1) Before giving an individual eradication order, a board must give notice to the occupier or owner to whom the order is proposed to be given of its intention to give the order, the terms of the proposed order and the period proposed to be specified as the period within which the order is to be complied with.(2) The board’s notice must also indicate that the occupier or owner to whom the order is proposed to be given may make representations to the board as to why the order should not be given or as to the terms of, or period for compliance with, the order.(3) The notice may provide that the representations are to be made to the board on or before a specified date, being a date that is reasonable in the circumstances.
160 Making of representations
(1) A person may, in accordance with a notice under section 159, make representations concerning the proposed individual eradication order.(2) For the purpose of making representations, the person may be represented by a barrister, solicitor or agent.
161 Hearing and consideration of representations
The board is required to hear and consider any representations made under section 160.
162 Procedure after hearing and consideration of representations
(1) After hearing and considering any representations made concerning the proposed individual eradication order, the board concerned may determine:(a) to give an order in accordance with the proposed order, or(b) to give an order in accordance with modifications made to the proposed order, or(c) not to give an order.(2) If the determination is to give an order in accordance with modifications made to the proposed order, the board is not required to give notice under this Division of the proposed order as so modified.
163 Reasons for order to be given
(1) A board must give the occupier or owner of land to whom an individual eradication order is given reasons for the order.(2) The reasons may be given in the order or in another instrument.(3) The reasons must be given when the order is given, except in a case of urgency. In a case of urgency, the reasons may be given the next working day.
164 Notice of right to appeal against order
A board must, in giving an occupier or owner of private land an individual eradication order:(a) state that the person may appeal to the local land board against the order, and(b) specify the period within which the appeal may be made.
165 Appeal against individual eradication order of board
(1) An occupier or owner of land (other than a public authority) given an individual eradication order by a board may appeal to the appropriate local land board only on any one or more of the following grounds:(a) that the board was not authorised to give the order,(b) that the board has failed to comply with the requirements of this Division in respect of the making of the order,(c) that the action required to be taken under the order to eradicate the pest concerned is inappropriate or likely to be ineffective or that the board has failed to consider the feasibility of alternative action,(d) that the period of time specified by the order for the taking of action is not reasonable.(2) The appeal must be made within 28 days or within the period specified by the order for taking action to eradicate the pest concerned, whichever is the lesser.(3) On hearing the appeal, the local land board may:(a) amend or revoke the individual eradication order, or(b) confirm the order.(4) If an appeal is made to a local land board against an individual eradication order, the order has no force or effect unless the local land board confirms or amends the order or the appeal is withdrawn.(5) If the local land board confirms or amends an individual eradication order, the order has force and effect from the day on which it is confirmed or amended.(6) If an appeal against an individual eradication order is withdrawn, the order is taken to have force and effect from the day on which the order was given.
166 Individual eradication order of Minister
(1) A board may recommend to the Minister that an individual eradication order be given by the Minister to a public authority.(2) The Minister may serve an order on a public authority requiring the public authority to eradicate a pest specified in the order by use of a method specified by the Minister in the order within a period specified in the order.(3) Before giving an order to a public authority, the Minister must consult with the public authority as to the giving of the order and its contents.
167 Obligations to comply with eradication orders
(1) An owner or occupier of land who is served with an individual eradication order by a board must comply with the individual eradication order.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) An occupier of land who is served with an individual eradication order by the Minister must (to the extent that is reasonably practicable) comply with the eradication order.(3) Any occupier of private land to which a general eradication order applies must comply with the eradication order.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(4) Any occupier of public land to which a general eradication order applies must (to the extent that is reasonably practicable) comply with the general eradication order.
168 Compliance with Division
A board is taken to have observed the rules of procedural fairness if an individual eradication order is made in accordance with this Division.
Division 4 Powers of authorised officers and others concerning eradication of pests
169 Eradication of pests
An authorised officer may take such measures and carry out such work on any controlled land as the authorised officer considers necessary to eradicate pests on the land if:(a) a pest control order authorises the taking of such action, or(b) the owner or occupier of the land has failed to comply with a pest control order or an eradication order applying to the land.
170 Destruction of pests may be required
(1) An authorised officer may, by notice in writing, require a person in possession of a live pest (other than a person who has an approval to keep the pest under section 174):(a) to destroy the pest, or(b) to move the pest to a specified place and there destroy it within a time specified in the notice, or(c) to move the pest to a place where it is not a pest within a period specified in the notice.(2) If the person refuses or fails to comply with a requirement specified in such a notice, an authorised officer may take the required action, whether or not it involves taking possession of the pest.(3) An authorised officer who believes on reasonable grounds that a vehicle may contain a pest (other than a pest that is being conveyed for the purpose of complying with a requirement made under this section) may do one or more of the following:(a) require the driver to stop the vehicle,(b) search the vehicle,(c) if any pest is found in or on the vehicle, request the driver to move the vehicle to a specified place so that the pest may be destroyed,(d) seize and destroy any pest found in or on the vehicle.(4) A person who fails to comply with a requirement made of the person under this section by an authorised officer is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 40 penalty units.
171 Compliance notice—pests
(1) The Minister or a board may, by notice given to the occupier or owner of any controlled land, impose on the occupier or owner:(a) an inspection charge to cover the reasonable costs of any inspection of the land for the purposes of this Part, or(b) a charge to cover the reasonable expenses of any action taken by an authorised officer under this Part as a consequence of the occupier or owner failing to take any action the occupier or owner is required to take under this Part.(2) The notice is to specify the day on or before which the charge is to be paid.(3) A notice must not be given in respect of any action taken that a pest control order specifies is to be carried out by the State free of cost to the occupier or owner of land.Note—See Division 1 of Part 13 and Schedules 4 and 5 on recovery of unpaid charges.
172 Contributions towards eradication of pests that are insects
(1) The Minister may, by notice, require the board for a district to pay to the Minister an amount as a contribution to the cost of any action taken by the Minister in eradicating pests that are insects in the district.(2) A notice cannot be given by the Minister under this section unless the Minister is authorised to give the notice by a pest control order.(3) A contribution is payable within such period after the notice is given as is specified in the notice or within such other period as the Minister allows.(4) Any contribution that remains unpaid is recoverable by the Minister from the board in a court of competent jurisdiction.
173 Money advanced or paid to Minister for eradication of pests that are insects
(1) The Treasurer may advance to the Minister, on such terms and conditions as may be determined by the Treasurer in consultation with the Minister, money required for any of the following purposes:(a) money for purchase of materials for the eradication of pests that are insects, or(b) money for meeting the cost of eradicating pests that are insects as provided by this Part, or(c) money for paying any contribution required to be made by the State to the Australian Plague Locust Commission.(2) The Minister may apply money advanced under this section only for the purpose for which it is advanced.
Division 5 Miscellaneous
174 Approval to keep pest in captivity or use alternative method of eradication
(1) Any person may apply in writing to a board that is empowered by a pest control order to give approval to keep a pest in captivity for approval for the person to keep the pest in captivity on specified land.(2) Any person may apply in writing to a board that is empowered by a pest control order to give approval for use of an alternative method of eradication of a pest to use an alternative method of eradication described in the application to that specified in the order.(3) A board to which an application is made under this section may give the approval sought in writing subject to the conditions (if any) stated in the approval.(4) An application under this section is taken (for the purposes only of any appeal) to have been refused if it has not been determined within the period of 40 days after the making of the application.
175 Appeal against refusal to approve keeping of pest in captivity or use alternative eradication method
(1) An applicant for an approval under section 174 may appeal to the appropriate local land board against a decision of the board to which the application was made to refuse to give the approval sought.(2) The appeal must be made within 28 days of the refusal.(3) On hearing the appeal, the local land board may:(a) revoke the decision and give the approval sought (whether or not subject to conditions), or(b) confirm the decision.(4) A decision of the local land board on an appeal is to be given effect to as if it were the decision of the board concerned.
176 Offences relating to pests kept in captivity
(1) A person must not keep a pest in captivity on any land except in accordance with an approval to keep the pest in captivity on the land given under section 174.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(2) Any person who (without lawful excuse) liberates, or attempts to liberate, a pest from captivity is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
177 Offence of administering prohibited substance to pests
(1) A person must not administer any substance to a pest if the substance is declared by the pest control order relating to the pest to be a prohibited substance in relation to a pest of that kind.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units.(2) For the purposes of any proceeding for an offence under this section, if it is proved that a prohibited substance was administered to a pest, it is, until the contrary is proved, to be presumed that the owner (if any) of the pest administered the substance.
178 Offences involving fences and pests and conveyance of pests
(1) A person must not, without lawful excuse, carry, drive or pass a pest through, under or over a fence or gate on any land (whether controlled land or otherwise) that is designed to prevent such a pest from entering land.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) A person must not, without lawful excuse:(a) leave open a gate in a fence on any land (whether controlled land or otherwise) that is designed to prevent pests from entering land, or(b) destroy or damage any such fence or gate, or(c) interfere with any such fence or gate or the surface or subsurface under it in a manner likely to impair its effectiveness as a barrier to such pests.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(3) A person must not, without lawful excuse, convey a live pest from one place to another (whether by vehicle or otherwise).Maximum penalty: 200 penalty units.
179 Damage, destruction, removal of eradication devices
A person must not, without lawful excuse:(a) destroy, damage or remove any thing that is being used or intended to be used for the purposes of eradicating pests in accordance with this Part, or(b) interfere with any such thing in a manner that is likely to impair its effectiveness.Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.
180 Campaigns for eradication of pests
(1) A board may conduct (or participate in the conduct of) campaigns for the eradication of pests and may make any necessary arrangements and take all necessary steps for carrying out such campaigns.(2) Arrangements under this section may be made with other boards, with the occupiers or owners of land or persons within the board’s district or with the government of this or any other State, the Commonwealth or a Territory.
181 Disputes between a Minister and another Minister
(1) If a dispute arises between the Minister and another Minister or between the Minister and the Minister responsible for a public authority in connection with:(a) the eradication of pests on the whole or part of public land for which the other Minister or a public authority is responsible, ora party to the dispute may submit the dispute to the Premier for settlement.(b) the implementation of any measure with respect to the eradication of pests on that land,(2) On submission of a dispute to the Premier, the Premier may hold an inquiry into the dispute and may make such decisions about the dispute as the Premier thinks fit, having regard to the public interest and the circumstances.(3) A Minister or public authority must comply with a decision of the Premier under this section and for that purpose is empowered to do so, despite the provisions of this or any other Act.
Part 12 Powers of authorised officers
Division 1 Preliminary
182 Power of entry
(1) An authorised officer may enter any premises to enable the authorised officer to exercise any function conferred or imposed on the authorised officer, or any function of the board the officer is authorised to exercise, by or under this Act.(2) The authorised officer may enter premises with such persons and with such vehicles, horses and dogs as the authorised officer considers are necessary to enable or assist the authorised officer to exercise the function concerned.
183 Purposes for which powers under Part may be exercised
Powers may be exercised under this Part for the following purposes:(a) for determining whether there has been compliance with or a contravention of this Act or the regulations or any order, licence, notice, permit or requirement issued or made under this Act,(b) for obtaining information or records for purposes connected with the administration of this Act,(c) for the purpose of enabling a board, the authorised officer or any other person to exercise any function conferred or imposed on the person under this or any other Act.
184 Effect on other functions
Nothing in this Part affects any function under any other Part of this Act.
Division 2 Authorised officers
185 Authorised officers
An authorising authority may appoint a police officer or any other person (including a class of persons) as an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act.Note—is defined in the Dictionary.
186 Scope of authority
(1) An authorisation of a person as an authorised officer can be given generally, or subject to conditions, limitations or restrictions or only for limited purposes.(2) The authority of an authorised officer may be limited by the relevant instrument of appointment to the functions, or the exercise of functions in such part of the district of the board, as are specified in the instrument of appointment.(3) If such authorisation is given subject to conditions, limitations or restrictions or only for limited purposes, nothing in this Act authorises or requires the authorised officer to act in contravention of the conditions, limitations or restrictions or for other purposes.
187 Identification
(1) Every authorised officer is to be provided by the authorising authority with an identification card.(2) In the course of exercising the functions of an authorised officer under this Act, the officer must, if requested to do so by any person affected by the exercise of any such function (unless the officer is a police officer in uniform) produce the officer’s identification card to the person.(3) An identification card is a card that:(a) states that it is issued under this Act, and(b) gives the name of the person to whom it is issued, and(c) describes the nature of the powers conferred and the source of the powers, and(d) states the date (if any) on which it expires, and(e) describes the kind of premises to which the power extends, and(f) bears the signature of the person prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this paragraph.
188 Time of entry
An authorised officer may enter any premises at any reasonable time.
189 Entry into residential premises only with permission or warrant
This Part does not empower an authorised officer to enter any part of premises used only for residential purposes without the permission of the occupier or the authority of a search warrant issued under section 196.
190 Powers of authorised officers to do things on premises
(1) An authorised officer may, at any premises lawfully entered, do anything that in the opinion of the authorised officer is necessary to be done for the purposes of this Act, including (but not limited to) the things specified in subsection (2).(2) An authorised officer who enters premises may do any or all of the following:(a) inspect the premises,(b) search the premises,(c) examine, seize, detain or remove any pest in or about those premises,(d) examine, seize, detain or remove any other thing that the authorised officer has reasonable grounds to believe is being used to contravene this Act or the regulations,(e) require the production of and inspect any records in or about those premises,(f) take copies of, or extracts or notes from, any such records,(g) require any person in or about those premises to answer questions or otherwise furnish information,(h) require the occupier of those premises to provide the authorised officer with such assistance and facilities as are reasonably necessary to enable the authorised officer to exercise his or her functions,(i) remove or destroy or cause to be removed or destroyed any pest found in or about those premises that is being kept in captivity without lawful authority,(j) break open and search any box, container, package or receptacle (including any place that could be used as a receptacle) in or about those premises,(k) examine or muster any stock.
191 Notice of entry
(1) Before an authorised officer enters premises under this Part, the authorising authority must give the occupier of the premises oral or written notice of the intention to enter the occupier’s premises on a day or within a period of days specified in the notice.(2) The day or any day within the period of days specified must not be the day on which the notice is given.(3) This section does not require notice to be given:(a) if entry to the premises is made with the consent of the occupier of the premises, or(b) if entry has been authorised by a search warrant issued under section 196, or(c) if entry is required urgently and the board has authorised in writing (either generally or in the particular case) entry without notice, or(d) if entry is required to eradicate any pest kept in captivity without lawful authority.
192 Use of force
(1) Reasonable force may be used for the purpose of gaining entry to any premises (other than residential premises) under a power conferred by this Part but only if authorised by the authorising authority in accordance with this section and in accordance with any guidelines.(2) No force is to be exercised in any case unless the authorising authority has authorised in writing (either in a specified class of cases or in the particular case) the use of force in the circumstances of the case.(3) A general authority given by the authorising authority for the use of force is invalid. The authority is to specify the circumstances that are required to exist in a case before force is used.
193 Notification of use of force or urgent entry
(1) An authorised officer must give the authorising authority prompt oral or written advice of:(a) any use of force by the authorised officer for the purpose of gaining entry to premises, or(b) any entry to premises by the authorised officer without notice having been given to the occupier of the premises of the intention to enter as required by section 191.(2) The authorising authority must give notice of the entry to such persons or authorities as appear to be appropriate in the circumstances.
194 Care to be taken
In the exercise of a function under this Part, an authorised officer must do as little damage as possible.
195 Compensation
An authorising authority must compensate all interested parties for any damage caused by an authorised officer who enters premises under this Part in entering the premises (but not any damage caused by exercising any other function), unless the occupier of the premises obstructed, hindered or restricted the authorised officer in the exercise of the power of entry.
196 Search warrant
(1) An authorised officer may apply to an authorised justice for a search warrant if the authorised officer has reasonable grounds for believing that a provision of this Act or the regulations has been or is being or is about to be contravened in or about any premises.(2) An authorised officer may not apply for a search warrant to search premises unless the authorised officer has notified the authorising authority of the intended application.(3) An authorised justice to whom an application is made under this section may, if satisfied that there are reasonable grounds for doing so, issue a warrant authorising an authorised officer named in the warrant to enter the premises and to exercise there the powers under section 190.(4) Part 3 of the Search Warrants Act 1985 applies to a search warrant issued under this section.(5) In this section, has the same meaning as it has in the Search Warrants Act 1985.
197 Authorised officer may request assistance
(1) An authorised officer may request the assistance of any police officer if the authorised officer reasonably believes that the performance of functions conferred or imposed by or under this Act will be obstructed.(2) An authorised officer may request the assistance of any person the authorised officer believes to be capable of providing assistance in the performance of functions conferred or imposed by or under this Act.
Division 3 Offences in relation to authorised officers
198 Offence: obstructing authorised officer
(1) A person who:(a) prevents an authorised officer from exercising a function conferred or imposed by or under this Act, or(b) hinders, obstructs, threatens or assaults an authorised officer in the exercise of such a function, or(c) without reasonable excuse, refuses or fails to comply with a requirement made or to answer a question of an authorised officer asked in accordance with this Act or the regulations, oris guilty of an offence.(d) furnishes an authorised officer with information knowing that it is false or misleading in a material particular,Maximum penalty: 50 penalty units.(2) A person is not guilty of an offence under subsection (1) (c) unless it is established that, at the material time, the authorised officer:(a) identified himself or herself as an authorised officer, and(b) warned the person that a failure or refusal to comply with the requirement may constitute an offence.s 198: Am 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [2].
199 Offence: impersonating authorised officer or other authorised person
A person who impersonates or falsely represents that the person is an authorised officer is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.
Part 13 Enforcement provisions
Division 1 Recovery of outstanding rates, charges and other amounts
200 Sale of land for unpaid amounts owing to board
Schedule 5 has effect.
201 Recovery of rates, charges, fees and other unpaid amounts
(1) Any rate, charge, fee or other money due to a board or any other person under this Act may be recovered by the board or person as a debt in a court of competent jurisdiction.(2) The amount of any judgment that is recovered in proceedings brought under this section, and of any costs awarded to the board or other person concerned in respect of the proceedings is a charge on any land (other than public land) concerned.(3) Schedule 5 applies to an amount or any part of an amount awarded or ordered to be paid to a board or other person under this section that remains unpaid after the expiration of 5 years from the date of the judgment or order of the court concerned.
202 Accrual of interest on overdue rates, charges and other amounts
(1) Interest accrues on rates, charges and other amounts payable to a board, the Minister or any other person under this Act.(2) Interest accrues on a daily basis or on such other basis as is determined by the board or person concerned.(3) The rate of interest is that set by the board or person concerned but must not exceed the rate specified for the time being by the Minister by notice published in the Gazette.(4) Accrued interest is, for the purpose of its recovery, taken to be a rate, charge or amount that is due and payable.(5) Interest continues to accrue on unpaid rates, charges or amounts even though judgment for payment of the rates, charges or amounts may have been obtained in a court. Interest is not payable on the judgment debt, despite any other Act.
203 Special provision with respect to recovery of unpaid rates and charges
Despite anything to the contrary in the Limitation Act 1969, proceedings for the recovery of a rate or charge may be commenced at any time within 20 years after the date when the rate or charge becomes payable.
Division 2 Proceedings for offences
204 Proceedings for offences
(1) Proceedings for an offence against this Act or the regulations are to be dealt with summarily before a Local Court constituted by a Magistrate sitting alone.(2) Proceedings for an offence against this Act may instead be dealt with summarily before the Supreme Court in its summary jurisdiction.(3) The maximum monetary penalty that may be imposed by a Local Court in proceedings for an offence against this Act or the regulations is 100 penalty units.(4) The maximum penalty that may be imposed by the Supreme Court in proceedings for an offence against this Act is the maximum penalty specified by the relevant section in respect of the offence.s 204: Am 1999 No 85, Sch 2.58.
205 Time within which summary proceedings may be commenced
(1) Proceedings for an offence under this Act or the regulations may be commenced:(a) in the case of a prescribed offence—within but not later than 2 years after the day on which the offence is alleged to have been committed, or(b) in any other case—within but not later than 12 months after that day.(2) This section applies only to proceedings that are to be dealt with summarily.(3) This section applies despite anything in the Justices Act 1902 or any other Act.(4) In this section:prescribed offence means:(a) an offence arising under the following sections:• section 76 (Annual returns of land and stock),• section 81 (Notice to be given of changes in occupancy or ownership of rateable land),(b) an offence against this Act that is declared by the regulations to be a prescribed offence for the purposes of this section.
206 Penalty notices for certain offences
(1) An authorised officer may serve a penalty notice on a person if it appears to the officer that the person has committed an offence against this Act or the regulations, being an offence prescribed by the regulations as a penalty notice offence.(2) A penalty notice is a notice to the effect that, if the person served does not wish to have the matter determined by a court, the person may pay, within the time and to the person specified in the notice, the amount of penalty prescribed by the regulations for the offence if dealt with under this section.(3) A penalty notice may be served personally or by post.(4) If the amount of penalty prescribed for an alleged offence is paid under this section, no person is liable to any further proceedings for the alleged offence.(5) Payment under this section is not to be regarded as an admission of liability for the purpose of, and does not in any way affect or prejudice, any civil claim, action or proceeding arising out of the same occurrence.(6) The regulations may:(a) prescribe an offence for the purposes of this section by specifying the offence or by referring to the provision creating the offence, and(b) prescribe the amount of penalty payable for the offence if dealt with under this section, and(c) prescribe different amounts of penalties for different offences or classes of offences.(7) The amount of a penalty prescribed under this section for an offence is not to exceed the maximum amount of penalty that could be imposed for the offence by a court.(8) This section does not limit the operation of any other provision of, or made under, this or any other Act relating to proceedings that may be taken in respect of offences.
207 Penalties to be paid to prosecuting boards
(1) Whenever any monetary penalty is imposed for an offence against this Act that is prosecuted by a board the proper officer of the court that imposed the penalty or, in the case of a penalty paid under section 206, the person to whom the penalty is paid must pay the amount of the penalty to the board.(2) An amount paid under this section belongs to the board concerned.(3) This section applies irrespective of any other law to the contrary.
208 Court may order payment of additional penalty in certain cases
(1) A court that finds a person guilty of an offence under a prescribed section (whether or not it convicts the person of the offence), may, in addition to any other penalty that it may impose, order the person to pay to the board in whose district the offence was committed an amount sufficient to reimburse or compensate the board for any expenses (including any costs of agistment) incurred or losses suffered by the board as a result of the offence.(2) If a court finds that such an offence was committed on a road or travelling stock reserve located in 2 or more districts, the court must apportion in an equitable manner the expenses ordered to be paid in accordance with this section between the boards concerned.(3) In this section:prescribed section means any of the following sections:(a) section 107 (Movement and grazing of stock authorised by stock permit must comply with Act and regulations),(b) section 139 (Offence of causing or permitting stock to use public road, travelling stock reserve or public land without authority).
209 Offences by boards
(1) If a board contravenes, whether by act or omission, any provision of this Act or the regulations, each person who is a director of the board or who is concerned in the management of the board is taken to have contravened the same provision if the person knowingly authorised or permitted the contravention.(2) A person may be proceeded against and convicted under a provision pursuant to this section whether or not the board has been proceeded against or been convicted under that provision.(3) Nothing in this section affects any liability imposed on a board for an offence committed by the board against this Act or the regulations.
210 Offences relating to provision of information in relation to certain matters
(1) A person who, having been required under a provision of this Act or the regulations to provide information, fails without reasonable excuse to provide that information is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 10 penalty units.(2) A person must not make a statement for the purposes of this Act to a person engaged in the administration of this Act, or make a statement in an official document under this Act, that the person knows:(a) is false or misleading in a material respect, or(b) omits material matter.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(3) A document is an official document under this Act if it is an application, return, declaration or other document that is required to be given to the Minister, the State Council, a board, the Director-General or an authorised officer for the purposes of this Act or the regulations.(4) A person who forges or fraudulently alters any permit, licence, authority or other document issued or purporting to be issued under this Act is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 100 penalty units.
211 Onus of proof concerning reasonable or lawful excuse
In any proceedings under this Act, the onus of proving that a person had a reasonable or lawful excuse (as referred to in any provision of this Act or the regulations) lies with the defendant.Note—See also sections 156 (Public documents) and 158 (Evidence of certain public documents) of the Evidence Act 1995 in relation to proof of various matters in proceedings under this Act.
Division 3 Miscellaneous
212 General description of land sufficient for purposes of legal proceedings
For the purposes of any proceedings, or an order, notice or permit given, under this Act or the regulations:(a) a holding or land need not be described by metes and bounds, and(b) it is sufficient if the holding or land is referred to by its name, location or boundaries or in any other way that adequately identifies it.
213 Legal proceedings against an occupier or owner whose name is unknown
If the name of the occupier or owner of a holding or land is unknown to a person who wishes to serve a notice or other document or bring proceedings against that occupier or owner under this Act, the notice or document may be served on, or the proceedings may be brought against, the occupier or owner of the holding or land without specifying the name of that occupier or owner.
214 Jurisdiction of court or local land board not to be ousted in certain proceedings
(1) The jurisdiction of a court or local land board is not affected merely because, in proceedings before the court or board under or for the purposes of this Act or the regulations, a question arises concerning:(a) title to land, or(b) any matter in which rights in future may be bound, or(c) any general right or duty.(2) A decision of a court or local land board relating to such a question is not evidence in any other court or in any other legal proceeding.
Part 14 Administration of functions of State Council and boards
Division 1 Administration of State Council
215 Appointment of administrator of all functions of State Council
(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette:(a) remove all members of the State Council from office and appoint a person specified in the order as administrator of all the functions of the State Council, and(b) specify a date by which an election of members is to be held in accordance with the regulations to fill the vacancies on the State Council.(2) An order may be made if the State Council:(a) has failed to comply with any direction of the Minister concerning, or to carry out to the satisfaction of the Minister, any of its functions, or(b) has failed to enter into a memorandum of understanding in accordance with section 13, or(c) has failed to exercise its functions in accordance with such a memorandum of understanding.(3) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) until immediately before the first meeting of the State Council held after the election.
216 Appointment of administrator of some functions of State Council
(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, appoint a person specified in the order as administrator of one or more (but not all) of the functions of the State Council specified in the order.(2) An order may be made if the State Council:(a) has failed to comply with any direction of the Minister concerning, or to carry out to the satisfaction of the Minister, the function or functions specified in the order, or(b) has failed to enter into a memorandum of understanding in accordance with section 13 in respect of the function or functions specified, or(c) has failed to exercise the function or functions in accordance with such a memorandum of understanding.(3) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) for such period as may be specified in the administrator’s instrument of appointment.
217 Effect of appointment of administrator
(1) An administrator appointed under this Division has and may exercise, subject to any conditions specified in the order appointing the administrator, the functions of the State Council specified in the order.(2) Any delegation or authority made or conferred by the State Council in respect of any function of the State Council that may be exercised by an administrator appointed under this Division ceases to have effect on that appointment.
Division 2 Administration of boards
218 Appointment of administrator of all functions of boards
(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, remove all directors of a board from office and appoint a person specified in the order as administrator of all the functions of the board.(2) An order may be made:(a) if the board fails to hold an election as required by Schedule 2, or(b) if the board has failed to comply with any request of the State Council under section 27 (State Council may request a board to take specified action), or(c) if the board has insufficient directors to form a quorum, or(d) if the board has failed to carry out any function relating to animal health or any other matter to the satisfaction of the Minister, or(e) in such other circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations.(3) An order under subsection (2) (b) or (c) may be made only at the request of the State Council.(4) If the State Council requests the Minister to make an order on the ground that a board has insufficient directors to form a quorum, the Minister may, instead of removing the directors from office, by order published in the Gazette appoint the necessary number of persons qualified to hold office as directors of the board until the vacancies can be filled as provided by this Act.(5) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) until immediately before the first meeting of the board following an election held in accordance with a direction given under section 221.(6) The administrator must, as soon as practicable after being appointed, take control of all of the property of the board concerned.(7) The administrator must, subject to and in accordance with any direction of the Minister, exercise the functions of the board in such manner as appears to the administrator to be in the best interests of the ratepayers of the district for which the board is established.
219 Appointment of administrator of some functions of a board
(1) The Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, appoint a person specified in the order as administrator of one or more (but not all) of the functions of a board specified in the order.(2) An order may be made:(a) if the board has failed to comply with any request of the State Council under section 27, or(b) if the board has failed to carry out any function relating to animal health or any other matter to the satisfaction of the Minister,(c) in such other circumstances as may be prescribed by the regulations.(3) An order under subsection (2) (a) may be made only at the request of the State Council.(4) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) for such period as may be specified in the administrator’s instrument of appointment.
220 Effect of appointment of administrator
(1) An administrator appointed under this Division has and may exercise, subject to any conditions specified in the order appointing the administrator, the functions of the board specified in the order.(2) Any delegation or authority made or conferred by the board in respect of any function of the board that may be exercised by an administrator appointed under this Division ceases to have effect on that appointment.
221 Administrator to hold special election of directors when directed to do so
(1) The Minister may, at any time while an administrator of a board is holding office under section 218, give to the administrator a direction requiring the administrator to hold a special election of directors of the board.(2) An administrator of the board that is given such a direction must:(a) by notice published in the Gazette, fix a date for the holding of a special election of the directors of the board, and(b) hold a special election of directors on that date.(3) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) until immediately before the first meeting at the board following an election held in accordance with this section.(4) Unless for any reason they vacate office earlier, directors who are elected at a special election held under this section cease to hold office immediately before their successors take office in accordance with Schedule 2.
Division 3 Administration of boards pending election of directors
222 Definitions
In this Division:amalgamated district means a district constituted by or as a consequence of an amalgamation by a proclamation under section 5.amalgamation facilitator means a person appointed as an amalgamation facilitator under section 225.amalgamation proclamation means a proclamation constituting an amalgamated district.constituent parts of an amalgamated district means the divisions of districts and parts of divisions of districts that are to be amalgamated by a proclamation under section 5 to constitute the amalgamated district.
223 Appointment of an initial administrator
(1) As soon as practicable after a district is constituted (whether or not as a consequence of an amalgamation) under section 5, the Minister must, by notice published in the Gazette:(a) appoint an administrator to manage the affairs of the board pending the election of directors of the board, and(b) fix a period within which the administrator must hold a general or special election to elect the directors of the board.(2) As soon as practicable within the period fixed in accordance with subsection (1) (b), or within such extended period as the Minister allows, the administrator must:(a) establish an electors’ roll for the district and enter on the roll the names, residential addresses and other particulars (if any) prescribed by the regulations of those persons who, having the required qualifications, apply to have their names entered on the roll, and(b) hold a general or special election of directors in accordance with Schedule 2.(3) The administrator holds office (subject to this Act) until immediately before the first meeting at the board following an election held in accordance with this section.(4) Unless for any reason they vacate their offices earlier, directors who are elected at an election held under this section cease to hold office immediately before their successors take office in accordance with Schedule 2.
224 Alternative arrangements to appointment of initial administrator
(1) Section 223 does not apply to or in respect of an amalgamated district or any other district constituted under section 5 if the Minister, at the request of the State Council, makes an order under this section.(2) The Minister may, by order, direct that a person holding office as a director of a constituent part of an amalgamated district continue to exercise functions as such a director pending the election of the directors of the board for the amalgamated district.(3) The Minister may, by order, direct that a person holding office as a director of any district exercise the functions of director of a district constituted under section 5 (otherwise than by, or as a consequence of, an amalgamation) pending the election of the directors of the board for the newly constituted district.(4) A person directed to exercise the functions of the director of a newly constituted district by an order under this section has and may exercise, subject to any conditions specified in the order, all the functions of a director of the newly constituted district until the first meeting of the directors of the board elected for the newly constituted district.
225 Amalgamation facilitator and other staff
(1) The Minister may appoint an amalgamation facilitator and such other persons as the Minister considers necessary to assist in the conduct of the first election for the directors of an amalgamated district.(2) The amalgamation facilitator:(a) has all the functions in respect of the first election of directors for an amalgamated district that a board for a district has in respect of a general election of directors for the district, and(b) is to be the returning officer for the first election for the amalgamated district, and(c) is to carry out such other functions as may be determined by the Minister to facilitate the amalgamation of the district pending the election of the directors of the board for the district.(3) The Minister may, at any time, remove a person from office to which the person has been appointed under this section.(4) A person appointed under this section is entitled to be paid such remuneration (including travelling and subsistence allowances) as the Minister may from time to time determine in respect of the person.(5) A person who ceases to hold office by virtue of subsection (3) is not entitled to any remuneration or compensation because of the loss of office.
226 Notification of divisions of and number of directors of boards for amalgamated districts
(1) The Minister must, on publication of an amalgamation proclamation in the Gazette, publish a notice in the Gazette:(a) dividing the amalgamated district into such divisions as the Minister considers appropriate, and(b) specifying the number of directors to be elected or appointed for each division.(2) Despite subsection (1), the Minister is not required to divide an amalgamated district in the Western Division into divisions unless the Minister considers it appropriate to do so.(3) A notice under this section takes effect:(a) for the purposes of the first election under this Part of the directors for the board for the amalgamated district—on the date of publication of the notice in the Gazette, and(b) for all other purposes—on the date the amalgamation proclamation takes effect.(4) A notice under this section is taken to be an order under section 6.
227 Employees, property and expenditure of affected boards in transitional period
(1) In this section:affected board means a board for a constituent part of an amalgamated district.relevant date means the date the amalgamation proclamation is published in the Gazette.(2) An affected board must not in the period between the relevant date and the date on which the amalgamation proclamation takes effect:(a) sell or otherwise dispose of any property of the board, or(b) incur any expenses under this or any other Act or engage any employee otherwise than in accordance with a contract, agreement or arrangement entered into before the relevant date, or(c) remunerate any person on terms more advantageous than those on which the person was remunerated by the board immediately before the relevant date, or(d) dismiss, or terminate the employment on the ground of redundancy, any employee other than an employee against whom action for dismissal or redundancy had commenced before the relevant date, or(e) transfer any employee from the place in the district in which, immediately before the relevant date, the employee is based to another place in the district.(3) Despite subsection (2), an affected board may take any action described in that subsection with the approval of the Minister given in a particular case or class of cases or if the action is taken in accordance with such terms and conditions as may be specified by order for the purposes of this subsection by the Minister.(4) For the purposes of section 229, any expenditure incurred by or on behalf of a board in breach of this clause is improperly incurred.(5) The Auditor-General may surcharge a person who was a director or employee of an affected board at the time the expenditure was improperly incurred with an amount under section 229 whether or not the person is a director or employee at the time the surcharge is imposed.
Division 4 Miscellaneous
228 Provisions applicable to administrators
(1) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to administrators appointed under this Part.(2) Schedule 3 has effect with respect to an administrator appointed under this Part.
Part 15 Surcharges
229 Auditor-General may surcharge for improper expenditure
(1) The Auditor-General may disallow any expenditure that has been improperly incurred by or on behalf of the State Council or a board or any improper entry or transfer appearing in the State Council’s or a board’s accounting records.(2) The Auditor-General may surcharge the members or employees of the State Council or directors or employees of the board who incurred or authorised the expenditure or who made or authorised the entry or transfer with the amount of the expenditure, entry or transfer disallowed by the Auditor-General.(3) The Auditor-General may surcharge a member or employee of the State Council or a director or employee of a board with the amount of:(a) any deficiency that is attributable to the culpable negligence or misconduct of the member, director or employee, or(b) any money that the member, director or employee ought to have accounted for.
230 Procedure for surcharging
(1) Before surcharging a person, the Auditor-General must:(a) cause notice of the proposed surcharge, and of the reasons for the proposed surcharge, to be given to the person, and(b) allow the person a reasonable opportunity to make submissions to the Auditor-General with respect to the proposed surcharge, and(c) take into consideration any submissions made by the person with respect to the proposed surcharge.(2) The Auditor-General must certify in the State Council’s or board’s accounts the amount by which the Auditor-General has surcharged any person.(3) Immediately on surcharging an amount on any person, the Auditor-General must give notice of that fact to the person and specify the day by which the surcharge is payable.
231 Right of appeal
(1) A person who is surcharged under this Part may, in accordance with rules of court, appeal to the District Court against the surcharge.(2) Such an appeal must be made within 28 days after the person is given notice of the surcharge.(3) The District Court may confirm or annul the surcharge or may reduce the amount of the surcharge.(4) The Auditor-General must give effect to the decision of the District Court.
232 Recovery of surcharges
(1) The amount of a surcharge becomes payable to the Minister as a debt when the time within which an appeal may be made against the surcharge expires or, if such an appeal is made and the surcharge is not annulled, when the appeal is finally determined.(2) The Minister may appropriate any money under the control of the State Council or board or the Crown that is due to a director, member or employee who has been surcharged towards payment of the surcharge and direct that it be dealt with in whatever manner the Minister considers appropriate.(3) The amount of a surcharge or any deficiency that remains after appropriation of any money under subsection (2) is a debt recoverable by the Minister in a court of competent jurisdiction.
233 Effect of failure to pay surcharge
(1) A member of the State Council or a director of a board who does not pay a surcharge imposed on the member or director under this Part within the period specified by the Auditor-General:(a) ceases to hold office as member or director, and(b) is ineligible for election or appointment as a member or director while the amount of the surcharge is unpaid.(2) An employee of the State Council or a board who does not pay a surcharge imposed on the employee within the period specified by the Auditor-General may be suspended from duty (without pay) by the State Council or board while the amount of the surcharge is unpaid.
Part 16 Miscellaneous
234 Resolution of board disputes
(1) The State Council may resolve any dispute to which this section applies by mediation, arbitration or any other procedure the State Council considers appropriate.(2) This section applies to the following disputes:(a) a dispute between 2 or more boards arising under this Act,(b) a dispute between 2 or more directors of a board arising under this Act,(c) a dispute between a board and one or more of its directors or members of staff arising under this Act,(d) a dispute between a board and a person in relation to a determination of the board in relation to a complaint.(3) The parties to a dispute referred to in subsection (2) (a), (b) or (c) must comply with any direction of the State Council arising out of its resolution of the dispute.
235 Resolution of disputes between State Council and boards
(1) If a dispute arises between the State Council and a board in connection with any function conferred or imposed on the State Council or board by or under this Act, the State Council or board may submit the dispute to the Director-General for settlement.(2) On submission of a dispute to the Director-General, the Director-General may hold an inquiry into the dispute and may make such decisions about the dispute as the Director-General thinks fit, having regard to the public interest and the circumstances.(3) The Director-General may recommend that the Minister make an order under Part 14 in respect of the State Council or board if the Director-General considers the inquiry indicates that such an order should be made.Note—The Director-General may delegate this function to an officer of the Department of Agriculture. See section 241 (Delegation).(4) The State Council and the board must comply with a decision of the Director-General under this section.
236 Certificate as to rates, charges and other matters
(1) Any person may apply to a board for a certificate as to any of the following matters:(a) the amount (if any) due or payable to the board by way of rates, charges or other amounts in respect of the land,(b) the person liable to pay any amount referred to in paragraph (a),(c) any other matter prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of this section.(2) The application must be in the approved form and be accompanied by the fee prescribed by the regulations.(3) The board is to issue a certificate to the applicant in the approved form containing the information sought.(4) The production of the certificate is conclusive proof of the matters certified.(5) For the purposes of this section, rates, charges or other amounts are taken to be due or payable even though the requisite period after service of any relevant rate or other notice may not have expired.
237 Owner of stock may be ordered to muster stock
(1) An authorised officer of the Minister or a board may, with the approval of the Minister or board, order a person who owns stock to muster the stock on the person’s holding (or on a designated part of it) or at some other designated place for a purpose and at a time specified in the order.(2) A person who fails to comply with such an order at the time specified in it is guilty of an offence.Maximum penalty: 20 penalty units.(3) If a person fails to comply with such an order at the specified time the authorised officer may have the muster carried out at the person’s expense.(4) The Minister or the board concerned may recover the expense of having a muster carried out under this section as a debt in any court of competent jurisdiction.
238 Protection from liability
(1) A matter or thing done by the State Council, a board, a member or employee of the State Council, a director or employee of a board, an authorised officer or any person acting under the direction or authority or with the concurrence of the State Council or a board does not, if the matter was done in good faith for the purpose of executing this or any other Act or in accordance with any policy direction of the government communicated to the State Council or a board by the Minister or the Director-General, subject a member, director, employee, authorised officer or person so acting personally, or the Crown, to any action, liability, claim or demand.(2) A matter or thing done by the State Council or a board does not, if the matter or thing was done in good faith for the purpose of executing this or any other Act or in accordance with any policy direction of the government communicated to the State Council or the board by the Minister or the Director-General, subject the State Council or board, or the Crown, to any action, liability, claim or demand.(3) A matter or thing done by the Minister, or the Director-General or any person acting under the direction of the Minister or the Director-General does not, if the matter was done in good faith for the purpose of executing this Act, subject the Minister, Director-General or person so acting personally, or the Crown, to any action, liability, claim or demand.
239 Form of notices
Any notice or other document issued, made or given for the purposes of this Act or the regulations must be in writing, except where this Act expressly authorises another means of giving notice.
240 Service and giving of notices and other documents
(1) For the purposes of this Act and the regulations, a notice or document may be given to a person (or a notice or document may be served on a person) by:(a) in the case of a natural person:(i) delivering it to the person personally, or(ii) sending it by pre-paid post to the address specified by the person for the giving or service of notices or documents or, if no such address is specified, the residential or business address of the person last known to the person giving or serving the document, or(iii) sending it by facsimile transmission to the facsimile number of the person, or(b) in the case of a body corporate:(i) leaving it with a person apparently of or above the age of 16 years at, or by sending it by pre-paid post to, the head office, a registered office or a principal office of the body corporate or to an address specified by the body corporate for giving or serving the document, or(ii) sending it by facsimile transmission to the facsimile number of the body corporate.(2) Without limiting subsection (1) (b), a document to be given to (or served on) a board may be given to or served on the chairperson, director or any authorised officer authorised by the board to accept it.(3) Without limiting subsection (1) (b), a document to be given to or served on the State Council may be given to or served on the chairperson or Chief Executive Officer of the State Council.
241 Delegation
(1) The Minister may delegate any of the Minister’s functions under this Act or the regulations (other than this power of delegation).(2) The Director-General may delegate any of the Director-General’s functions under this Act or the regulations (other than this power of delegation) to an officer of the Department of Agriculture, the State Council, a board or any authorised officer.(3) A board may delegate any of the board’s functions under this Act or the regulations (other than this power of delegation or any function conferred on the board as an authorising authority under Part 12) to a director of the board, a member of staff of the board or an authorised officer.(4) The State Council may delegate any of the State Council’s functions under this Act or the regulations (other than this power of delegation or any other function specified by the regulations) to a member of the State Council, a member of staff of the State Council, a board, a director of a board or any authorised officer.
242 Appeal procedure
(1) An appeal to a local land board under this Act against a decision or rate levied by a board is to be made by lodging a notice of appeal in the approved form with the registrar of the appropriate local land board.(2) The notice of appeal is to be accompanied by a fee of $50 (or such other amount as may be prescribed by the regulations).(3) The appellant is to give a copy of the notice of appeal to the board that made the decision or levied the rate being appealed against.(4) The Chairperson of the local land board to which an appeal is made is to give both the appellant and the board at least 7 days’ notice of the time fixed for the hearing of the appeal.
243 Regulations
(1) The Governor may make regulations, not inconsistent with this Act, for or with respect to any matter that by this Act is required or permitted to be prescribed or that is necessary or convenient to be prescribed for carrying out or giving effect to this Act.(2) Without limiting subsection (1), regulations may be made for or with respect to the following:(a) the walking and grazing of stock,(b) the erection of signs when stock are walking or grazing on or near a road and the responsibility of drivers in respect of such signs,(c) the use of travelling stock reserves and the use of any structures or things constructed or kept on those reserves,(d) the use or lease of any stock watering place,(e) permits, licences, authorities and other documents for the purposes of this Act or the regulations,(f) the insurance to be effected and bonds to be given or obtained in connection with the use of such documents,(g) the identification of stock,(h) fees, rates and charges payable under this Act or the regulations.(3) The regulations may make provision, not inconsistent with the State Records Act 1998, with respect to the maintenance, preservation and destruction of records kept under this Act.(4) A regulation may create an offence punishable by a maximum penalty not exceeding 50 penalty units.
244 Exemptions
The regulations may exempt from the operation of all or any of the provisions of Part 7 or 8 any specified land or class of land, any specified person or class of persons or any specified activities or class of activities in such circumstances, and subject to such conditions, as may be specified in the regulations.
245 Repeals
(1) The Rural Lands Protection Act 1989 is repealed.(2) The Rural Lands Protection Regulation 1995 is repealed.(3) Different days may be appointed for the commencement of subsection (1) or (2) for the purpose of repealing, on different days, different provisions of the instrument referred to in the subsection.
246 Amendment of other Acts and instruments
Each Act and instrument specified in Schedule 6 is amended as set out in that Schedule.
247 Savings and transitional provisions
Schedule 7 has effect.
248 Review of Act
(1) The Minister is to review this Act to determine whether the policy objectives of the Act remain valid and whether the terms of the Act remain appropriate for securing those objectives.(2) The review is to be undertaken as soon as possible after the period of 5 years from the date of assent to this Act.(3) A report on the outcome of the review is to be tabled in each House of Parliament within 12 months after the end of the period of 5 years.
Schedule 1 Constitution and procedure of State Council and boards
(Sections 22 and 37)
Part 1 General
1 Definitions
In this Schedule:Chairperson means:(a) in relation to the State Council—the Chairperson of the State Council,(b) in relation to a board—the Chairperson of the board.Deputy Chairperson means the Deputy Chairperson of a board or of the State Council.director means a director of a board.member means any member of the State Council.
2 What is a pecuniary interest?
(1) For the purposes of this Schedule, a pecuniary interest is an interest that a person has in a matter because of a reasonable likelihood or expectation of appreciable financial gain or loss to the person or another person with whom the person is associated as provided in clause 3.(2) A person does not have a pecuniary interest in a matter if the interest is so remote or insignificant that it could not reasonably be regarded as likely to influence any decision the person might make in relation to the matter or if the interest is of a kind specified in clause 3.
3 Who has a pecuniary interest?
(1) For the purposes of this Schedule, a person has a pecuniary interest in a matter if the pecuniary interest is the interest of:(a) the person, or(b) another person with whom the person is associated as provided in this section.(2) A person is taken to have a pecuniary interest in a matter if:(a) the person’s spouse or de facto partner or a relative of the person, or a partner or employer of the person, has a pecuniary interest in the matter, or(b) the person, or a nominee, partner or employer of the person, is a member of a company or other body that has a pecuniary interest in the matter.(3) However, a person is not taken to have a pecuniary interest in a matter as referred to in subclause (2):(a) if the person is unaware of the relevant pecuniary interest of the spouse, de facto partner, relative, partner, employer or company or other body, or(b) just because the person is a member or director of, or is employed by, the State Council or a board or a statutory body or is employed by the Crown, or(c) just because the person is a member or director of, or a delegate of the State Council or a board, a company or other body that has a pecuniary interest in the matter, so long as the person has no beneficial interest in any shares of the company or body.
Part 2 Constitution
4 Terms of office of members
Subject to this Schedule, a member holds office for a period of 4 years (or such other period as may be prescribed by the regulations) commencing on the date of the election of the member, but is eligible (if otherwise qualified) for re-election at the end of his or her term of office.
5 Remuneration of members and directors
(1) A member is entitled to be paid by the State Council such remuneration (including travelling and subsistence allowances) as the State Conference may from time to time determine in respect of the member.(2) A board must pay to its directors in respect of the exercise of their functions such fees, allowances and expenses at such rates as may be fixed from time to time by the State Council, or such lesser amount as the directors elect to receive.
6 Vacancy in office of member or director
(1) The office of a member or director becomes vacant if the member or director:(a) dies, or(b) completes a term of office and is not re-elected or re-appointed, or(c) resigns the office by instrument in writing addressed, in the case of a member, to the Minister or, in the case of a director, to the board, or(d) is removed from office by the Minister under this clause, or(e) is, except on leave granted by the Minister in the case of a member or by the board in the case of the director, absent from 4 consecutive meetings of the State Council or board, respectively, of which reasonable notice has been given to the member or director personally or by post, or(f) becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with his or her creditors or makes an assignment of his or her remuneration for their benefit, or(g) becomes a mentally incapacitated person, or(h) is convicted in New South Wales of an offence that is punishable by imprisonment for 12 months or more or is convicted elsewhere than in New South Wales of an offence that, if committed in New South Wales, would be an offence so punishable, or(i) in the case of a director—ceases to be an occupier or owner of a holding in the district of a board or to hold any other qualification for appointment or election as a director, or(j) in the case of a member—ceases to be qualified to be elected to represent a region.(2) The Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, remove any member or director from office at any time for incapacity, incompetence or misbehaviour.(3) A member or director is entitled to be heard before a finding of incapacity, incompetence or misbehaviour is made in respect of the member or director under subclause (2).(4) The Minister may, but is not obliged to, refer the hearing of an allegation of incapacity, incompetence or misbehaviour in respect of a member or director to a person or body whom or which the Minister has designated for the purpose.(5) As soon as practicable after an allegation of incapacity, incompetence or misbehaviour is referred to a person or body in accordance with subclause (4), the person or body must hear the allegation and then report the findings to the Minister.
7 Filling of casual vacancy in office of member or director
(1) If a member or director vacates office, a person is, subject to this Act, required to be elected to fill the vacancy. The member or director so elected holds office for the remainder of the term of office of the member or director whose office he or she is filling.(2) If the vacation of office occurs within 6 months before the term of office of a member or director would have expired, the Minister may appoint a person who would be qualified to be elected as a member or director to fill the office for the remainder of that term.
8 Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of State Council
(1) In the absence of the Chairperson of the State Council, the Deputy Chairperson of the State Council may, if available, act in the place of the Chairperson.(2) While acting in the place of the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson has all the functions of the Chairperson and is taken to be the Chairperson.(3) The Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson vacates office as Chairperson or Deputy Chairperson if the person ceases to be a member.
9 Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson of board
(1) At the first meeting of the directors held after the general election at which they were elected or, as the case may be, held after their appointment and at the next meeting held after each anniversary of the holding of that first meeting, the board must elect one of its directors to be Chairperson, and another to be Deputy Chairperson, of the board.(2) The Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson each holds office until he or she ceases to hold office as a director or until the conclusion of the meeting of the board at which his or her successor in office is elected, whichever first occurs.(3) If both the Chairperson and Deputy Chairperson are absent from a meeting of a board, the directors present must elect one of their number to preside over the meeting.(4) The Deputy Chairperson of a board may act in the office of Chairperson during such period as the Chairperson is prevented by absence, illness or other cause from carrying out any function of that office.(5) While so acting, the Deputy Chairperson has the Chairperson’s functions.
10 Invitations for tenders
(1) If it is disclosed to the directors of a board, or they have reason to believe, that a director has or may have a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a proposed contract with the board, the board:(a) must, by notice published in a newspaper circulating in its district, invite tenders for the proposed contract, and(b) must not enter into the proposed contract unless satisfied that, in all the circumstances of the case, none of the tenders submitted is more advantageous than the proposed contract.(2) The notice inviting tenders must:(a) set out the nature of the work or services to be performed or the goods to be supplied under the contract, and(b) invite persons willing to perform the work or services or supply the goods to submit tenders to the board on or before a specified date at least 21 days after publication of the notice.(3) This clause does not apply in the case of an emergency.
11 Disclosure of pecuniary interests
(1) If:(a) a member has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a matter being considered or about to be considered at a meeting of the State Council or a director has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a matter being considered or about to be considered at a meeting of a board, andthe member or director must, as soon as possible after the relevant facts have come to the member’s or director’s knowledge, disclose the nature of the interest at a meeting of the State Council or board, respectively.(b) the interest appears to raise a conflict with the proper performance of the member’s or director’s duties in relation to the consideration of the matter,(2) A disclosure by a member or director at a meeting of the State Council or board that the member or director:(a) is a member, or is in the employment, of a specified company or other body, or(b) is a partner, or is in the employment, of a specified person, oris a sufficient disclosure of the nature of the interest in any matter relating to that company or other body or to that person that may arise after the date of the disclosure and that is required to be disclosed under subclause (1).(c) has some other specified interest relating to a specified company or other body or to a specified person,(3) Particulars of any disclosure made under this clause must be recorded by the State Council or board in a book kept for the purpose and that book must be open at all reasonable hours to inspection by any person on payment of the fee (not exceeding the amount, if any, prescribed by the regulations) determined by the State Council or board.(4) After a member or director has disclosed the nature of an interest in any matter, the member or director must not, unless the Minister or the State Council or board otherwise determines:(a) be present during any deliberation of the State Council or board with respect to the matter, or(b) take part in any decision of the State Council or board with respect to the matter.(5) For the purposes of the making of a determination by the State Council or board under subclause (4), a member or director who has a direct or indirect pecuniary interest in a matter to which the disclosure relates must not:(a) be present during any deliberation of the State Council or board for the purpose of making the determination, or(b) take part in the making by the State Council or board of the determination.(6) A contravention of this clause does not invalidate any decision of the State Council or board.(7) This clause does not prevent a person from taking part in the consideration or discussion of, or from voting on any question relating to the following:(a) the making or levying of a rate or charge,(b) the fixing or charging of a fee for the supply to a relative of the person by the board of any commodity or service provided by the board in the same manner and subject to the same conditions as apply to persons who are not subject to this clause,(c) the payment of fees and expenses and the provision of facilities to members or directors (including the Chairperson).
12 Insurance of members and directors
(1) The State Council or board must insure its members or directors against personal injury and death arising out of or in the course of:(a) their attendance at any meeting of the State Council or board or a committee of the State Council or board which they are authorised or required to attend, and(b) their performing any business of the State Council or board with the approval of the State Council or board, and(c) any journey in connection with any such business.(2) The State Council or board is to be regarded as having an insurable interest in respect of any such contract of insurance.(3) As soon as practicable after receiving an amount of money under any such contract of insurance, the State Council or board must, after deducting any expenses incurred in recovering the amount, pay the balance to the member concerned or, if the member or director has died, to the member’s or director’s executor or administrator.
13 Effect of certain other Acts
(1) Part 2 of the Public Sector Management Act 1988 does not apply to or in respect of the appointment of a member or director.(2) If by or under any Act provision is made:(a) requiring a person who is the holder of a specified office to devote the whole of his or her time to the duties of that office, orthe provision does not operate to disqualify the person from holding that office and also the office of a member or director or from accepting and retaining any remuneration payable to the person under this Act as a member or director.(b) prohibiting the person from engaging in employment outside the duties of that office,
Part 3 Procedure
14 General procedure
The procedure for the calling of meetings of the State Council or a board and for the conduct of business at those meetings is, subject to this Act and the regulations, to be as determined by the State Council or the board.
15 Meetings of a board
(1) A board must hold its first meeting:(a) where all the vacant positions of directors are filled at a general election—within one month, or within such extended period as the State Council allows, after that election, or(b) in any other case—on or before such date as the State Council decides.(2) The chairperson must, unless the State Council otherwise approves, convene meetings of the board so that the board meets at least once every month.
16 Board to keep minutes of its proceedings
A board must:(a) record minutes of all proceedings of meetings of the board, and(b) ensure that those minutes are signed by the person presiding at the meeting at which the proceedings took place or by the person presiding at the next succeeding meeting of the board.
17 Public notice of meetings
(1) A board must give notice to the public of the times and places of its meetings and meetings of those of its committees of which all the members are directors.(2) Notice is to be given in such manner as the board considers appropriate.(3) A board and each such committee must have available for the public at its principal office copies (for inspection or taking away by any person) of the agenda of a proposed meeting. This requirement does not apply to a matter that, in the opinion of the Chairperson of the board, is likely to be considered when the meeting is closed to the public or to any correspondence or reports that, in the opinion of the Chairperson, are likely to be the subject of a resolution that they be treated as confidential.(4) The copies are to be available as nearly as possible to the time they are available to directors.(5) The copies are to be available free of charge.
18 Who is entitled to attend meetings?
(1) Ratepayers and persons who have a direct interest in a matter on the agenda for a board are entitled to attend a meeting of the board and those of its committees of which all the members are directors, except as provided by this clause.(2) A board or such a committee may close only so much of its meeting as comprises the receipt or discussion of any of the following:(a) personal matters concerning particular individuals,(b) the personal hardship of any occupier or owner of land in the district,(c) commercial information, the disclosure of which would be likely to prejudice the commercial position of the person who supplies it or to reveal a trade secret,(d) proposals for the sale or purchase of land or entering into contracts of any kind, if prior knowledge of those proposals could confer an unfair financial advantage to any person,(e) information that is subject to legal obligations of confidence,(f) the receipt and consideration of legal advice concerning litigation or which would otherwise be privileged from production in legal proceedings on the ground of client legal privilege,(g) information the disclosure of which would prejudice the maintenance of law,(h) matters affecting the security of the board, directors, board staff or board property.(3) The grounds on which a meeting is closed must be specified in the decision to close the meeting and recorded in the minutes of the meeting.(4) A person (whether a director or other person) is not entitled to be present at a meeting of the board or such a committee if expelled from the meeting:(a) by a resolution of the meeting, or(b) by the person presiding at the meeting, if the board has, by resolution, authorised the person presiding to exercise the power of expulsion.
19 Quorum
(1) The quorum for a meeting of the State Council is a majority of its members.(2) The quorum for a meeting of a board is 4 directors of the board.(3) If the Minister has specified the number of directors in an order under section 40 (2), the Minister is to determine the number of directors that is sufficient for the board to have a quorum for the purposes of this clause.
20 Presiding member or director
(1) The Chairperson (or, in the absence of the Chairperson, the Deputy Chairperson or other person elected to preside over the meeting) is to preside at a meeting of the State Council or board.(2) The presiding member or director has a deliberative vote and, in the event of an equality of votes, has a second or casting vote.
21 Voting
A decision supported by a majority of the votes cast at a meeting of the State Council or a board at which a quorum is present is the decision of the State Council or board.
22 Board may establish committees
(1) The State Council or a board may establish committees to assist it in the exercise of its functions.(2) It does not matter that any or all members of a committee are not members or directors.(3) The procedure for calling meetings of such a committee is to be determined by the State Council or the board, or, subject to any determination of the State Council or board, the committee.
23 Transaction of business outside meetings or by telephone
(1) The State Council may, if it thinks fit, transact any of its business by the circulation of papers among all the members of the State Council for the time being, and a resolution in writing approved in writing by a majority of those members is taken to be a decision of the State Council.(2) The State Council may, if it thinks fit, transact any of its business at a meeting at which members (or some members) participate by telephone, closed-circuit television or other means, but only if any member who speaks on a matter at the meeting can be heard by the other members.(3) For the purposes of:(a) the approval of a resolution under subclause (1), orthe Chairperson and each member have the same voting rights as they have at an ordinary meeting of the State Council.(b) a meeting held in accordance with subclause (2),(4) A resolution approved under subclause (1) is, subject to the regulations, to be recorded in the minutes of the meetings of the State Council.(5) Papers may be circulated among the members for the purposes of subclause (1) by facsimile or other transmission of the information in the papers concerned.
sch 1: Am 1999 No 94, sec 7 (3) and Sch 5, Part 3; 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [3].
Schedule 2 Election or appointment of directors
(Sections 40 (4), 221 and 223)
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Definitions
In this Schedule:means a person authorised by the State Council to act for the purposes of this Schedule.general election means a general election of directors held as referred to in clause 6.special election means a special election of directors held in accordance with clause 9.
Part 2 Election and appointment of directors
2 Directors to be elected or appointed
(1) The directors of a board for a district are to be elected by the persons who are entitled to vote in:(a) a general election, or(b) if a casual vacancy occurs in the office of any director of the board—in a special election to fill that vacancy.(2) If no person is nominated at a general election or special election, or if for any other reason an election fails, the Minister may appoint a person eligible for election to be an appointed director, and the person, on being appointed, is taken to be a person elected in accordance with this clause.
3 Who is entitled to vote at an election?
A person is entitled to vote at a general election or special election for the directors of a board for a district if on the date on which the roll is closed the person is enrolled, in accordance with this Schedule, as an elector for the district (or, if the district is divided into divisions, as an elector for a division of the district).
4 Who is qualified for election or appointment as a director?
(1) A person is qualified for election or appointment as a director of a board if on the relevant day the person is:(a) the occupier (or one of the occupiers) or the owner (or one of the owners) of a holding that consists wholly or partly of rateable land that is within the division for which the person is to be elected or appointed or, if the district is not divided into divisions, is within the district, or(b) a nominee of a corporation that is the occupier or owner of such a holding.Note—See section 8 (When is a holding within a district?).(1A) A person is not qualified for election or appointment as a director of a board for a district if, on the relevant day:(a) subject to subclause (2), the person is a director of that or any other board, or(b) the person has nominated as a candidate for an election as director of a board for another district, being an election that has not yet been determined, or(c) the person has nominated as a candidate for an election as director for another division in the same district, being an election that has not yet been determined.(2) A director is, if otherwise qualified, eligible for re-election or re-appointment for a further term at the conclusion of his or her current term of office.(3) In this clause:relevant day means:(a) in the case of an election—the closing day for nomination of candidates for the election, or(b) in the case of an appointment—on the day on which the appointment takes effect.
Part 3 Conduct of elections
5 General provisions applicable to elections of directors of boards
A general election or special election must be conducted by post in accordance with the procedure prescribed by the regulations.
6 When is general election of directors to be held?
The State Council is to ensure that a general election of the directors of each board is held to enable the directors of the board elected at the general election to take office on 1 October 2001 and for directors of the board elected at general elections subsequently to take office on 1 October in every fourth year after 2001.
7 Delayed election
(1) If the Minister is of the opinion that it would be impractical or inconvenient to hold a general election of the directors of any board in time for the directors to take office when required by clause 6, the Minister may, by order published in the Gazette, appoint a later day by which a general election must be held and the directors be able to take office.(2) The Minister is to serve a copy of an order under this clause on each board to which it relates.(3) If a later day is appointed under this clause:(a) the retiring directors continue in office until that day, and if a retiring director resigns in the meantime, his or her office is vacant until that day, and(b) clause 6 applies as if the date by which the directors must be able to take office under that clause were the date appointed by the Minister.
8 When does a director vacate office?
Unless for any reason they vacate their offices earlier, directors elected at a general election or special election or appointed by the Minister, cease to hold office on the day immediately preceding the day on which their successors are elected or appointed to take office.
9 Special election to be held to fill a casual vacancy in the office of director
(1) A board must hold a special election to fill any vacancy that occurs in the office of any director of the board within 3 months after the occurrence of the vacancy.(2) However, if such a vacancy occurs within the period of 6 months immediately preceding the date on which directors elected at a general election are to take office, an election to fill the vacancy must not be held.Note—See section 221 (Administrator to hold special election of directors when directed to do so).
Part 4 Enrolment of electors
10 Board to establish and maintain an electors’ roll
(1) A board established for a district that is divided into divisions must establish and maintain a roll for each division containing:(a) the name and residential address of each person entitled to be enrolled in respect of a holding that is within the division, and(b) particulars identifying the holding.Note—See section 8 (When is a holding within a district?).(2) A board established for a district that is not divided into divisions must establish and maintain a roll for the district containing:(a) the name and residential address of each person entitled to be enrolled in respect of a holding that is within the district, and(b) particulars identifying the holding.(3) An authorised officer of a board is to be responsible for regularly updating the roll required to be established and maintained by the board under this clause.
11 Which persons are entitled to be enrolled
(1) A maximum of 2 persons who are entitled to be enrolled may be enrolled in respect of each holding that is situated within a district or division of a district.(2) A person may be enrolled in respect of a holding only if:(a) the holding consists wholly or partly of rateable land, and(b) the person is 18 or more years old, and(c) the person makes an application for enrolment or is nominated for enrolment in accordance with this Schedule.(3) A person is entitled to be enrolled in respect of a holding if:(a) the person is the only occupier of the holding, or(b) there are 2 individuals who are occupiers of the holding and the person is one of those occupiers, or(c) there are more than 2 individuals who are occupiers of the holding and the person has been nominated to be a person entitled to be enrolled for the holding in accordance with clause 12, or(d) the occupier of the holding is a corporation and the person is an individual who has been nominated as a person entitled to be enrolled for the holding by the corporation in accordance with clause 12.(4) Despite subclause (3), a person is not entitled to be enrolled in respect of more than one holding in the same district or division.
12 Nomination of electors for holding
(1) If 2 or more individuals are occupiers of a holding in a district or division they may nominate at least one individual (but not more than 2 individuals) as the persons entitled to be enrolled in respect of the holding as an elector for the district or division. A corporation that is the occupier of a holding within a district or division of a district may nominate up to 2 individuals as the persons entitled to be enrolled in respect of the holding.(2) A nomination under this clause is to be in writing and is to be given to the board.Note—See section 240 (Service and giving of notices and other documents).
13 Applications for enrolment and nominations
(1) An application for enrolment is to be made to the board in the manner approved by the State Council.Note—See section 240 (Service and giving of notices and other documents).(2) Whenever an authorised officer of a board:(a) receives an application or nomination for enrolment, andthe authorised officer must record the applicant as the person enrolled in respect of that holding and, if appropriate, strike out the name of the person previously enrolled in respect of that holding.(b) is satisfied that the applicant is entitled to be enrolled in respect of the holding concerned,(3) If a nomination has been made in accordance with clause 12, the authorised officer is to enrol the nominated person. If no nomination is made in accordance with clause 12, the authorised officer is to choose which of the persons eligible to be enrolled is to be enrolled and is to enrol those persons.(4) Whenever an authorised officer for a district becomes aware that an applicant for enrolment is not eligible to be enrolled in respect of a holding, the authorised officer must:(a) treat the application as if it had never been given to the board, and(b) make any consequential alterations to the roll for the district or division concerned, and(c) take reasonable steps to notify in writing the occupier or, if there is more than one occupier, each of the occupiers of the holding that it has done the things referred to in paragraphs (a) and (b).(5) For the purposes of this clause, a person who occupies 2 or more holdings in a district that are treated as a single holding under section 59 is to be treated as the occupier of one holding only.
14 Method of disputing elections and returns
(1) A person who is dissatisfied with any decision of an authorised officer under this Schedule may dispute the validity of an election by an application setting out the facts relied on to invalidate the election made to the Land and Environment Court, and not otherwise.(2) Any person may make an application to the Court under this clause within 28 days after the authorised officer has publicly declared the result of the election that is the subject of the application.
15 Powers of Land and Environment Court
In determining an application under clause 14, the Land and Environment Court has the same powers as are conferred by section 161 of the Parliamentary Electorates and Elections Act 1912 on the Court of Disputed Returns.
16 Right of authorised officer to be represented
The authorised officer is entitled to be represented at the hearing of an application under clause 14.
17 Procedure
(1) The procedure of the Land and Environment Court on an application under clause 14 is to be determined by rules of court, or in the absence of rules of court, by the Court or a judge of the Court.(2) The Land and Environment Court is not bound by the rules or practice of evidence and can inform itself on any matter in such manner as it considers appropriate.
18 Regulations
The regulations may make provision for or with respect to elections.
sch 2: Am 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [4]; 2001 No 56, Sch 2.34.
Schedule 3 Administrators
(Section 228)
1 Acting administrator
(1) If, because of illness or absence, an administrator is unable to exercise the functions of his or her office, the Minister may, by notice published in the Gazette, appoint a person to act in that office during the administrator’s illness or absence.(2) The Minister may, at any time, remove from office a person appointed under subclause (1).(3) If the office of an administrator becomes vacant before the holding of an election referred to in Part 14, the Minister must, by notice published in the Gazette, appoint another person to fill the vacancy.
2 Vacation of office
(1) The office of administrator becomes vacant if the administrator:(a) dies, or(b) resigns the office by instrument in writing addressed to the Minister, or(c) is removed from office by the Minister, or(d) becomes bankrupt, applies to take the benefit of any law for the relief of bankrupt or insolvent debtors, compounds with his or her creditors or makes an assignment of his or her remuneration for their benefit, or(e) becomes a mentally incapacitated person, or(f) is convicted in New South Wales of an offence that is punishable by imprisonment for 12 months or more or is convicted elsewhere than in New South Wales of an offence that, if committed in New South Wales, would be an offence so punishable.(2) The Minister may at any time, by notice published in the Gazette, remove an administrator from office.
3 Effect of certain other Acts
(1) Part 2 of the Public Sector Management Act 1988 does not apply to or in respect of the appointment of an administrator and an administrator is not as such subject to that Act.(2) The office of administrator is not, for the purposes of any Act, an office or place of profit under the Crown.
4 Expenses of administrator
(1) An administrator of the State Council appointed under Division 1 of Part 14 is entitled to be paid, out of the funds of the State Council, such remuneration (including travelling and subsistence allowances) as the Minister may direct.(2) An administrator of a board appointed under Division 2 of Part 14 is entitled to be paid, out of the funds of the board, such remuneration (including travelling and subsistence allowances) as the Minister may from time to time determine in respect of the administrator.
5 Administrator not liable for losses incurred during administration
(1) An administrator appointed to manage a board’s or the State Council’s affairs is not liable for any loss incurred by the board or the State Council during the administrator’s term of office unless the loss is attributable to the administrator’s intentional misconduct, gross negligence or failure to comply with any provision of this Act.(2) Neither the Crown nor the Minister is liable for any loss incurred by a board or the State Council during an administrator’s term of office, whether or not the administrator is so liable.
sch 3: Am 1999 No 94, sec 7 (2) and Sch 5, Part 2.
Schedule 4 Charges on land for unpaid amounts
(Sections 117 (3) and 171)
1 Definition
In this Schedule:compliance notice means a notice under the following sections:(a) section 117 (Compliance notice—fencing),(b) section 171 (Compliance notice—pests).
2 Registration of compliance notices in relation to land
(1) A board or other person that gives a compliance notice to the owner or occupier of land may apply to the Registrar-General for registration of the notice in relation to the land.(2) An application under this clause must define the land.(3) The Registrar-General must, on application under this clause and lodgment of the compliance notice, register the notice in relation to the land in such manner as the Registrar-General thinks fit.(4) If the notice relates to land under the provisions of the Real Property Act 1900, the notice is to be registered under that Act.
3 Charge on land subject to compliance notice
(1) This clause applies where a compliance notice is registered under clause 2 in relation to land.(2) There is created by force of this clause, on the registration of the notice, a charge on the land in relation to which the notice is registered to secure the payment to the board or person that applied for registration of the notice of the amount specified in the notice.
4 When charge ceases to have effect
(1) A charge under clause 3 ceases to have effect:(a) on payment to the board or person concerned of the amount specified in the compliance notice, or(b) on the sale or other disposition of the property with the written consent of the board or person concerned, orwhichever first occurs.(c) on the sale of the land to a purchaser in good faith for value who, at the time of the sale, has no notice of the charge,(2) The regulations may make provision for or with respect to the removal of a charge under this clause.
5 Charge subject to existing encumbrances
A charge under clause 3 is subject to every charge or encumbrance to which the land was subject before the notice was registered.
6 Registration of charge is notice
(1) If:(a) a charge under clause 3 is created on land of a particular kind and the provisions of any law of the State provide for the registration of title to, or charges over, land of that kind, anda person who purchases or otherwise acquires the land after the registration of the charge is, for the purposes of clause 4, taken to have notice of the charge.(b) the charge is so registered,(2) A person who is taken to have notice of a charge under this clause is liable to pay the amount secured by the charge, or so much of it as remains outstanding, as if the person were the person originally liable for the amount.(3) This clause does not have effect of discharging the liability of a person who was originally or previously liable for the amount secured by the charge.
Schedule 5 Sale of land for unpaid money owing to board
(Section 200)
1 Definition
In this Schedule:charge means a charge or an amount payable under the following sections:(a) section 117 (Compliance notice—fencing),(b) section 171 (Compliance notice—pests),(c) section 172 (Contributions towards eradication of pests that are insects).
2 Overdue rates and charges
For the purposes of this Schedule:(a) a rate is overdue if it has remained unpaid for more than 5 years after the date on which it became payable,(b) a charge is overdue if it has remained unpaid for more than 5 years after a judgment or costs were awarded in respect of the charge.
3 Sale of land for unpaid rates and charges
(1) A board may, in accordance with this Schedule, sell any land (or part of land) on which any rate or charge is overdue.(2) The board must not sell any such land unless it certifies the following in writing:(a) what rates and charges (including overdue rates and charges) are payable on the land,(b) when the rates and charges were made and how they were imposed,(c) when and how each of those rates or charges became payable,(d) what amounts are payable by way of overdue rates and charges on the land,(e) what amounts are payable by way of rates and charges (other than overdue rates and charges) on the land.(3) The board may, in the case of adjoining parcels of land (whether owned by the same person or not) each of which may be sold under this Schedule:(a) sell them separately or as a single parcel and under whatever conditions of sale it considers proper, and(b) do such things as it considers appropriate for the purpose of selling the land at its full value.
4 Estate and interest of the Crown in land
This Schedule does not enable the sale of:(a) an estate or interest of the Crown in land, or(b) any interest in land owned by the Crown that may not be transferred at law.
5 Notice of proposal to sell land
(1) Before selling land under this Schedule, the board must:(a) fix a convenient time (being not more than 6 months and not less than 3 months from the publication in a newspaper of the advertisement referred to in paragraph (b)) and a convenient place for the sale, and(b) give notice of the proposed sale by means of an advertisement published in the Gazette and in at least one newspaper, and(c) take reasonable steps to ascertain the identity of any person who has an interest in the land, and(d) take reasonable steps to notify each such person (and the Crown, if the land concerned is owned by the Crown) of the board’s intention to sell the land under this Schedule.(2) If, before the time fixed for the sale:(a) all rates and charges payable (including overdue rates and charges) are paid to the board, orthe board must not proceed with the sale.(b) an arrangement satisfactory to the board for payment of all such rates and charges is entered into by the rateable person,
6 Sale of land by public auction
(1) Any sale of land under this Schedule must be by way of public auction, except as provided by this clause.(2) Land that fails to sell at public auction may be sold by private treaty.(3) Land must not be sold under this Schedule to the board, a director, a relative of a director, a member of staff of the board or any relative of a member of staff of the board.(4) In this clause, a reference to a relative of a person is a reference to a spouse of the person or a grandparent, parent, son, daughter, grandchild, brother, sister, uncle, aunt, niece or nephew of the person or of the person’s spouse.
7 Payment of purchase money
The purchase money for land sold under this Schedule must be paid to the board, and the board’s receipt is a discharge to the purchaser in respect of all expenses, rates, charges and debts referred to in clause 8.
8 Application of purchase money
The board must apply any purchase money received by it on the sale of land for overdue rates and charges in or towards payment of the following purposes and in the following order:(a) firstly, the expenses of the board incurred in connection with the sale,(b) secondly, any rate or charge in respect of the land due to the board, or any other rating authority, and any debt in respect of the land (being a debt of which the board has notice) due to the Crown (including any meat industry levy under the Meat Industry Act 1978) as a consequence of the sale on an equal footing.
9 What if the purchase money is less than the amounts owing?
If the purchase money is insufficient to satisfy all rates, charges and debts referred to in clause 8 (b):(a) the amount available is to be divided between the rates, charges and debts in proportion to the amounts owing on each, and(b) the rates, charges and debts are taken to have been fully satisfied.
10 What if the purchase money is more than the amounts owing?
(1) Any balance of the purchase money must be paid into the board’s fund and held by the board in trust for the persons having estates or interests in the land immediately before the sale according to their respective estates and interests.(2) The board may pay the balance of the purchase money or any part of the balance to or among the persons who are, in its opinion, clearly entitled to it, and the receipt of the person to whom any payment is so made is an effectual discharge to the board for it.(3) The Unclaimed Money Act 1995 applies to the balance of any purchase money held by the board as if the board were a business and the money were unclaimed money within the meaning of that Act.
11 Apportionment of rates on subdivided land
(1) This clause applies to any land on which a rate or charge is imposed and which is subsequently subdivided.(2) If part only of any such land is sold under this Schedule, any unpaid rates and charges in respect of the land may be apportioned by the board on the recommendation of the Valuer-General.
12 Conveyance or transfer of the land
The board, on payment to it of the purchase money, may convey or transfer the land to the purchaser without any other authority than that conferred by this clause.
13 Land is conveyed free of certain interests
(1) A conveyance or transfer under this Schedule vests the land in the purchaser for an estate in fee simple freed and discharged from all trusts, obligations, estates, interests, contracts and charges, and rates and charges under this or any other Act, but subject to:(a) any reservations or conditions for the benefit of the Crown affecting the land, and(b) any easements, restrictive covenants or positive public covenants created in accordance with section 88D or 88E of the Conveyancing Act 1919 and public rights of way affecting the land.(2) This clause does not apply to a leasehold estate under a lease that may be transferred at law in land owned by the Crown.
14 Special provisions concerning leases of land owned by the Crown
(1) This clause applies to a leasehold estate under a lease that may be transferred at law in land owned by the Crown.(2) A conveyance or transfer under this Schedule of a leasehold estate to which this clause applies vests the leasehold estate in the purchaser freed and discharged from all trusts, obligations, estates, interests, contracts and charges, and rates and charges under this or any other Act, but subject to:(a) any debt payable to the Crown, and(b) any liability for any breach before the conveyance or transfer of the lease, and(c) the provisions of the Crown Lands Act 1989, the Crown Lands (Continued Tenures) Act 1989 and the Western Lands Act 1901 applicable to the leasehold estate.
15 Transfers not invalid because of procedural irregularities
A conveyance or transfer issued by a board under this Schedule is not invalid merely because the board has failed to comply with a requirement of this Schedule with respect to the sale of the land to which the conveyance or transfer relates.
16 Registration of transfer of land under Real Property Act 1900
(1) On lodgment of a transfer of land under the Real Property Act 1900, the Registrar-General is to make such recordings in the Register kept under that Act as are necessary to give effect to this Schedule.(2) The transfer does not operate at law until it is registered under the Real Property Act 1900.
Schedule 6 Amendment of other Acts and instruments
(Section 246)
[1] Section 37 Aboriginal lands in travelling stock reserves
Omit “as defined in section 4 of the Pastures Protection Act 1934 (not being a travelling stock reserve in the Western Division within the meaning of the Crown Lands Consolidation Act 1913” from section 37 (1).Insert instead “within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 (not being a travelling stock reserve in the Western Division within the meaning of the Crown Lands Act 1989”.
[2] Section 37 (2)
Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 or Crown Lands Act 1989”.
[3] Section 37 (4A)
Omit “as defined in section 4 of the Pastures Protection Act 1934”.Insert instead “within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[4] Section 37 (6)
Omit “Pastures Protection Act 1934, or any regulations thereunder”.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998, or regulations under that Act”.
Clause 27 Is development allowed on travelling stock routes?
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from clause 27 (1).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Section 9 Membership of Co-ordinating Committee
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 9 (1) (o).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Section 267 Exemptions
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 267 (3).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Section 34 Powers of Minister
Omit “control” from section 34 (7) (a).Insert instead “care, control and management”.
Schedule 1 Statutory provisions under which penalty notices issued
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989, section 205” from Schedule 1.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998, section 206”.
Clause 23 Ancillary money orders: section 109
Insert at the end of the clause:(2) For the purposes of section 109 (c) of the Act, each of the following amounts is prescribed:Any amount payable by a person under an order made by a court under section 208 (Court may order payment of additional penalty in certain cases) of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
Schedule 1 Employers
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from Part 2 of Schedule 1.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[1] Section 27 Penalty for unlawfully taking timber, products or forest materials
Omit “or” where secondly occurring from section 27 (3) (a) (iv).
[2] Section 27 (3) (a) (vi)
Insert at the end of section 27 (3) (a) (v):, or(vi) in respect of any timber removed, felled or destroyed in accordance with section 89 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
[3] Section 30 Definitions
Insert in alphabetical order:responsible board has the meaning it has in the definition of responsible board in section 84 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
[4] Section 30, definition of “landholder”
Omit paragraph (c). Insert instead:(c) in the case of land under the care, control and management of a rural lands protection board—the board having the care, control and management of the land.
[5] Section 30, definition of “prescribed land”
Omit paragraph (c). Insert instead:(c) a controlled travelling stock reserve within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
[6] Section 30E Apportionment of royalty—certain land
Insert “(other than a responsible board)” after “landholder concerned” in section 30E (2).
[7] Section 30F Royalty payments by Commission
Insert “(other than a responsible board)” after “landholder concerned” in section 30F (b).
6.10 Forestry Regulation 1994
Clause 53 Is a fee payable for a clearing licence?
Omit “control” from clause 53 (3) (a).Insert instead “care, control and management”.
[1] Section 9 Animals unattended in public places can be impounded
Omit section 9 (2) (d). Insert instead:(d) in the case of an animal that is stock (as defined in Part 10 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998) that is unattended on a road or travelling stock reserve, in any circumstances prescribed by section 138 of that Act.
[2] Section 11 Impounded animals to be delivered to pound
Insert after section 11 (2):(2A) An impounding officer of a rural lands protection board may detain an animal liable to be impounded without impounding it. The detained animal may be placed on any land on agistment or on any land owned by or under the control of the board. It must not be detained for longer than 7 days before it is impounded.
[3] Section 11 (3A)
Insert after section 11 (3):(3A) For the purposes of subsection (3), an impounding officer of an impounding authority that is a rural lands protection board delivers an impounded animal to the nearest pound operated or used by the board if the board has established a private pound at some place on the land where the animal was impounded and the animal is detained in that pound.
[4] Section 11 (4)
Insert “(other than an impounding officer of a rural lands protection board)” after “impounding officer”.
[5] Section 11 (4A)
Insert after section 11 (4):(4A) An impounding officer of a rural lands protection board for a district may, with the permission of the Chairperson of the board, instead destroy the animal without having it delivered to the pound if:(a) in the opinion of the district veterinarian, the animal is seriously injured, diseased or starved or is otherwise in a distressed state, or(b) the animal is worth less than the cost of delivering it to the pound.
[6] Section 32 Offence of abandoning article, or leaving animal unattended, in public place
Omit section 32 (3) (d). Insert instead:(d) in the case of an animal that is stock (as defined in Part 10 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998) that is unattended on a road or travelling stock reserve, in any circumstances prescribed by section 138 of that Act.
[7] Section 46
Omit the section. Insert instead:46 Permit not required to deliver stock to poundIt is not necessary for a stock permit to be in force under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998 for the purpose of having any stock (as defined in Part 10 of that Act) delivered to a pound under this Act.
[8] Schedule 1 Savings and transitional provisions
Insert after clause 3:3A Continuation of pounds operated by rural lands protection boardAny pound in existence under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989 immediately before the commencement of this clause is taken to be a public pound established under this Act by the rural lands protection board responsible for it.
[9] Dictionary of words and expressions, definition of “area of operations”
Insert at the end of the definition:• in the case of an impounding officer appointed by a rural lands protection board, any place in the district of the board.
[10] Dictionary of words and expressions, definition of “impounding authority”
Insert after the matter relating to the Centennial Park and Moore Park Trust in the definition:• a rural lands protection board
[11] Dictionary of words and expressions, definition of “public pound”
Omit “and includes a pound established and operated by a rural lands protection board”.
Section 63 Manner of service of summons
Omit section 63 (2A) (d). Insert instead:(d) as an officer or employee of a rural lands protection board under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
Section 20 Class 4—environmental planning and protection and development contract civil enforcement
Insert after section 20 (1) (cm):(cn) proceedings under clauses 14–17 of Schedule 2 to the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998,
[1] Section 59A Meat industry levy
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” wherever occurring.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[2] Section 59A (2)
Omit “for each stock unit equivalent of carrying capacity of the land, as assessed under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989”.Insert instead “for each stock unit of the notional carrying capacity of the land, as assessed by or under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[3] Section 59A (4)
Insert “notional” after “combined”.
[4] Section 59J Collection of meat industry levies
Omit “the Council of Advice on behalf of the Pastures Protection Boards’ Association of New South Wales within the meaning of the Pastures Protection Act 1934”.Insert instead “the State Council within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
6.15
(Repealed)[1] Section 40 Restrictions on disposal of or dealing with lands within parks or sites
Omit “control” from section 40 (2).Insert instead “care, control and management”.
[2] Section 141 Payment of rates to rural lands protection boards in Western Division
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 141 (1).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[3] Section 141 (2)
Omit “Part 4 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989”.Insert instead “Part 7 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
6.17 Non-indigenous Animals Act 1987 No 166
[1] Section 4 Application of Act
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 4 (2).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[2] Section 7 The advisory committee
Omit section 7 (4) (e). Insert instead:(e) one shall be a director of a board nominated by the State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards constituted under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998,
Dictionary of words and expressions
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from the definition of rural lands protection board.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Section 5 Exemption from operation of Act
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 5 (1) (b).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Schedule 1 Amendments
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 8 (4) of the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1979 (as proposed to be inserted by Schedule 1 [12]).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Schedule 2 Statutory bodies
Insert in alphabetical order:A rural lands protection board constituted under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards constituted under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998.
6.22 Roads Act 1993 No 33
Dictionary, definition of “unoccupied Crown land”
Omit “control” from paragraph (c).Insert instead “care, control and management”.
Section 10 Definitions
Insert after the matter relating to the Roads Act 1993 in the definition of search warrant:section 196 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998,
Section 84G Duty on motor vehicle certificates of registration
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 84G (1) (k).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Schedule 1 Employers
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from Part 2.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Schedule 1 Employers
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from Part 2.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[1] Section 3 Definitions
Omit “section 57 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from the definition of Holding in section 3 (1).Insert instead “section 76 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[2] Section 9 Occupier etc to give notice
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 9 (3A).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[3] Section 15A Definitions
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from the definition of travelling stock reserve.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[4] Section 15C Effect of closure orders
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 15C (2).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[5] Section 19C Definitions
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from the definition of board.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[6] Section 19C, definition of “district registrar”
Omit “Part 12 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989”.Insert instead “in the regulations made under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[7] Section 19I Renewal of particulars
Omit “section 196 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 19I (3).Insert instead “the regulations made under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[8] Section 19I (3)
Omit “under that Act”.Insert instead “under those regulations or, if no such fee is payable, such other amount as may be prescribed by the regulations under this Act”.
[9] Section 19I (6)
Omit “section 53 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989”.Insert instead “Part 7 of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[10] Section 19N Finance
Omit “Council of Advice under the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from section 19N (2).Insert instead “State Council within the meaning of the Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[11] Section 19N (3)
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989”.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[12] Section 20C Movement of stock
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” wherever occurring.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
[13] Section 20C (3) (c)
Omit the paragraph.
Clause 3 Definitions
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from the definition of rural lands protection district.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Schedule 3 List of employers
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from Part 2 of Schedule 3.Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
Clause 27 Land for which consent to cultivation or clearing licence required: sections 18DA and 18DB
Omit “Rural Lands Protection Act 1989” from clause 27 (1) (d).Insert instead “Rural Lands Protection Act 1998”.
sch 6: Am 1999 No 31, Sch 2.37; 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [5].
Schedule 7 Savings and transitional provisions
(Section 247)
Part 1 Preliminary
1 Regulations
(1) The regulations may contain provisions of a savings or transitional nature consequent on the enactment of the following Acts:this Act(2) Any such provision may, if the regulations so provide, take effect from the date of assent to the Act concerned or a later day.(3) To the extent to which any such provision takes effect from a date that is earlier than the date of its publication in the Gazette, the provision does not operate so as:(a) to affect, in a manner prejudicial to any person (other than the State or an authority of the State), the rights of that person existing before the date of its publication, or(b) to impose liabilities on any person (other than the State or an authority of the State) in respect of anything done or omitted to be done before the date of its publication.
Part 2 Provisions consequential on enactment of this Act
2 Definition
In this Part:former Act means the Rural Lands Protection Act 1989.
3 First members of State Council
(1) The Minister is to appoint the first members of the State Council.(2) A person appointed to hold office under this clause ceases to hold office when the first members of the State Council are elected in accordance with section 21.(3) The Minister is to call the first meeting of the State Council in such manner as the Minister thinks fit.
4 Rural lands protection districts
A rural lands protection district constituted under section 4 of the former Act immediately before the repeal of that section is taken to be a rural lands protection district constituted under this Act with the same boundaries and divisions as it had immediately before the repeal.
5 Rural lands protection boards
A rural lands protection board established under section 6 of the former Act immediately before the repeal of that section is taken to be a rural lands protection board constituted under this Act.
6 Existing directors of rural lands protection boards
The chairman and directors of a rural lands protection board elected or appointed under the former Act who were holding office immediately before the repeal of section 6 of that Act continue, subject to this Act, to hold office for the remainder of the term for which they were so elected or appointed.
7 Policies of insurance
A policy of insurance effected under Schedule 1 to the former Act in respect of a director referred to in clause 6 is taken to have been effected in respect of the director as required by Schedule 1 to this Act.
8 Existing district veterinarians
Any person holding an appointment as a district veterinarian for a rural lands protection district immediately before the repeal of section 22 of the former Act is taken to have been appointed as the district veterinarian by the rural lands protection board established for the corresponding rural lands protection district under this Act.
9 Existing members of staff of boards
Any person employed by a rural lands protection board under section 23 or 24 of the former Act immediately before the commencement of section 43 of this Act is taken to have been appointed as an employee of the corresponding rural lands protection board under section 43.
10 Rural lands protection fund, wild dog fund, reserves improvement fund, stock watering places fund and special fund
(1) Any money in a fund established by a board under section 32, 33, 34 or 36 of the former Act immediately before the repeal of those sections is, on that repeal, taken to form part of the fund of the board and may be expended for any purpose (not being inconsistent with the purpose for which the fund was established) for which the board may expend money in its fund under this Act.(2) A reference in any instrument made or entered into before the commencement of this clause to a fund referred to in subclause (1) is taken to be a reference to the fund of the board.
11 Annual reports
An annual report is not required to be submitted in respect of activities of a board under section 36 of this Act during a financial year in respect of which an annual report has been submitted in accordance with section 52 of the former Act.
12 Contributions to rabbit proof, dog proof and marsupial proof fences
(1) Section 156 of the former Act continues to apply to the holder of a lease or licence who, immediately before the repeal of that section, was liable to pay an annual rental for a fence as if that section were in still in force.(2) Section 159 of the former Act continues to apply to an owner of land who, immediately before the repeal of that section, was liable to pay a yearly contribution as if that section were still in force.(3) Except as provided by this clause, Division 3 of Part 11 of the former Act continues to operate in respect of any proceeding pending in respect of a contribution towards the cost of work and materials for or in respect of fences under that Part as if the that Part had not been repealed by this Act.
13 Electoral rolls established under the former Act
A roll prepared for the purposes of the former Act and in force immediately before the commencement of Schedule 1 to this Act becomes an electors’ roll for the purpose of that Schedule until a fresh roll of electors is prepared for the purposes of this Act.
14 Appointment of administrator to continue
A person who was, immediately before the commencement of section 218 of this Act, holding office as an administrator under the former Act continues in office as if he or she were an administrator appointed under that section.
15 Rates and other amounts outstanding under the former Act to remain payable
(1) The amount of any rate, fee or charge that has been levied or imposed under a provision of the former Act and has not been paid when that provision is repealed by this Act is payable and recoverable as if that provision had not been repealed.(2) An amount referred to in this clause that, by virtue of a provision of the former Act, was secured by a charge and that could, if it had first become due and payable under this Act, have been secured by a charge by virtue of a provision of this Act continues to be secured under the provision of this Act.
16 Assessment of carrying capacity under the former Act to continue to have effect
The last assessment of the carrying capacity of land made under the former Act before the commencement of section 69 of this Act continues to have effect in respect of the land until superseded by an assessment of the notional carrying capacity of the land made in accordance with that section.
17 Returns of land and stock
Despite its repeal by this Act, section 57 of the former Act continues to apply to any occupier of land, or any owner of stock, who had not complied with that section with respect to any 30 June before that repeal took effect.
18 Notices of changes of occupancy or ownership of rateable land
Despite its repeal by this Act, section 65 of the former Act continues to apply to a person who had ceased to be or had become the occupier or owner of rateable land within a district but who had not complied with that section before that repeal.
19 Appeals against certain decisions of rural lands boards under the former Act
(1) Despite its repeal by this Act, section 55 of the former Act continues to apply to an assessment of the carrying capacity of land that was made before the repeal of that section.(2) Section 61 of the former Act continues to apply in respect of proceedings that were brought under that section before its repeal by this Act.
20 Exemptions from rating provisions under section 75 of the former Act
If an exemption under section 75 of the former Act is in force immediately before the commencement of section 244 of this Act and the land or person or class of persons to which the exemption relates could be exempted under section 244 of this Act, the exemption continues in force as an exemption under that section.
21 Existing travelling stock reserves and stock watering places
(1) A board that had, or purported to have, control of a travelling stock reserve under section 80 of the former Act immediately before the commencement of section 85 of this Act is taken to have the care, control and management of the reserve under section 85.(2) Any act, matter or thing done before the commencement of this clause in relation to a travelling stock reserve by a board that purported to have control of the reserve under section 80 of the former Act that would have been validly done if the board had had such control, is validated.(3) Land that, immediately before the commencement of section 129 of this Act, was a stock watering place under the former Act is taken to have been declared to be a stock watering place under section 129 of this Act.
22 Existing permits, authorisations and licences relating to stock
A walking stock permit, grazing permit, stock licence, stock holding permit or apiary site permit or other authority issued under Part 6 of the former Act (an ) that, immediately before the commencement of this clause, entitled or authorised a person to enter, remain on, occupy, use or engage in any activity in a travelling stock reserve or public road is taken to be a stock permit or reserve use permit (as the case requires) issued under this Act authorising that person to do that thing subject to any conditions to which the original authority was subject.
23 Aboriginal lands in travelling stock reserves
Nothing in this Act affects any claim lodged under section 36 of the Aboriginal Lands Rights Act 1983 before the commencement of this clause.
24 Sureties paid by holders of Crown land
Section 60 of the former Act continues to apply to and in respect of a surety lodged under that section before the commencement of section 83 of this Act as if it had not been repealed.
25 Stock impounded under the former Act
Stock impounded under the former Act and not released before the commencement of Part 10 of this Act are to continue to be dealt with as if the relevant provisions of the former Act were still in force.
26 Leases of stock watering places to continue to have effect
(1) A lease of a stock watering place granted under the former Act and in force at the commencement of section 134 of this Act continues to have effect for the unexpired part of its term.(2) The lessee under the lease has the same rights and is subject to the same obligations and liabilities as the lessee would have if the lease had been granted under section 134 of this Act.
27 Noxious insects, noxious animals and pest animals
(1) In this clause:former pest means:(a) any animal or bird of a species that, immediately before the commencement of this clause, was a noxious animal within the meaning of the former Act,(b) any insect of any species that, immediately before the commencement of this clause, was a noxious insect within the meaning of the former Act,(c) any animal or bird of a species that, immediately before the commencement of this clause, was the subject of a control order made under section 138D of the former Act.(2) The Minister may make a pest control order under Part 11 that declares a former pest (or only such species, hybrid or description of such a pest as is specified in the order) to be a pest within the meaning of this Act without complying with the requirements of sections 146 and 147. Such a pest control order is taken to be made in accordance with Division 2 of Part 11.(3) Nothing in this clause limits section 26 of the Interpretation Act 1987.
28 Orders for the destruction of noxious animals made under the former Act
An order made under section 127 of the former Act that is in force immediately before the commencement of section 143 of this Act and not fully complied with before that commencement continues to have effect as if Part 9 of the former Act were still in force.
29 Permission to keep noxious animals granted under the former Act
If permission granted under the former Act to keep a noxious animal is in force immediately before the commencement of section 174 of this Act, that permission is, on that commencement, to be taken to be an approval granted under that section.
30 Registration of brand designs and earmark designs
The registration of a brand design or earmark design under Part 12 of the former Act continues in force in relation to stock as if that Act had not been repealed until a scheme has been established in relation to the identification of stock by or under the regulations made for the purposes of this Act.
31 Delegations by the Minister under the former Act
Any delegation made by the Minister under the former Act that has not been revoked before the commencement of section 241 of this Act and that could have been made under that section if that section had been in force when the delegation was made continues in force as if it had been made under that section.
32 Noxious Insects Destruction Account
The Noxious Insects Destruction Account established under section 148 of the former Act may be continued, on the repeal of that section, as a special deposit account of that name. Money in that account on the repeal of that section may be used for the eradication of plague locusts and other pests that are insects.
33 Notices served under the former Act
If:(a) a notice or notification has been given or served under a provision of the former Act, and(b) a similar notice or notification could have been served under a corresponding provision of this Act had this Act been in force at the relevant time, andthe notice or notification is to be treated as if it were a notice or notification served under that corresponding provision.(c) either the period within which the notice or notification was due to take effect had not expired when that corresponding provision commenced or, if it had expired, the notice or notification had not been complied with,
34 Documents prepared for the purposes of the former Act
If:(a) a certificate or other document prepared or created under or for the purposes of a provision of the former Act was in force immediately before the repeal of that provision by this Act, andthat certificate or document continues to have effect as if it had been prepared or created under or for the purposes of that corresponding provision.(b) a similar certificate or document could be prepared or created under or for the purposes of a corresponding provision of this Act,
sch 7: Am 2000 No 93, Sch 1.23 [6].
Dictionary
In this Act:administrator means an administrator appointed under Part 14.
animal health rate means a rate levied by a board under Part 7 as an animal health rate.
annual return means a return lodged or required to be lodged with a board under section 76.
appropriate local land board means:
(a) in relation to land within the Eastern and Central Division—the local land board for the land district in which the land is situated, or
(b) in the case of land within the Western Division—the local land board for the administrative district where the land is located.
approved form means:
(a) the form prescribed by the regulations for the purposes of the provision in relation to which the expression is used, or
(b) if no such form is prescribed, the form (if any) approved by the State Council for the purposes of the provision in relation to which the expression is used.
means a person authorised as an authorised officer under section 185.
means:
(a) in relation to an authorised officer appointed by a board—the board, or
(b) in relation to an authorised officer appointed by the Minister—the Minister, or
(c) in relation to an authorised officer appointed by the State Council—the State Council, or
(d) in relation to an authorised officer appointed by the Director-General—the Director-General.
board means the rural lands protection board constituted for a district under this Act.
cattle means a bull, cow, ox, heifer, steer, calf or buffalo.
Chief Executive Officer means the Chief Executive Officer of the State Council.
Chief of the Division of Animal Industries means the Chief, Division of Animal Industries, Department of Agriculture.
of a stock watering place—see section 131.
critical habitat has the same meaning as in the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
Crown land has the same meaning as it has in the Crown Lands Act 1989.
Crown Lands Acts has the same meaning as it has in the Crown Lands Act 1989.
Crown road has the same meaning as it has in the Roads Act 1993.
Director-General means the Director-General of the Department of Agriculture.
district means a rural lands protection district established by or under this Act.
district veterinarian means a person holding office under section 43 as a district veterinarian.
Eastern and Central Division means the Eastern and Central Division of New South Wales as defined by section 4 of the Crown Lands Act 1989.
ecological community has the same meaning as in the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
enrolled means enrolled in accordance with Schedule 2 as an elector in respect of a district or a division of a district.
exercise a function includes perform a duty.
fauna means any mammal, bird, reptile or amphibian.
function includes a power, authority or duty.
function management plan—see Division 3 of Part 6.
general election—see clause 6 of Schedule 2.
general rate means a rate levied by a board under Part 7 as a general rate.
goat includes a buck, doe, wether and kid.
guidelines means guidelines issued by the State Council under section 25.
holding means:irrespective of whether those parcels are held under the same title or different titles or titles of different kinds or whether they are in the same district.
(a) a parcel of land, or
(b) several parcels of land which:(i) are contiguous with one another or are separated from one another only by a road, river, creek or other watercourse, and(ii) constitute or are worked as a single property,
Note—
See section 8 (When is a holding within a district?).
horse means a horse, mare, gelding, colt, filly, foal, hinny, mule, donkey or ass.
Land Register means the Register kept under the Real Property Act 1900.
large stock means horses, cattle, camels or deer.
means a council within the meaning of the Local Government Act 1993.
memorandum of understanding means the memorandum of understanding referred to in section 13.
Minister for Crown Lands means the Minister administering the Crown Lands Act 1989.
occupier of land means the following:
(a) the person for the time being entitled to possession of land and includes, if the person so entitled does not reside on the land, the resident manager or other person in charge of the land,
(b) if the land is public land to which no person is entitled to possession—the person having the care, control and management of the land,
(c) if the land is reserved or dedicated for any public use or purpose—the trustee or trustees of the land,
(d) if the land consists of a public road—the roads authority for that road within the meaning of the Roads Act 1993,
(e) if the land consists of a travelling stock reserve—the responsible board within the meaning of Part 8,
(f) any other person designated by the regulations as an occupier of land for the purposes of this definition.
owner of land includes:
(a) the holder, or the holder subject to mortgage, of any lease or licence or promise of any lease or licence from the Crown, or
(b) the holder, or the holder subject to mortgage, of any incomplete purchase or perpetual lease from the Crown, or
(c) the person entitled at law or in equity to an estate of freehold in possession of any land granted or transferred to that person by the Crown for other than public purposes, or
(d) the person in whom is vested any land taken or appropriated under the authority of any statute authorising land to be taken or appropriated for the purpose of any private undertaking.
pig includes boar, sow, barrow, piglet and sucker.
premises includes any land, structure, building, aircraft, vehicle and place (whether built on or not) and any part of it.
private holding and private land mean respectively a holding and land not including or being public land.
property means property of all kinds, whether real or personal and whether tangible or intangible and, in particular, includes choses in action.
protected fauna means protected fauna within the meaning of the National Parks and Wildlife Act 1974.
includes:
(a) a Minister of the Crown, or
(b) a local authority constituted by or under an Act, or
(c) a government department, or
(d) a statutory body representing the Crown, or
(e) the trustee or trustees of land reserved or dedicated for any public use or purpose, or
(f) a State owned corporation, or
(g) a member of staff or other person who exercises functions on behalf of any of the above.
public land means:being land that is not the subject of any lease or licence under the Crown Lands Acts or under any other Act authorising the occupation or use of land vested in the Crown.
(a) Crown land that is not the subject of a contract for sale, or
(b) land, not being a road, that is the subject of a dedication or permanent reservation for public uses or purposes,
public road has the same meaning as it has in the Roads Act 1993.
rate means a rate fixed under Part 7.
rateable land—see section 60.
record includes a book, account, deed, writing, document and any other source of information compiled, recorded or stored in written form, or on microfilm, or by electronic process, or in any other manner or by any other means.
region means a rural lands protection region declared by order under section 9.
reserve use permit means a permit used under section 100.
sheep includes ram, ewe, wether and lamb.
special election—see clause 9 of Schedule 2.
State Conference means a State Conference of boards convened under Part 4.
State Council means the State Council of Rural Lands Protection Boards constituted by this Act.
State forest means a State forest within the meaning of the Forestry Act 1916.
stock means cattle, horses, sheep, goats, camels, alpacas, llamas, pigs, deer, ostriches, emus or, in relation to any specified provision or provisions of this Act, any other kind of animal declared by the regulations to be stock for the purposes of that provision or those provisions.
stock permit means a permit issued under section 101.
stock watering place means any land declared to be a stock watering place under section 129.
threatened species means threatened species within the meaning of the Threatened Species Conservation Act 1995.
travelling stock has the meaning it has in section 84.
travelling stock reserve—see section 84.
tree means a tree of any description and includes a sapling and a seedling of a tree.
vehicle includes any means of road, rail, waterborne or airborne transport.
Western Division has the same meaning as it has in section 4 of the Crown Lands Act 1989.
Western Lands Commissioner means the person holding office as such under Part 2 of the Public Sector Management Act 1988.
wildlife means protected fauna and native plants.